The Internet has become the roadway for both commerce and information. Because the Internet is not physically visible to users, how it actually functions can be obscured and misunderstood. If your business depends on customers reaching you through the web, it is helpful to know what factors are available that can increase satisfaction to avoid driving them away and into your competitor’s arms. One example of such a factor is a web accelerator.
Slow web applications lose customers
When a web application works too slowly, the customer on the other side of the screen is not pleased. Experiencing latency when attempting actions online is a frustrating experience, and this frustration can cause users to abandon the application altogether.
Many web applications present some form of content that will be viewed by the customer. To present the content, the applications must first retrieve it from a source. The cycle of retrieval and presentation form the basis of an application and is dependent on how fast a network will allow this to happen.
What can be done to increase speed?
A content delivery network (CDN) will optimize the speed at which this cycle operates, essentially functioning as a web accelerator. There are many technology techniques that CDNs utilize to accelerate the cycle, and each is focused on increasing the speed of operation. One such technique is caching content from a geographical location close to the user. If content is stored at only one location, any attempt to access it must go through several parts of the Internet. Caching shortens the time this takes by simplifying the network interconnection linking the user to the content.
In this day and age where business is conducted globally, all customers must be served equally. Geographical isolationism is not a feasible way to conduct business in today’s fast-paced economy, and the use of a CDN as a web accelerator can allow your business to serve customers quickly and satisfactorily. Only by bringing the content closer to the user can your business reach out and truly engage them.
Image source: Wikimedia Commons
