How to Use the Site Speed Section in Thrive Theme Builder

In this article, you’ll learn how to use the Site Speed section in Thrive Theme Builder to optimize your website’s performance. This section provides tools and plugin recommendations for asset optimization, image compression, caching, and Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP).

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Note: The Site Speed section provides predefined settings and quick-install options for popular optimization plugins, but it does not cover every aspect of speed optimization. Features like lazy loading may need to be configured separately.

Accessing the Site Speed Section

1. Go to your WordPress admin dashboard.
2. Click Thrive Dashboard > Thrive Theme Builder.
   
   

   

3. In the left sidebar, click Site Speed.
   
   

The Site Speed page displays four optimization areas:

• Project Lightspeed
• Image Optimization and Delivery
• Minification and Caching
• Accelerated Mobile Pages

Project Lightspeed

Project Lightspeed is a built-in performance tool included with Thrive Suite. It scans your website’s JavaScript and CSS files and creates optimized versions for each page, reducing load times.

1. Click the Project Lightspeed block on the Site Speed page.
2. This takes you to the Asset Optimization page where you can run the analysis and apply optimizations.

Image Optimization and Delivery

Click the Image Optimization and Delivery block to see two approaches:

Fully Automated: Optimole

Optimole automatically compresses images, serves them at the right dimensions, and delivers them through a CDN. It’s free for up to 5,000 hits per month.

1. Open the Fully Automated tab.
2. Click Install Now next to Optimole.
3. Register with your email address and click Create & connect your account.
4. An API key is sent to your email for verification.
5. Click Configure Optimole for Optimal use with Thrive.
6. Confirm by clicking Yes, configure Optimole.

No Cost: Smush

Smush compresses images after upload. The free version handles unlimited images; the Pro version adds CDN and adaptive image features.

1. Open the No Cost tab.
2. Click Install Now next to Smush.
3. The plugin is installed and activated automatically.
4. Configure Smush settings manually from the WordPress admin—there is no automatic Thrive configuration for this plugin.

Minification and Caching

Click the Minification and Caching block to see four recommended caching plugins:

Plugin	Type	Thrive Auto-Config
WP Rocket	Premium	No (separate setup required)
SG Optimizer	Free (SiteGround hosting)	Yes
WP Fastest Cache	Free	Yes
W3 Total Cache	Free	Yes

For plugins with Thrive auto-configuration:

1. Click Install Now next to the plugin.
2. Click Activate.
3. Click Configure for Optimal Caching with Thrive.
4. Confirm by clicking Yes, configure the cache.

Warning: Applying the Thrive-optimized configuration may overwrite any existing settings for the selected caching plugin. If you’ve already configured the plugin manually, review the settings after applying.

Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP)

AMP creates lightweight versions of your pages optimized for mobile devices.

1. Click the Accelerated Mobile Pages block on the Site Speed page.
2. Toggle Enable AMP to turn it on.
3. Configure the available options:
   • Content types — Choose which post types should have AMP versions (posts, pages, landing pages).
   • Convert internal links — Automatically convert internal links to their AMP equivalents.
   • Google Analytics — Install Google Analytics tracking on AMP content.

Important: Not all content elements convert to AMP. Interactive elements like Tabs, Toggle, and Lead Generation forms may not display correctly in AMP mode. It’s recommended to enable AMP on a staging site first to test before applying to your live site.

Related Resources

• Getting Started: Learn how to get started with Thrive Theme Builder.
• Setting Up Branding: Configure your logo, favicon, and theme colors.
• Managing Templates: Explore the Templates section to optimize your site’s design.