Thanks to Google’s Core Web Vitals update, page load speed has become an important factor with SEO. One of the ways you can improve your web pages’ page load speed is through the rapid loading of images and other content.
A content delivery network (CDN) is a great way to upload content quickly and upon request.
A CDN is a network of computer servers located at different geographic locations around the world. A CDN’s location allows them to distribute content to their target location faster. For example, you can load content from a US server if you’re in the USA faster than from a server based in Europe.
CDNs load web page assets like images and videos. A properly configured and secured CDN can also help protect against cyber-attacks, including DDOS attacks.
CDNs aren’t a replacement for web hosting. Instead, they help web hosts cache content so hosts can load assets with less bandwidth.
CDNs can read your IP address and determine your location on the network. When a user loads a web page, the closest CDN sends a cached version of the web page’s content through to the user’s web browser.
Loading the cached version web page can decrease your page load speed and increase your users’ experience. It’s common for webmasters to use multiple CDNs in different regions to serve users across the world.
The diagram below illustrates a common problem solved with a CDN. A user in Asia is trying to access data hosted on a server in the United States. Due to his location, it will take 3 seconds for the data to reach him – that’s quite a long time on the Internet.
When using a cached server in Europe, the user in Asia can access the content in 1 second. Not only does this speed up the download times and the user experience, but it also keeps the network lines free from unnecessary traffic, making it faster and more efficient.
A CDN provider is a company with data centers across the world. Providers store cached versions of your content in these data servers, then load the content for the user upon request.
Well-known CDN providers include Slackpath, Cloudflare, and Rackspace. Check out Wpforms for a top ten list of CDNs they’ve reviewed.
Information security is a useful benefit of working with a CDN. You can keep your CDNs and site secured with updated TLS and SSL certificates. A well-maintained CDN can add an extra layer of security and encryption.
However, CDNs alone cannot stop bots or malware from infecting your website. If not properly secured, a vulnerable CDN can be hijacked to send malware to users across the network.
When selecting a CDN, research its security history, and review documentation to ensure you understand how the CDN works.
Things to consider when selecting a CDN:
You’ll be investing money into a CDN service, so it’s best to maintain a good idea of how your service works.
CDNs are an excellent step to reducing your web pages’ load speeds. If your website is larger or stores a ton of content, a CDN network can make a huge difference to and for your users.
However, sometimes longer page load speeds are the result of multiple factors. Before you turn to a CDN, it can be helpful to fix any site issues impacting your page load speed like poor implementation, minified CSS, or large HTML page size.
The Site Audit tool’s Site Performance thematic report measures your average page load speed and indicates any site issues impacting it. The tool also provides a list of issues affecting your site’s general performance, as well as recommendations on how to fix each error.
It’s important to note that some CDNs can block the Site Audit’s crawlers, so it might be useful to run an audit before utilizing your CDN. Common CDNs that block the Site Audit crawlers include Cloudflare, Imperva, ModSecurity, and Sucuri.
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With remote work becoming more available and internet use increasing, CDNs will become even more essential for businesses looking to increase their reach and global audience. Faster loading times improve your users’ experience, enticing them to return for the products, services, or information they need.
By reducing page load speed, CDNs are a great asset to your overall business and SEO strategy. Even if you’re not ready to use one of your own, you can always benefit from finding alternative ways to reduce your page load speed.
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