A Content Delivery Network (CDN) is an add-on service for websites that helps images, scripts and stylesheets load more quickly. CDN services are very popular and the majority of web traffic is served through CDNs.
A CDN works by copying content from your website to a collection of remote servers. When a user then tries to access your website, the content of your site is loaded from the server that is geographically closest to them.
Think of it like going to the shops. It’s quicker for you to get milk from the corner shop than it is for you to get milk from the superstore that’s 10 miles away, simply because you’re closer to the corner shop. CDNs work in the same way. Content is quicker to load when it comes from a server that is geographically closer to a user.
As well as helping the content on your website to load more quickly, when properly configured, a CDN is optimised for web content, and can improve the security of your website by helping to protect it against common malicious attacks.
There are quite a few providers that offer CDN services. One of the easiest to use is called Cloudflare. Cloudflare offers a range of services, but it is the simplest CDN to set up, and support is included. If it is set up properly, Cloudflare can be very effective for a website and improve website loading times.
If we feel that a CDN would benefit you and your business, we’ll suggest it and suggest the best one for you. If you then choose to utilise a CDN, we are also able to set it up for you.