Cloudflare CDN: Definition and Guidelines for Optimization

The use of servers spread all over the world can make it easier and faster to access web pages. One of the tools or servers used to enable this to happen is the Cloudflare CDN.

Requests from many active browsers around the world can overwhelm the main server. Therefore, the emergence of the Cloudflare CDN has a positive impact on website managers and users.

The existence of a Content Delivery Network (CDN) makes the loading process shorter and more efficient. Users don't need to take a long time to read the content presented because requests will be received by CDNs that are spread across various regions.

So, how does the Cloudflare CDN work and how does it relate to SEO? To understand these two things, let's look at the following guide:

What is Cloudflare CDN?

Cloudflare CDN is a network of servers spread across various regions around the world. This network acts as an intermediary between the user and the main server for the website you want to visit.

With its position as an intermediary between the main server and users, Cloudflare can help protect websites from DDoS attacks and facilitate page access. It also helps solve latency issues or delays in the data transfer process.

Server response time (TTFB) has also become shorter with the use of Cloudflare. That way, the user will not decide to leave the page because the content can be displayed in full without having to wait long.

For example, a user in London wants to access a website whose server is located in Singapore. To speed up the loading of this website, a server in London will send data to the user's browser. That way, website pages can be accessed without waiting for data to be sent directly from the main server in Singapore.

How Does Cloudflare CDN Work?

Cloudflare CDN can speed up the loading process by using a cached copy of the website. The cache will be stored on a server, which will later be distributed to other servers in various regions.

This caching system speeds up the process of sending requests to the main server, which would otherwise take time.With this method, Cloudflare also helps improve overall SEO performance.

Cloudflare can be activated through a registered account. Then the website will become part of the Cloudflare network. Optimization of internet content delivery will be carried out by storing copies of CSS, JavaScript, HTML, and image files on Cloudflare servers that are spread all over the world.

Keep in mind that the CDN can work on both static and dynamic websites. Unfortunately, this server network cannot accommodate websites that provide audio or video streaming services directly from the original server. However, embedding videos from websites such as YouTube and Vimeo can still use the Cloudflare service.

Improve SEO Performance with Cloudflare

With Cloudflare CDN, website SEO performance can increase. The features provided by Cloudflare can guarantee security and ease of access for users. Cloudflare continues to add new features to support website SEO work and make it better than before.

Crawler Hints and the IndexNow protocol can be used by website administrators to speed up the crawling process. Some of the other Cloudflare features that can optimize website performance are:

• Firewalls
• Caching
• Image optimization
• Redirects
• Bot management

To find out more about improving SEO performance with Cloudflare CDN, here is the explanation:

Increase Page Speed

Cloudflare is a server network that helps users access web pages without having to wait a long time. This will have a positive impact on the website's Page Speed, which is one of the ranking factors on the Google search page.

Submission of information or content requested by users can be done quickly with reduced bandwidth. This is one of the advantages of using Cloudflare.

Implement HTTPS

Cloudflare also provides SSL services to secure web user data and improve SEO performance. Websites that use HTTPS are more trusted by Google and users because they comply with PCI standards.

The SSL service from Cloudflare provides several configuration options, including custom certificates, TLS, HSTS, automatic HTTPS rewrite, and others.

Maintain Website Security

Cloudflare is equipped with a firewall that helps control web traffic. This feature can also control who can access your website. With HTML filters and a strict control system in place, developers can manage settings, bots, captchas, and more.

Besides that, Cloudflare is also equipped with bot management that can protect websites from DDoS, data theft, and spam. This feature can prevent bots from copying your content anywhere. That way, SEO performance and website page ranking will also get better.

Provide Caching

The page caching system can speed up website loading. This is done by storing file data on a page and then sharing it with the CDN server network.

The browser does not need to load for as long when caching is used. Google's Page Speed rating will improve as the time required to load a page is reduced. 

Optimize Images

Besides caching, Cloudflare is also equipped with features to optimize images. The image SEO applied here is by resetting the image file size. By providing images that are not large in size, you can speed up the loading process, making it easier for users to access the complete information.

Manage Redirects

In website management, managing redirects is one of the things to consider. The redirect process is prone to encountering several problems, which can lead to setting errors on various pages.

With Cloudflare, you can solve redirect problems by setting several aspects, such as the URL, settings, status code, and destination URL. This will be very useful if there are website pages that have been deleted. That way, the optimization carried out on these pages will not be lost.

Tips for Resolving Crawling Issues by Cloudflare CDN

The use of Cloudflare in SEO is not always smooth. There are several issues that may be encountered. One of the problems that can occur lies in the crawling process. The root of the problem is the security settings on the website domain.

If you find any issues related to SEO, make sure that Cloudflare's security system allows web crawlers to crawl. To do this, you need to allow Verified Bots access in firewall, rate limiting, and bot management.

In addition, the implementation of Cloudflare in SEO does not have a negative impact on website performance. Things like changing nameservers, setting server locations, using shared IP addresses, and caching do not have a crucial effect on domain optimization.

Thus, the Cloudflare CDN and its role in SEO guide. In order for website optimization activities to be maintained properly, you can use CDN and SEO services that are managed by professionals. Maintain the performance of your website by performing routine maintenance with the assistance of experts in their field.