WordPress hosting is a service offered by companies to existing or would-be site owners. In this hosting, WordPress is your CMS (content management system). Your site is hosted on a server and uses resources allocated depending on your preferred plans.
We know as a business owner, looking for the best WP hosting for your site would be a daunting task. But, this article will be your introductory guide in this decision.
Different WordPress Hostings
Managed
Think of a project manager. This is how managed WP works. You let someone do all the dirty work from installation to maintenance of your WordPress site.
This team (not an internal one) will configure your WordPress. They make sure your site is performing fast. This team will see to it that your site adheres to all security protocols.
Is it costly? Yes, some managed WordPress hostings are. It really depends on how much budget you have right now.
This is the best route if you don’t have much time to spare. However, control is not in your hands. At least, not the most part of your website.
Shared
Shared WordPress hosting is probably the cheapest way to start a website. You’re splitting the resources with other customers.
The downside is managing everything from installation to maintenance. Management would require time. Installation of WordPress is now easier than before because hosting providers have made it seamless.
But, you can easily solve the managing issue. You can hire or outsource a virtual assistant who can perform website management tasks on your behalf.
Is it costly? It depends. There are a lot of factors to consider such as the expertise of the VA. Also, the trust could be the biggest hurdle.
Still, it’s worth trying. You can mitigate the risks by doing some precautionary measures.
Dedicated
Dedicated WordPress hosting is the most expensive infrastructure. This might not be the best option for a small business at the moment.
Why did we include it? For scalability in the future. You could become successful with your small business. Having an option or two wouldn’t hurt your long-term development plan.
Anyways, dedicated hosting entitles you to your own server. Yes, you won’t be sharing any hosting resources with other business owners.
The biggest disadvantage is customization. You can do whatever you want. Just make sure these customizations are within the scope of your contract with the hosting provider.
WordPress Hosting Plans
Hosting plans depend on the resources you’re going to use for your small business website. A plan could cost as low as a few hundred to a thousand dollars every year.
The most important factor is security and site uptime. Choose a hosting provider with the highest uptime rate and the most secure platform.
Most hosting plans are unmetered. Some would base their costing on the number of visitors monthly. A high number means high traffic. Thus, your site would need more resources.
When you need more resources, you would need to pay more. Just imagine an office. A bigger floor area accommodates more people. Thus, you’d need to pay an extra cost for the additional area.
It’s the same with hosting. We hope this analogy makes it clearer for you to understand why hosting plans vary depending on your monthly visits.
Requirements for WordPress Hosting
The minimum requirements are insignificant. Any hosting provider could run and handle WordPress. But, it doesn’t mean that all providers are equal.
In a hosting provider, you are paying for the services of the company to run your WP site better. The pay includes security and performance.
How to Choose a WordPress Hosting Provider
There are probably millions of hosting providers worldwide. Selection could be a challenge. You can use these factors to choose the best.
Cost
Free hosting is ineffective most of the time because the features are limited. You don’t have control over your site because the domain is not yours.
Cheap hosting could save you money but the quality might be mediocre. However, you need to pay an expensive hosting for quality.
There are hosting providers that can provide quality at the most reasonable price. In short, start with a hosting that is within your budget. As you grow, you can scale up your hosting, which leads us to the next factor.
Scalability
This characteristic of a hosting provider allows you to upgrade your plan seamlessly. At the same time, the cost doesn’t break your bank.
Some hosting providers offer an “affordable price” during your first year. Then, when it’s time to scale up, you’d be surprised at the cost. There are so many hidden costs that shouldn’t be there.
Maybe, the costs don’t justify the upgraded version. Nevertheless, scalability should be part of your long-term plan. Your chosen provider should make it easy for you when this happens.
Features and Performance
This pertains to uptimes, efficiency, bandwidth, and storage. No matter how small your traffic is or your site is, you should enjoy the full features of a great hosting provider.
Uptime is important because this is the time when your customers access your site. This means your site should be available at least 99% of the time.
Customer Support
This is a critical factor because you will need customer support when something goes awry. Fast reply to your complaint makes a difference.
Great customer support would mean that the WordPress hosting provider is serious about resolving issues on your end. They assist you the soonest possible time because every second count.
The longer your site is unserviceable to your customers, the greater are your losses.
Security and Reputation
We have heard horror stories from small businesses about a hacked site or compromised customer info. Of these horror stories, the culprit is the hosting provider.
Not all providers are unscrupulous. Nowadays, they are doing their best to provide the highest quality in terms of security and service.
So, choose those WordPress hosting providers with the highest reputation of serving small businesses.
WordPress Hosting Addons
Right now, the only add-on you need for your WordPress site is a professional email address. This email add contains your domain name. You can buy addons when you need them or when your business grows.
Website Backups
This is the most important aspect of your WordPress site. Not all hosting providers have backups in place.
If you happen to choose a provider with no dedicated back-up procedures, you need to install a plug-in. Alternatively, get this service from a third-party company.
Back-ups are important. When you get hacked or your site suddenly crashes, you can restore your WP site the soonest possible time.
Some hosting providers will do the routine but might require you to pay extra for more in-depth back-ups.
Alternatively, you can do your own backup, especially if you have the technological know-how. This might cost a little extra time on your part, but it is worthwhile.
Conclusion
Which one should you choose? We recommend shared WordPress Hosting for start up and small business owners with unmetered or limited bandwidth.
As you grow your business, you can buy more bandwidth and storage that would fit your needs. If you have the budget, you can opt for managed hosting, so you can concentrate in running your business.
