I’ve been trying to optimize my site speed, but no matter what I do, the Time to First Byte (TTFB) remains high. I’ve compressed images, enabled caching, and minified CSS and JavaScript. Why is it still slow?

A high TTFB usually points to server-side delays. Despite optimizing front-end elements, your server might still be taking too long to process requests. First, check your hosting plan. Shared hosting environments often have limited resources, so upgrading to a VPS or dedicated server can significantly reduce TTFB.

Use tools like GTmetrix or WebPageTest to analyze server response times. Look for delays caused by database queries or backend processing. If the database is slow, optimize it using a plugin like WP-Optimize to remove unnecessary data and improve query performance.

Consider enabling server-side caching mechanisms like OPcache or Memcached to speed up PHP execution. If you’re using a CMS-heavy theme, switch to a lighter one to reduce processing overhead. Additionally, ensure your server software is up-to-date. Using the latest versions of PHP, MySQL, and web server software like Nginx or Apache can improve response times.

Lastly, check if external scripts, like third-party ads or analytics, are slowing down your server. Disabling or deferring these scripts can also help reduce TTFB.