Since the release of Magento 2.0 back in November 2015, many small-to-medium-sized businesses have made the switch to the new platform, while others remained loyal to the older version. Although Magento has confirmed that it will continue to support version 1 for now, the fact remains that support for PHP v5.6 will end December 2018. If your eCommerce website is still running on the 1.x series after this date, your site will become vulnerable to hackers.
Understanding PHP Support:
As one of the more widely used eCommerce website platforms, Magento 1.9 supports PHP v5.6, but it is not compatible with PHP’s latest release of v7.0. Each time a new division of PHP is released, the version is supported for a period of two years, during which time any security issues are reported and fixed. However, after the two-year mark, the version will only support major security issues for an additional year. And once the year has reached its expiration, the version will no longer receive security updates and support.
What This Means for Your eCommerce Website
For businesses still using Magento’s 1.x series, you may wonder to what extent v5.6’s end-of-life will have on your business. Here’s a brief overview:
As soon as your PHP version no longer receives security updates, it becomes vulnerable to new security exploits perpetrated by hackers. If a website is hacked, it will no longer be safe for commercial use. This not only affects sales, leads, and customer retention, but it also creates significant challenges for your eCommerce business, including
Email Sending Reputation: If your site is hacked, your email sending reputation score may be negatively affected. The lower the score, the likely it is your email marketing campaigns will be identified as spam or rejected completely by an Internet Service Provider (ISP).
Server Performance: Having an outdated branch of PHP can negatively impact your site’s speed. Magento 2 uses PHP 7, which is 50% faster than Magento 1.
SEO Ranking: One of Google’s most important tasks is directing users to sites that are both relevant and trustworthy. If your site is hacked, the search engines respond to this by warning users that your website has been compromised, which will result in a significant drop in organic search rankings.
How to Make the Migration to Magento 2
Because Magento 2 offers more advanced features compared to the 1.x series, it requires a bit more of a learning curve. In addition, there are several features of your old eCommerce platform that you won’t be able to migrate over, including your current theme and modules, so you’ll need to redesign these components if you plan to keep them on the updated version. Hiring a web development agency with vast experience in Magento design and development will help you make the switch seamlessly without comprising your time and brand’s needs.
Time is running out to ensure both your site and your customers are protected. If you have questions or you’re ready to upgrade to Magento 2, contact Brandography today! Our team of eCommerce website developers have years of experience in building Magento sites and will craft for you a beautiful, functional eCommerce web design that is secure, drives conversions, and highlights your product line.
