Lightning-fast page loading speed is crucial for the conversion of a successful online store. The longer the customer waits for the page to load the higher are the chances that he’ll abandon your website.

Below are 10 steps that can help you speed up your Magento website:

Clean Database Log

Given that Magento saves logs for around 180 days, your database may grow unnecessarily large, which is why the first step in speeding up your Magento website must be cleaning your database log – it will take only 30 minutes, but the effects will be astonishing.

Latest Version

Make sure that you are running the latest version of Magento. It will include all enhancements in speed and performance, as well as bug fixes.

Content Delivery Network

Among the simplest, yet most effective ways of speeding up your Magento website is utilization of Content Delivery Network (CDN) that will allow your content to be delivered to customers from multiple locations.

Use Magento Compilation

Magento Compilation can boost the speed of your online store by up to 50%. In order to use this feature go to: “System” → “Tools” → “Compilation”

Merge CSS and JavaScript Files

Merging all CSS and JavaScript into one file will reduce HTTP requests and correspondingly will increase the page loading speed.

Enable Flat Catalog

Flat Catalog is particularly useful for extensive catalogues with over 1000 items. It merges products and their categories in one convenient table, boosting speed by answering MySQL requests much quicker.

Compress and Optimize Images

Compression of images via Adobe Photoshop and specification of their dimensions allows simultaneous loading of page and images, which leads to considerable increase in website’s loading speed.

Limit Extensions

The amount of HTTP requests increases with the amount of extensions, which is why it is recommended to use only vital extensions and disable unessential ones.

Use Caching

Caching also helps to speed up your Magento online store. To get excellent results try combining NGINX + APC + Memcache + Varnish caching.

Minimization of Redirects

Reduction of redirects allows your website to load with the lightning speed.

Security of your Magento website is of outmost importance. Although Magento platform offers multitude of integrated security features, you can improve overall protection of your online store by following these tips.

How to keep your Website safe

Regularly Update Your Anti-Virus Software

It is highly recommended to use enterprise-class anti-virus software that provides daily updates. It will help you detect and prevent various hacker attacks.

Use Two-Factor Authentication

Two-factor authentication allows only trusted devices to access backend. Moreover, it requires you to enter randomly generated code that changes every 30 second and is sent to your phone by the app Magento Connect Marketplace

Use Secure FTP

It is important to use secure FTP passwords and SFTP as a Public Key Authentication.

Strong Password

Strong password must be no less than 15 characters long and must not contain any names or birthdays. You can use password generator to find an optimal strong password.

Backup your Magento store regularly

It is highly recommended to save your backup copies regularly, but not on the same server, your website is, because in such case hacker will get access both to your website and to the backup as well.

Install Latest Magento Security Patches

Magento regularly provides security patches that need to be installed to ensue robust protection of your online store. TemplateStudio can help you install latest Security Patch quickly and efficiently.

Use Secure FTP

Using Secured File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) you can boost the security of your website, as it utilizes a private key file for decryption and user authentication.

Get a Magento professional security review

Professional Magento security review, accomplished at least twice a year, can help you find and eliminate weak spots in your security.

Use Only Trusted Magento Extensions

Despite the extensive Magento community and multiple user reviews for every extension, it is highly advisable to use only trusted Magento extensions to protect your online store from hacking.

Utilize Firewall

Firewall usage allows getting additional layers of security by preventing users from accessing your web server.

The long-awaited Magento 2.0 is already here and it is truly impressive! Recently released Magento 2.0 upgrade includes advanced CMS features, as well as performance and scalability improvements that will help Magento website owners to create stunning designs and boost functionality of their online stores.

Why Magento 2 is the right choice for your online store

Customizable File Structure

Magento 2.0 removed all the issues that prevented development of custom themes. With the new Magento version, themes can be tailored for the specific needs of your business. Updated file structure does not have any default themes; they have been transferred to the module structure.

Enhanced User experience

Magento 2.0 offers enhanced user experience for customers and webmasters alike. Customers are now able to enjoy easy navigation, clean and pleasant structure of the pages with clearly seen call-to-action buttons. Webmasters, on the other hand are presented with many features for ROI improvement. For instance, the new drill-downs help to identify customer’s actions on the website, highlighting the areas that require improvement.

Excellent Performance

Due to the fact that Magento 2.0 is integrated Varnish Cache, website pages are loading much faster, which is extremely beneficial for Google speed optimization. New Magento 2.0 is easier to navigate, faster and boasts of improved security.

Improved Scalability

Full page caching translates into considerable boost in performance, as well as decreased server loading time. Apart from that, Magento 2.0 allows faultless and simultaneous management of products by multiple admins.

Impeccable Security

Given that Magento takes security seriously, it’s no wonder that new version was cleared of all potential security vulnerabilities and is a lot safer, especially with a new directory (- ‘pub’) that safeguards source code from various hacker attacks.

Limitless functionality, reliable security and impressive scalability make Magento a go-to E-commerce platform and CMS for successful online business.

Why Magento is the right choice for your online store

Open source

Open source nature of Magento is cost-effective, which is critical for small business or start-ups that are unable to afford spending lots of funds on maintenance and updates.

Extensive Community

Extensive Magento developer community gives you a chance to take advantage of many features and plugins for you website’s performance optimization, making it a conversion magnet.

Scalability

Due to its amazing scalability, Magento grows together with your business. You will be able to add new options and features seamlessly without shutting down your entire website.

SEO Friendly

Magento allows integration of all SEO features that are necessary for your business promotion: Meta tags, Meta descriptions, keywords, sitemaps, customs URLs, etc.

Mobile Friendly

Responsive design is now a default feature of Magento, which is why your customers will be able to access your website conveniently from various mobile devices, increasing its reachability across multiple platforms.

Limitless Functionality

Thanks to its remarkable functionality, Magento allows you to use tailored approach to creation of your online store, adding multiple free features and plugins if you feel that default ones are not enough.

High Performance

Magento is king of effective and easy optimization, which is why it is a perfect solution for any business, regardless of its size and nature.

Numerous Stores with a Single Installation

A single Magento installation will give you a chance to create multiple stores with one centralized admin panel to manage all sections.

Flexible Solutions

Magento is a highly customizable and flexible platform, which makes it suitable for any type of business.

Top-notch Security

Magento takes security very seriously and offers reliable security protection for your website, constantly providing security updates, like the latest Magento Security Patch that TemplateStudio can help you to install. ]]>