Performance Maintenance: Fast Load Times, Permanently Maintained
Load time checks, caching care, image compression and database optimisation as an ongoing managed service — included in SLA plans from €199 per month. Your shop stays fast not just at launch, but permanently.
from €199
SLA plans per month, performance care included
2.5 s
LCP target according to Core Web Vitals
7 %
conversion drop per 100 ms extra load time (project experience)
50+
managed shops and websites
An online shop loses speed after launch — often without anyone noticing. Growing product catalogues, new plugins, uncompressed uploads and fragmented database tables creep in and push load times upward. Studies show that every additional second of load time noticeably reduces conversion rate (Google Web Performance, 2023). Our performance maintenance — a fixed component of our maintenance services — treats load time not as a one-time task but as a continuous process: regular measurements, targeted interventions and documented improvements. Your shop stays fast, stable and competitive in the long run.
Performance maintenance within the SLA plan
- Monthly Core Web Vitals measurement with trend report
- Caching, image and database care in ongoing operations
- Ad-hoc help without a contract: €95 per hour, billed in 15-minute increments
Load time checks, caching and database care are a fixed part of our SLA plans: Basis €199, Business €349 with quarterly performance review, Enterprise €699 with 45-minute first response. Minimum term 6 months.
Why Performance Maintenance Is Not a One-Off Project
Many shops receive an initial performance tuning after launch and achieve excellent metrics at first. But the reality of daily operations quickly takes its toll: new products bring uncompressed images, plugin updates add JavaScript files that increase render-blocking, and the database fills up with log data and orphaned entries. These changes happen gradually — no single change is dramatic, but after six months without maintenance, load times can have risen significantly.
Performance is an operational state, not a project outcome
Search engines evaluate the Core Web Vitals — Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) and Interaction to Next Paint (INP) — as direct ranking factors. A shop that slips on these metrics loses not only conversion rate but also organic visibility. Our maintenance approach keeps these values permanently in the green zone by detecting and fixing deteriorations before they affect rankings or user experience. Learn more about our monitoring service, which forms the technical foundation for continuous performance control.
What Our Performance Maintenance Covers
Monthly Load Time Checks
We measure LCP, TTFB, CLS and INP at regular intervals from multiple locations. Results feed into a trend report that makes deteriorations visible early.
Caching Configuration and Maintenance
Full-page cache, object cache and browser cache are reviewed and optimised regularly. We ensure cache rules stay current and no invalidation issues arise.
Image Compression and Formats
Newly uploaded images are checked for compression and format. Outdated images are converted to modern formats such as WebP or AVIF and supplied with correct dimension attributes.
Database Optimisation
Fragmented tables are optimised, outdated log entries and revisions cleaned up, slow queries identified and indexes reviewed. Database size is kept manageable on an ongoing basis.
CSS/JS Minification and Bundling
Unnecessary scripts are identified and removed, render-blocking resources switched to defer/async and minification rules updated after plugin updates.
Server Response Time Analysis
TTFB is measured regularly and PHP configuration, OPcache settings and database connection times are reviewed. Server-level bottlenecks are detected early.
Our Performance Maintenance Process
Structured procedures are the core of our performance maintenance. Every measure follows a defined process that ensures measurability, traceability and documented results. We can show at any time which measure produced which improvement — and detect regressions in time.
Baseline Measurement and Inventory
At the start of performance maintenance, we carry out a complete inventory: Core Web Vitals measurement, analysis of the biggest performance bottlenecks, review of caching configuration, database size and fragmentation, plus an inventory of all scripts and stylesheets. This baseline is the starting point for all subsequent measurements.
Caching Maintenance: The Heart of Performance
A correctly configured cache is the single most effective measure for fast load times. But caching configurations become outdated: plugin updates change cache logic, new product pages do not follow defined cache rules, and seasonal promotions require adapted cache invalidation strategies. Without regular maintenance, caching configurations evolve into a patchwork that undermines reliable performance.
Three cache layers, one strategy
Effective caching encompasses multiple layers that must be coordinated. The full-page cache accelerates the delivery of complete HTML pages. The object cache stores database queries and reusable computations. The browser cache defines how long static resources such as images and stylesheets are stored locally. As part of our Shopware maintenance and WordPress maintenance, we monitor all three layers and adjust them regularly. We measure cache hit rates and identify pages or resources not covered by the cache.
