Outperforming Headless

This case study reveals how a resilient, well-tuned WordPress platform can deliver speed, stability, and a seamless experience that rivals even the most modern stacks.

The Challenge

Digital publishers often assume “headless” means “fastest.” Our client, a leading media brand, had a flagship property running on a modern headless stack—but their WordPress site was equal in performance and user experience, and we wanted it to outperform.

The Mission

Could we take their WordPress property and make it not just competitive, but faster than their headless solution?

Our Approach

We didn’t settle for the basics. Here’s what we did:

  • Audited every plugin, theme, and line of custom code for bottlenecks.
  • Implemented advanced caching and CDN strategies tailored to their content flow.
  • Optimized images, scripts, and third-party integrations for minimal load times.
  • Rolled out automated performance monitoring and rapid-iteration improvements.

Results

After launch, the numbers spoke for themselves:

  • Page load times slashed by over 15% (now consistently under 1 second)
  • Core Web Vitals all in the green—across desktop and mobile
  • Outperformed their own headless site in real-world speed tests
What This Means for Publishers

What This Means for Publishers
The “headless = faster” myth? Busted. With the right expertise, WordPress can deliver enterprise-grade speed, flexibility, and editorial ease—without sacrificing performance.

Ready to see what WordPress can really do?

Let’s talk about how we can help your media property break through performance barriers.