Wordpress SEO Optimization: Enable Gzip Encoding and Caching - Enabling Caching in WordPress

One of the best caching plugins in WordPress is "Super Cache." 

To enable the WP Super Cache plugin correctly, follow the steps below:

Step 1. Download your wp-config.php and make sure that this line is deleted (if you cannot see this line, then just proceed to step 2):

define('WP_CACHE', true);

Step 2. Go to the /wp-content directory of your WordPress website, and make sure you've deleted these files, if you can see them:

wp-cache-config.php
advanced-cache.php

If you can't see these files in the /wp-content directory, just proceed to next step.

Step 3. Download this plugin http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wp-super-cache/ , extract the folder and then upload the "wp-super-cache" directory to your plugins directory.

Step 4. Log in to your WordPress website as administrator.

Step 5. Activate the wp super cache plugin.

Step 6. Go to Settings ==> Wp Super Cache

Step 7. Select this radio button: "On WP Cache and Super Cache enabled."

Step 8. Check "Cache rebuild..."

Step 9. Check "Mobile device support."

Step 10. Click the "Update Status Button."

Step 11. Check "Test Cache." There should be no errors reported. If none, proceed to the next step.

Step 12. Check "Preload mode..."

Step 13. Click the "Update Settings" button.

Step 14. Click the "Preload Cache now" button.

Step 15. Scroll down to the Mod Rewrite Rules section. Make sure this is updated; if you are in doubt, you can always click "Update Mod_Rewrite Rules" so that those lines will be added to your WordPress .htaccess. Details about this additional .htaccess syntax can be found here: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wp-super-cache/installation/

That's it. You do not need to enable compression since you already implemented it in the previous section. Just leave the items below at its default settings:

• Cache contents
  
• Super Cache compression (should be set to Disabled).
  
• Expiry Time and garbage collection.
  
• Accepted Filenames and Rejected URIs.
  
• Rejected User Agents
  
• Debug Settings
  
• Lock down
  
• Directory Cached Files
  
• Fix Configuration
  
• Cache plugins

The installation and configuration of the WordPress Super Cache plugin is complete. To confirm that you have successfully installed the Super Cache plugin, go to your home page and then view the HTML source code.

Go to the last portion of the HTML code. You should see a comment like this:

The most important point is that you should see the "Cached page generated by WP- Super-Cache."

Important things you should know about enabling cache

Now that there is virtually no dependence on PHP script to generate and display content to your visitors if caching is enabled, you need to make some adjustments, particularly if you are updating the website with the following common tasks:

1. Adding new posts/pages.
   
2. Updating old posts/pages.
   
3. Deleting posts/pages.
   
4. Adding new plugins.
   
5. Other activities that require obvious PHP script execution in your WordPress website.

You might notice that even if you have new posts or update something on your WordPress website, your server won't display the changes you have made. This is because it is still displaying the cached content (which is old and needs to be updated).

To update and clear cache, follow the procedure below:

Step 1. Log in as WordPress administrator.

Step 2. Go to Settings ==> WP Super Cache.

Step 3. Under "Cache Contents," click the "Delete Cache" button.

Step 4. Click the "Delete Expired" button.

Step 5. Click the "Regenerate cache stats" link.

Step 6. Finally, under "Preload Cache," click the "Preload Cache Now" button.

Try to clear your browser cache and then revisit your website. The changes you have made (e.g adding new posts) should now be reflected on your WordPress website.