- Full-page cache: serve pre-rendered HTML pages
- Object cache: cache database queries and computations
- Browser cache: assign long TTLs to static assets
- CDN cache: distribute static resources globally
- OPcache: keep PHP bytecode in memory
Database Optimisation in Ongoing Operations
Databases are frequently the biggest performance bottleneck in online shops. The more orders, products and customer actions a shop processes, the more the database grows. Without regular maintenance, tables fragment, orphaned entries accumulate, and queries that ran in milliseconds at launch can suddenly take several seconds.
Table Optimisation
Fragmented tables are regularly optimised and reorganised. Especially for frequently written tables (orders, sessions, logs), this prevents gradual performance degradation.
Orphaned Data Cleanup
Log tables, revision data, expired sessions and temporary import data are cleaned up at defined intervals. This keeps database size manageable and queries fast.
Slow Query Analysis
We regularly analyse the slow query log for queries consuming disproportionate time. Often dramatic improvements can be achieved by adding indexes.
Index Review
Indexes are checked for currency and effectiveness. Missing indexes on frequently filtered columns are added; orphaned indexes that slow write operations are removed.
Connection Pool Optimisation
Database connection times are monitored and the connection pool adjusted to actual load. Connection bottlenecks during peak loads are prevented through proactive configuration.
Backup Before Every Optimisation
Before every database optimisation, we create a backup. This allows us to roll back to the original state at any time if unexpected problems arise, without risk of data loss.
Image performance: an underestimated factor
Image Optimisation as a Continuous Task
Images are the single largest factor in the data volume transferred per page. Anyone who regularly adds new products uploads new images daily — often without paying attention to compression, dimensions or modern formats. Our performance maintenance includes regular review and optimisation of the image inventory.
- Check new uploads for format (WebP/AVIF preferred), compression and correct dimensions
- Retrospectively compress oversized originals without visible quality loss
- Verify lazy-loading attribute on images below the fold
- Check responsive image attributes (srcset/sizes) for completeness
- Identify outdated, no longer used images in the media catalogue
- Optimise render-blocking with preload hints for the LCP element
Load time problems? We find the cause.
We measure your shop free of charge, name the biggest performance blockers and show what fixing them costs within the maintenance plan — concrete and without sales pressure.
Performance Maintenance and Core Web Vitals
Google has incorporated Core Web Vitals into its search algorithm since 2021 (Google Search Central, 2021). Three metrics are decisive: Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) measures how quickly the largest visible content loads, Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) evaluates visual stability, and Interaction to Next Paint (INP) measures responsiveness to user interactions. For all three metrics there are clear thresholds that Google classifies as good. Our performance maintenance aims to keep all three values permanently in the green zone.
LCP, CLS and INP: What Really Counts
A good LCP value (under 2.5 seconds) requires a fast-loading hero image or the most important text block on the page. CLS issues frequently arise from images without defined dimensions or from subsequently loaded advertising banners that shift content. INP problems — slow responses to clicks — often originate in heavy JavaScript or blocking code from third-party scripts. As part of our maintenance, we measure all three metrics regularly, analyse regressions by root cause and implement corrections precisely. Further measures for the technical foundation can be found in our SLA maintenance contract.
- LCP target: under 2.5 seconds (Google threshold)
- CLS target: under 0.1 (no disruptive layout shifting)
- INP target: under 200 milliseconds (Google threshold)
- Monthly measurement from field data and lab tests
- Automated alert when values deteriorate beyond threshold
Performance Maintenance for Different Shop Systems
Each shop system has its own performance characteristics, typical weak points and recommended optimisation strategies. Our performance maintenance is tailored to the specifics of each platform — from the HTTP cache in Shopware through the options table in WordPress to the TYPO3 caching framework. Details on the individual platforms can be found on our pages for TYPO3 maintenance, Contao maintenance and Drupal maintenance.
Shopware (Open Source)
HTTP cache configuration, Elasticsearch/OpenSearch index optimisation, message queue performance, Storefront bundle size and thumbnail generation. Shopware-specific cache tags and invalidation strategies are reviewed regularly.
