How to Create a CDN for WordPress
If you’re reading this it’s probably because you’re looking for ways to speed up the load time of your website. Or maybe you’re even reading it because you’re curious as to what a Content Delivery Network (CDN) is and whether or not you need one for your site. Don’t worry, we’re going to tell you everything you need to know about creating a CDN for WordPress including which products to use and how much it should cost.
Use a CDN That Caves to User Scheduling
If you’ve ever used a content delivery network, you’ll know that the majority of them are extremely handy when it comes to user scheduling. That is, you can tell them when you want content delivered and they will take care of it for you. This can be extremely useful if you’re not online all the time and want content delivered when you are. The best CDNs are those that allow you to create schedules with your account manager or client success partner (if you use one). While this may sound like an obvious point to make, it is amazing how many webmasters forget to set their CDNs to accept scheduling. Especially because most content delivery networks today have a free version that allows you to set up a basic account and test out their service without any restrictions.
Vary Your Content By Browser And Device
Websites that are served by a CDN always seem to load a little faster than those that are not. It’s not a perfect solution, but it’s certainly a step in the right direction. When a browser requests content from a server, the server varies the contents it sends back based on the browser’s request. This makes the content seem a little more personal and less like it’s been lifted from a template. That is, it varies the contents based on the user’s device and browser. In other words, it’s a lot like cookies but used for storing and delivering content instead of setting preferences. When you use a content delivery network, they will set these varying cookies for you so you don’t have to. The best part is that they will do it automatically. So, while you were sleeping or having dinner last night, the CDN was creating these varying cookies. When the user returns to your site on a different device or browser, the content will look completely different than before because the delivery infrastructure is also changing. This is how caching can work with a CDN but without the need to constantly update the files yourself. You don’t want to keep cranking out fresh content just so it can be stored on your servers because eventually the content will become outdated.
Avoid Excessive JavaScript
JavaScript can be extremely useful when it comes to adding functionality to your site. However, if you’re not careful, it can also really slow down your site. A lot of websites use JavaScript to enhance their user experience. For instance, they may use it to change the layout or function of a website or to create more interactive features. If you’re not using it for something productive, it can still really slow down your site. One of the best things you can do for your website is to leave JavaScript out of it. That is, don’t use it unless you need to. If you’re not sure what JavaScript is, don’t worry, you don’t need to know. Just keep in mind whenever you use it that it’s not free and it can slow down your site. When asking yourself, “Do I really need JavaScript?” the answer is always no. Just leave it out.
Find The Right Balance Between Static And Dynamic Content
Websites that use only dynamic content usually load a lot faster than those that use only static content. That is, unless your site is really huge, in which case the opposite may be true. A dynamic web page will always require some server side processing before it’s delivered to the user. This means your site has to make a request to a remote server to get the content. On the other hand, a static web page will not require any processing by the server. It will simply be delivered to the user as soon as it’s downloaded. When comparing these two options, you want to find the right balance between them. If you have a small website with mostly static content you may want to consider using a content delivery network. It’s up to you to decide what you want from your website. That is, do you want everyone to be able to access it or just a select group?
Minimize DNS Lookups
DNS lookups occur any time a user visits a website and has to type in the address manually (ex. www.google.com). These are the little letters and numbers that are used to map out an IP address to a website’s domain name. Basically, they are used to find the website you are looking for. DNS lookups can be extremely time consuming and sometimes they can even take a really long time to complete. If you are serving your own content from a CDN, they will set this up for you. So, instead of doing all the lookups yourself, you’re going to be cutting out the middle man and saving yourself a lot of time. This is one of the reasons why CDNs are such a popular solution. They let you get back to building your product while saving you time and effort.
Use A CDN With A Content Delivery Manager
Content delivery networks are extremely handy when it comes to getting your content online quickly and easily. However, they can also be extremely time consuming to use if you’re not careful. One of the best things you can do for your website is to use a content delivery network with a content delivery manager. A content delivery manager is someone who will help you set up and maintain your account with the content delivery network. They will also take care of all the technicalities so you don’t have to. This means they will monitor and maintain your account for you. They will create varying cookies so when a user visits your site on a different device or browser it will load faster and they will update your DNS records when needed. This can free up your time to focus on growing your business instead of worrying about setting up and maintaining the infrastructure for your website. The content delivery manager will also help you decide how much content you should serve from your CDN and when. This is important because too much content can also really slow down your site. Once you set it up, you won’t have to worry about updates or looking up domain names anymore because the content delivery network will take care of that too. You simply need to check the stats periodically to see how much traffic is going out and whether or not you should increase or decrease the amount of content being served from your CDN.
What Is A Varying Cookie?
If you’re not familiar, a varying cookie is a cookie that is updated each time the user loads a different page or enters a different URL on the website. This is what makes the content on your site look a little more unique and personalized every time a user visits. In other words, it’s creating a small buffer of content that is stored on the user’s device. This way, when they visit your site again, even if it’s on a different device or browser, it will still look like they are returning to the same place. This is pretty handy for websites with a lot of content because they don’t have to constantly update it when a user changes devices or browses to a different URL. The content will simply be pulled from the varying cookies when the user returns. This not only saves you time but it also helps keep your content fresh for your users. In other words, it allows you to create a small archive of content that can be accessed from any device or browser.
Use A CDN With A Content Lock For Secure Content
Websites that offer a lot of private and sensitive information should always use a content delivery network with a content lock. This type of content is usually stored on the server using SSL (secure socket layer) and is only accessible to certain users or groups. As the name implies, a content lock allows you to control who has access to what content. They can also be used to control what devices or browsers can access the content. In other words, it can be used to block certain users from accessing specific content when they aren’t supposed to. This is especially handy if you have a content management system that is used to create and manage your site’s content. You could use the content lock to prevent certain users from copying and pasting content or to block certain websites from being accessed from a specific device. Using a content lock with a content delivery network is also pretty handy because it allows you to monitor and control who has access to your content when you aren’t around.