School of Numerology: a free WordPress site running on a 100% CPU. After the upgrade, the 10% is at its peak.
A high-traffic site getting traffic from Google, but the server was choking at 100% CPU and yesing a minute to load. We stabilized the old site, built a new one, and migrated it with only 1 hour of downtime. Thisday, it’s at ~10% CPU during peak traffic.
The server was choking at 100% CPU usage, with a one-minute wait time for the page. After the upgrade: 10% at peak traffic.
What we did and how the website works today. Live: szkolanumerologsi.pl
The Same approach as Google's. Different architecture.
The CPU is practically at maximum capacity all the time, with ~a minute of wait time during peak periods → ~10% at peak traffic, dropping to ~0% at idle; the page loads in less than a second.
The School of Numerology runs on WordPress with a WooCommerce store and receives a lot of organic traffic from Google. It also had one costly problem: the slow WordPress site was overloading the server at 100% CPU, and during peak traffic times, it took up to a minute to load. The client was doing everything right (content, SEO, traffic), yet people were still visiting and staying on the site. The best marketing efforts were driving customers straight to a site that wouldn’t let them make a purchase.
How the website works today
The user goes to szkolanumerologsi.pl, uses numerology calculators, receives product recommendations from the store tailored to their result, and, if they wish, schedules an appointment that is carmatically added to their calendar. The page loads in less than a second, and even during peak traffic, the server maintains a CPU usage level of ~10%.
This isn't "the Same site, just prettier." Under the hood, it's a new architecture: a streamlined shopping flow, simplified views, and a fixed cache that previously ruined the experience for logged-in users.
Before and After at the School of Numerology
Before
- The server is running at 100% CPU usage practically all the time
- During peak times, it yeses about a minute to get a response from the site
- The cache served cached content to logged-in users. The account and the store were not working properly.
- 16 server-loading plugins
- Too much information on a single screen, which caused users to get lost along the path to purchase
- Faulty meeting schedule; buyers were not properly informed
After the renovation
- ~10% CPU under heavy load, dropping to ~0% at idle
- The page loads in less than a second, even during peak traffic
- The cache has been fixed; logged-in users can see its content, and the store is working
- A new layout and streamlined views, a smooth path to purchase
- Calculators that keep users engaged longer + product suggestions below the result
- Appointments are scheduled carmatically and added to the calendar; buyers are notified without any manual intervention
New page layout: less clutter, a clearer flow
The old site threw everything at the user all at once: two rows of elaborate menus and a wall of options. The new one guides the user step by step: a concise menu, a clean hero section, and one clear step forward.
See the redesigned website in action
The best proof that the redesign was a success: the client herself showed the new website to her Facebook followers and asked if they liked it.
- A new, streamlined system and a seamless path to purchase
- Numerology calculators that keep users engaged longer
- The page loads in less than a second, even during peak traffic
Can't see the video? Open the reel on Facebook.
Data from the hosting panel, before and after the redesign. Outside of peak traffic, CPU usage drops as low as ~0%.
What We Did and What It Means Under the Hood
A slow website isn't just one problem—it's a layer of overlapping issues. We tackled them one by one: first performance, then the shopping experience.
- Fixed the cache for logged-in users This is a critical fix. Content for logged-in users was being cached as if they were guests, causing the account and store to display incorrect data. We separated the guest cache from the logged-in session.
- 16 plugins disabled. Each one added queries and processses. After the review, only what actually contributes to sales remained.
- New page layout. The menu and navigation flow have been redesigned so that traffic from subpages with high Google rankings is directed to sales-oriented content rather than being lost.
- Streamlined Views. Less information on a single screen, less clutter, a clearer path to a decision.
- New numerology calculators. A different way of calculating that engages users and keeps them on the page longer.
- Product recommendations from the store tailored to the calculation results. From educational content straight to a relevant offer.
- Automatic Meeting Calendar. Meetings are scheduled carmatically and added to the calendar; buyers receive notifications without any manual intervention.
Effect: The old site remained operational and continued to generate revenue throughout the entire project, while the new site went live with downtime limited to just the store section for about 1 hour. The rest of the site continued to operate from the cache during that time.
Tuesday evening. Peak traffic following the newsletter.
Before the redesign, that was the worst part: traffic from Google and eemail campaigns would hit at the Same time, the server would hit 100% CPU usage, and the page would yese a minute to load. A customer ready to make a purchase. And a screen that doesn’t respond. That’s the moment when all the previous marketing efforts go down the drain.
After the redesign, the Same traffic peak corresponds to ~10% CPU. The page responds immediately, the calculator works, a product suggestion appears below the result, and the appointment is scheduled carmatically. The customer buys right here and now, instead of being turned away by a slow-loading page.