WordPress
Object cache configuration (Redis/Memcached), WP-Cron optimisation, autoload cleanup in the options table, query monitoring and plugin performance analysis. Special attention to heavy page builders and their JavaScript footprint.
TYPO3, Contao, Drupal
Platform-specific cache layers (TYPO3 Caching Framework, Drupal Dynamic Page Cache), Varnish integration, asset compilation and extension performance profiling. Regular review for performance regressions after core updates.
Scope: What Performance Maintenance Covers and What It Does Not
Performance maintenance is not a relaunch and not a comprehensive redevelopment. It is the ongoing care of existing systems — comparable to the regular servicing of a vehicle. Some tasks fall within the maintenance contract, others are treated as separate projects. Larger undertakings are quoted transparently as separate projects; ad-hoc help outside a contract is billed at €95 per hour net in 15-minute increments — contract clients receive preferential rates.
| Included in the performance maintenance contract | As a separate project |
|---|---|
| Monthly Core Web Vitals measurement and reporting | Complete theme redevelopment |
| Review and adjust caching configuration | Migration to a new shop system |
| Database optimisation and cleanup | Server infrastructure redesign |
| Image compression and format conversion of existing assets | Full image editing (retouching, clipping) |
| JS/CSS minification and render-blocking analysis | Fundamental JavaScript redevelopment |
| TTFB analysis and configuration optimisation | Switch to a different hosting provider |
Performance Maintenance in the SLA Plans
All prices net per month, minimum term 6 months. Performance care is part of every plan — the tiers differ in response time and depth of optimisation. All details on the SLA maintenance contract page.
Basis
For smaller shops and business websites with stable traffic.
- First response within 8 hours on business days
- Monthly load time measurement with trend report
- Caching review and basic image optimisation
- Database cleanup in maintenance windows
- Monthly status report
Business
For revenue-critical shops where every tenth of a second counts.
- First response within 4 hours, extended service hours
- Quarterly performance review with action plan
- Slow query analysis and index optimisation
- Hour quota for optimisation measures
- Alert on load time regressions beyond threshold
Enterprise
For business-critical shops with high traffic and load peaks.
- First response in 45 minutes, around the clock
- Monthly review with architecture consulting
- Load peak planning for campaigns and seasonal business
- Prioritised escalation and dedicated contact person
- Extended hour quota
All prices net plus VAT. Ad-hoc help without a contract: €95 per hour, billed in 15-minute increments — details on the emergency support page.
Performance Maintenance and Security: The Connection
Performance and security are more closely linked than they appear at first glance. Outdated PHP versions with security vulnerabilities are often also performance bottlenecks: newer PHP versions frequently offer significant speed advantages (project experience). Unnecessary plugins that should be removed for security reasons also burden load times. Our performance maintenance service is tightly integrated with our security maintenance and backup service: one action, two effects.
The monitoring foundation connects both areas too: performance metrics are captured in the same system as security events. When an attack is running or a plugin malfunctions, we often see it first in the performance data — elevated server load, unusual response times or sudden load time spikes are early warning signs that we take seriously and track down.
Transparency Through Performance Reporting
Trust is built through transparency. Our monthly performance report documents not only what was measured but also what we did and what effect it had. At a glance, you see how the Core Web Vitals are developing, which measures were carried out and what is planned for the next period.
- Core Web Vitals values compared to the previous month (LCP, CLS, INP, TTFB)
- Database optimisations carried out with before-and-after values (project experience)
- Status of caching configuration and current hit rates
- Image optimisations: number of assets processed and data saved
- Recommendations for the next period with prioritisation
- Anomalies and notable events from the monitoring period
Key Takeaways
- Performance maintenance keeps LCP, CLS and INP permanently in the green zone — with monthly measurement and documented measures
- Included in SLA plans from €199 per month; Business (€349) adds the quarterly performance review
- Caching, database, images and JavaScript are the four biggest levers — we maintain all four continuously
- Every configuration change goes through staging test, controlled rollout and follow-up measurement
- The monthly report with before-and-after values makes every measure traceable