One of the biggest benefits of using a Cloud Hosting Service is that it is not dependent on a single server or a particular location of the same. To support its network, web hosting providers use a Content Delivery Network (CDN). Also abbreviated as CDN, it is a widespread network of interconnected servers on the web which offers fast delivery of web content to users, irrespective of their location. Simply put, CDN servers duplicate your site content, databases, media, and other site assets and spreads it across all the servers on the network. Whenever a user requests for any information from your site, the server closest to them provides the information in no time. This radically boosts the site performance by cutting down time lags between servers and users, thus offering them an improved website experience.
For a more detailed understanding, here are some of the proven benefits of Content Delivery Networks.
- Reduced server load
On high-traffic and dynamic sites, server overload can cause slow loading or even a crash with too many users trying to access the same server. With CDN, it increases the website’s capacity to cater to a larger number of audience at the same time. Because content is spread across multiple sources, it never overloads a single server and thus optimizes the site’s speed and performance.
- Faster Content Delivery
Every user seeks faster delivery of content and even a few seconds delay in loading content on the site can make them bounce off. CDN makes for a highly reliable alternative to reducing the loading time by cutting down on the time lag between the server and the end user. Also, when loading search results on search engines, CDN helps caching the content/results for another user on the same query on the same server. That way the user doesn’t need to wait for it to be downloaded again.
- Better Audience Segmentation
Targeting the right user at the right destination is the key to increase the visibility of your business. CDN is programmed to deliver content based on the device that your end users use. By identifying such users and their respective devices, you can create and deliver customized content and reach out to your audience better.
- Lower Network Latency
This is largely applicable for media (movies, music, podcasts, etc.), gaming, or software sites where a lot of online streaming and downloading happens every second. With a content delivery network integrated with your server, your users can benefit from the improved streaming quality and experience high definition content with reduces network load and much lesser cost on your end.
- Intelligent Analytics
Without detailed insights, it is next to impossible to identify the right target audience for your business. And CDNs largely contribute to analyzing your site usage, audience behaviour, and traffic source. With optimized delivery capacity for every user, CDNs can give you statistics on which site assets are being accessed more, geographical locations which are more active and performing better than others, and so on. This helps you get clearer metrics on your audience and strategize accordingly.
Summing up…
Content Delivery Networks are shaping up to be a smart tool for increased site speed and performance and ensuring an enhanced user experience for every individual who visits your site. Do let us know your thoughts if you have used CDN in the comment section below.