Which Data Points to Look at When Deciding if you Need a CDN

Buying a content delivery network (CDN) for your website can be a daunting chore. Do we understand advanced networking systems simply because we know how to operate a blog? No, no we don’t. But there are some telltale signs that can help you in your decision making process.

Page Load Speed

First and foremost, check your average page load speeds in Google Analytics. A CDN will provide with a network of servers that work together to collect and distribute your content. This helps with caching issues that can result in latency troubles.

The rule of thumb is 3 seconds – the average user will abandon a webpage if it takes longer than 3 seconds to load. And this timeframe can minimize even more on mobile. If your speed is higher than 3 for either device, that’s a sign that you may want to invest in a CDN.

Speed and Geography

Another page load speed indicator is by location. Look at your page load speed by geographic location. If you get a large number of users in the U.K., and your speeds are slower for that area, that’s a sign. But don’t ignore traffic with high bounce rates – if you get a lot of unproductive, non-converting sessions from other countries, it could very well be because of latency issues. Getting a CDN could help you break into those geographic markets.

Do You Have SSL?

Google announced, in a rare moment of transparency, that SSL authentication on websites is definitely a ranking factor in SEO. It doesn’t matter if you run a simple blog with no email collection or product selling services – if you don’t have that little green lock in the upper left corner of your Chrome browser and your competitor does, you’re losing right off the bat.

Most CDN services come with SSL certification included, so you can put your customers’ minds at ease.

For your basic blog or website, CloudFlare offers a great, affordable option (and even a free option). It might be worth considering taking your online presence to the next level to make your content accessible quickly, across devices, and on a global level.