Kentico to WordPress CMS: Post Migration Website Performance Optimization Tip
Migrating from Kentico to WordPress CMS is a big step forward for many businesses seeking greater flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and ease of use. But once your new WordPress site is live, the work isn’t over. In fact, one of the most crucial phases begins: optimizing your website’s performance. A fast, smooth, and responsive website not only keeps users happy but also improves search rankings, reduces bounce rates, and boosts conversions.
This guide dives deep into the most effective performance optimization strategies to implement right after completing your Kentico to WordPress migration.
Why Website Performance Matters After Migration
Website performance isn’t just about loading speed—though that’s a big part of it. It’s also about ensuring your site runs efficiently, scales smoothly, and delivers a great user experience across all devices. After migrating from Kentico to WordPress, your site structure, hosting environment, and content handling will have changed. That’s why performance optimization needs to be an immediate post-migration priority.
Here are key reasons to optimize right away:
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Enhance SEO rankings and visibility
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Reduce bounce rate and improve user retention
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Ensure mobile responsiveness
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Minimize server load and improve uptime
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Provide a smoother content management experience
Choose a High-Performance Hosting Provider
The speed of your WordPress site starts with hosting. Unlike Kentico, which is typically hosted on Windows servers with .NET support, WordPress runs best on optimized LAMP environments (Linux, Apache/Nginx, MySQL, PHP).
Look for managed WordPress hosting that includes features like:
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SSD storage
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Server-side caching
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Built-in CDN
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PHP 8+ support
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Automatic backups and updates
Top providers like DreamHost, Kinsta, Hostinger, and WP Engine specialize in WordPress performance and can help ensure your site runs fast and reliably from day one.
Use a Lightweight Theme
Post-migration, your WordPress theme plays a big role in performance. Avoid bloated, overly complex themes that add unnecessary scripts and slow down loading. Instead, go for lightweight, responsive themes like:
These themes are built for speed, support modern design, and offer customization options without overloading your site.
Optimize Images for Faster Load Times
Image-heavy pages can slow down your WordPress site dramatically. After importing content from Kentico, make sure to:
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Compress all images using tools like TinyPNG or ShortPixel
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Use next-gen formats like WebP for better compression
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Implement lazy loading (native in WordPress 5.5+)
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Use a CDN to serve images closer to your users
Optimizing images post-migration is one of the easiest and most impactful changes you can make.
Minimize and Combine CSS/JS Files
Many Kentico sites rely on inline or external stylesheets and scripts. When moving to WordPress, these often get fragmented. You can improve performance by:
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Minifying CSS and JavaScript files with plugins like Autoptimize or Asset CleanUp
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Removing unused code
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Combining files where possible to reduce HTTP requests
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Deferring non-critical scripts and styles
These practices reduce your page size and improve time-to-first-byte (TTFB).
Leverage Caching
Caching stores a static version of your website, making it faster to load for repeat visitors. In WordPress, you can set up:
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Page caching (entire pages)
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Object caching (database queries)
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Browser caching (stored locally in the visitor’s browser)
Popular caching plugins to automate this process. Some managed hosts also include built-in caching layers for optimal performance.
Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN)
A CDN stores your site’s static content on global servers, reducing latency and speeding up access for users worldwide. CDNs are especially helpful after migrating from Kentico, as global delivery wasn’t always a native feature.
Most caching plugins integrate easily with these services, and some hosting providers bundle them in their plans.
Clean Up Your Database
After migrating content from Kentico, your WordPress database might be cluttered with unused drafts, tables, revisions, and metadata. A bloated database slows down queries and increases server load.
Use plugins like WP-Optimize or Advanced Database Cleaner to:
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Remove post revisions
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Delete unused tags and metadata
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Optimize database tables
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Schedule regular cleanups
Keeping your database lean is key to long-term site health.
Disable Unused Plugins and Features
It’s tempting to install multiple plugins to replicate Kentico features, but too many active plugins can bog down performance. Review your plugin list and:
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Deactivate and delete anything unused
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Replace bulky plugins with lightweight alternatives
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Avoid overlapping functionality (e.g., multiple SEO or slider plugins)
Stick to essential, well-coded plugins from trusted developers.
Enable GZIP Compression
GZIP compresses your website files before sending them to the browser, reducing file size and speeding up transmission. Most WordPress caching plugins include GZIP by default, but you can also enable it via .htaccess or your hosting panel.
Use tools like Check GZIP Compression to verify it’s working.
Implement Core Web Vitals Improvements
Google’s Core Web Vitals—largest contentful paint (LCP), first input delay (FID), and cumulative layout shift (CLS)—are essential post-migration metrics. Improving them includes:
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Reducing load times (LCP) with optimized media and server speed
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Delaying third-party scripts (FID)
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Avoiding layout shifts with fixed dimensions (CLS)
Use tools like PageSpeed Insights and Lighthouse to test and improve these metrics.
Optimize Fonts and Reduce External Requests
Web fonts can slow down your site if not handled properly. After switching to WordPress:
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Limit the number of font families and weights
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Host fonts locally to reduce external HTTP requests
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Preload key fonts to improve render times
Avoid relying too heavily on external scripts like social feeds or analytics that delay load times.
Know: WooCommerce Maintenance Impact
Conclusion
Migrating from Kentico to WordPress CMS opens the door to faster, more flexible web management—but only if you take performance optimization seriously. By implementing these post-migration best practices, you’ll ensure that your new WordPress site is not just functional, but fast, secure, and future-proof.
From smart caching to image optimization, there are countless ways to make your site shine after the switch. Take the time to do it right, and your audience—and search engines—will reward you.