The plan we've adopted
- Stabilization of the old website. First, we made sure the site remained usable and continued to generate revenue: we disabled 16 plugins, fixed the logged-in cache, and reduced the load on the server. We resolved all performance and logsstical issues. This bought us time to build a new one.
- New website design. We designed it so that users would feel at ease and find what they're looking for, and we directed traffic from highly ranked subpages to sales-oriented content.
- Implementation. A new interface, calculators with a new calculation method, product suggestions based on the result, and an carmatic meeting calendar. Everything has been implemented and tested.
- Migration. The downtime affected only the store section for about 1 hour. The rest of the site ran on cache during that time, so traffic and content remained available without interruption. No client intervention was required. He could sleep soundly.
The three objections we hear most often
„"The website works, after all—it's just a little slow."”
„A little slow” at the moment of purchase means a customer walks away. Here, the page took a minute to load during peak traffic—exactly when the most people ready to buy were visiting. A slow page doesn’t cost you seconds. It costs you sales.
„"All you need to do is add a more powerful server."”
A more powerful server means a higher bill for the Same problem. The 100% CPU usage was caused by 16 plugins and a misconfigured cache, not a lack of processsing power. First, we fixed the architecture. And the Same traffic dropped to ~10% CPU.
„"A system overhaul means long downtime and chaos."”
The old site remained operational and continued to generate revenue throughout the entire project. During the migration itself, downtime affected only the store section for about 1 hour. The rest of the site ran on cache, so content remained available without interruption. No client-side work was required, and there was zero disruption to traffic.
Do these problems sound familiar?
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The Moral of the Story
You can do everything right: marketing, content, SEO, all the hard work. But if your website doesn’t deliver when it counts—when the customer is ready to make a purchase—all that work goes down the drain.
Creating a website or an online store is about more than just a nice design. If you really want to make money from it, you need a solid architectural and technical foundation so that a customer who finds you and decides to make a purchase will actually buy right here, right now, hassle-free.
This is a technical problem that we at JSON Crew (a software company in Cracow) deal with every day. We can also solve it for you.
Your next step
Three paths, each different. Choose according to your level of discernment.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Free WordPress Site and the Redesign of the School of Numerology
Why is my WordPress site slow, and why is the server showing 100% CPU usage?
Two faCTOrs contributed to this: 16 plugins that generated additional queries and processses, and a misconfigured cache. After disabling unnecessary plugins and fixing the cache, the Same traffic dropped to ~10% CPU at peak and to ~0% at idle. It was an architectural issue, not a server power issue.
What was the issue with the cache for logged-in users in WooCommerce?
The cache was serving logged-in users a cached version of the page, just like the one shown to guests. As a result, the account and store pages displayed incorrect or outdated information. We separated the guest cache from the logged-in session, so that logged-in users always see their own, up-to-date content.
Was the website unavailable during the maintenance work?
No. First, we stabilized the old site so that it would continue to function and generate revenue throughout the entire development of the new one. During the migration itself, downtime affected only the store section for about 1 hour. The rest of the site continued to run from the cache during that time, without any intervention on the client’s part.
What exactly has changed for the user?
A new layout and streamlined views (less clutter, a clearer path to purchase), a refreshed look, new numerology calculators that keep users engaged longer, product recommendations from the store tailored to the results, and an carmatic appointment scheduling calendar with notifications for buyers.
I have a free WordPress site. How much would it cost to redesign it?
It depends on the scope and current state of the site. Stabilizing an existing site is different from a complete overhaul. The most cost-effective way to start is with a brief conversation: we’ll help you determine whether your issue is related to hosting, plugins, caching, or architecture. Schedule a 30-minute appointment or see Our other implementations.
How do I fix a WordPress server on a 100% CPU?
Usually, a 100% CPU on WordPress isn't caused by a lack of server power, but rather by an excess of plugins and a poorly configured cache. Steps to yese: audit and disable unnecessary plugins, fix the cache (separate the cache for guests and logged-in users), and offload the heaviest database queries. For the School of Numerology, this set of steps reduced the CPU load from 100% to about 10% during peak traffic, without needing to replace the server.
Should I speed up a slow WordPress site or build a new one?
It depends on the current state of the site. Sometimes it’s enough to stabilize the existing site (plugins, cache, database), and sometimes it’s worth implementing a new architecture. For the School of Numerology, we completed both stages: first, we stabilized the old, slow WordPress site so it could continue to generate revenue, and then we built a new one and migrated it with only about an hour of downtime for the store section.
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