WordPress is one of the most popular and powerful platforms for creating websites, blogs, and online stores. But to run a WordPress site successfully, you need a reliable and fast web hosting service that can meet your needs and budget.
But how do you choose the best WordPress hosting for your site? There are hundreds of thousands of web hosts out there, offering different features, prices, and performance levels. How do you compare them and find the one that suits you best? Why do we think 2020Media stands out?
In this blog post, we will help you answer these questions by explaining what WordPress hosting is, why it matters, and what factors you should consider when looking for a WordPress host. We will also share why we think our WordPress Hosting plans are worth your consideration. By the end of this post, you will have a clear idea of what to look for in a WordPress host and how to make an informed decision.
WordPress Hosting Explained
WordPress hosting is a type of web hosting service that is designed to optimize WordPress websites for speed, security, and performance. WordPress hosting usually offers features such as pre-installed WordPress, managed WordPress updates, WordPress-specific support, and WordPress-optimized server environment.
WordPress hosting can be divided into two categories: shared WordPress hosting and managed WordPress hosting. Shared WordPress hosting is a low-cost option that allows you to host your WordPress site on a server that also hosts other websites. Managed WordPress hosting is a premium option that gives you more control and customization over your WordPress site, as well as higher levels of performance, security, and support.
WordPress hosting can help you create and run a WordPress website with ease and confidence. By choosing a WordPress host that meets your needs and budget, you can enjoy the benefits of WordPress without worrying about the technical aspects of web hosting.
Shared WordPress Hosting
Shared WordPress hosting is a low-cost option that allows you to host your WordPress site on a server that also hosts other websites. The advantage of shared hosting is that it is affordable and easy to use, and it supports most content management systems and web development software. The disadvantage of shared hosting is that it can have slow performance, frequent downtimes, and security risks, as your site shares the same resources and vulnerabilities with other sites on the server. You also have to take care of WordPress installation, updates, backups, and optimization by yourself or with the help of plugins.
Managed WordPress Hosting
Managed WordPress hosting is a premium option that gives you more control and customization over your WordPress site, as well as higher levels of performance, security, and support. The advantage of managed hosting is that it offers optimized server environment, caching tools, CDN integration, SSL certificates, malware scanning, daily backups, automatic updates, and WordPress-specific support. The disadvantage of managed hosting is that it can be more expensive and restrictive than shared hosting, as it only supports WordPress and may limit your choice of plugins and themes.
Evaluation Criteria
Some of the factors you should consider when looking for a WordPress host are:
– Speed and performance: You want your WordPress site to load fast and handle high traffic without crashing. You should look for a WordPress host that offers optimized server environment, caching tools, CDN integration, and other features that can boost your site’s speed and performance.
– Security and backups: You want your WordPress site to be safe from hackers, malware, and other threats. You should look for a WordPress host that offers security features such as firewalls, SSL certificates, malware scanning, and daily backups. You should also check how they handle security breaches and restore your site in case of an emergency.
– Another factor to consider when looking for a WordPress host is the location of the host. The location of the host can affect your site’s speed, performance, and SEO. You should look for a WordPress host that has data centers close to your target audience, or that offers CDN integration to deliver your site’s content from the nearest server to your visitors. This can reduce latency and improve user experience.
– Support and customer service: You want your WordPress host to be responsive and helpful when you have questions or issues with your site. You should look for a WordPress host that offers 24/7 support via phone, chat, email, or ticket system. You should also check their knowledge base, documentation, and tutorials for self-help resources.
– Price and plans: You want your WordPress host to fit your budget and needs. You should look for a WordPress host that offers transparent and reasonable pricing, flexible plans, and value-added features. You should also check their refund policy, renewal rates, and hidden fees.
– Scalability and reliability: You want your WordPress host to grow with your site and keep it online at all times. You should look for a WordPress host that offers high uptime guarantee, multiple data centers, load balancing, and other features that can ensure your site’s availability and scalability.
– Compatibility and flexibility: You want your WordPress host to work well with your site’s theme, plugins, and other tools. You should look for a WordPress host that supports the latest version of WordPress, PHP, MySQL, and other technologies. You should also check their compatibility with common plugins and themes, as well as their ability to customize your site’s settings and features.
Does 2020Media’s WordPress Hosting Plans fit the bill? We invite you to browse our WordPress Services and contact us when you would like to find out more.
Shared Vs Managed
To compare shared and managed WordPress hosting, here are some of the main factors to consider:
- Speed and performance: Managed WordPress hosting usually offers faster load times and better scalability than shared hosting, as it uses dedicated resources and advanced caching techniques to optimize WordPress sites.
- Security and backups: Managed WordPress hosting usually offers better security and backups than shared hosting, as it uses firewalls, malware scanning, SSL certificates, daily backups, and automatic updates to protect WordPress sites from hackers and other threats. It also handles security breaches and restores your site in case of an emergency.
- Support and customer service: Managed WordPress hosting usually offers better support and customer service than shared hosting, as it provides 24/7 support via phone, chat, email, or ticket system. It also has a support team that is well versed in WordPress and can help you quickly remedy any hosting or site issues.
- Price and plans: Shared WordPress hosting usually offers cheaper price and plans than managed hosting, as it uses shared resources and does not include many WordPress-specific features. However, you may have to pay extra for plugins or services that can enhance your site’s performance, security, or functionality.
- Compatibility and flexibility: Shared WordPress hosting usually offers more compatibility and flexibility than managed hosting, as it supports most content management systems and web development software. You can also use any plugin or theme you want on your site. However, you may have to deal with compatibility issues or conflicts between different plugins or themes. Managed WordPress hosting only supports WordPress and may limit your choice of plugins or themes based on their compatibility or performance impact. However, you can be sure that your site will run smoothly and efficiently with the plugins or themes that are allowed.
Some web hosts, like 2020Media who are based in the UK, offer a Managed WordPress add-on to any shared hosting plan. This can be a good option if you are not sure you will always need the features of Managed WordPress.
Conclusion
In conclusion, choosing a WordPress host is a crucial decision that can affect your site’s performance, security, and growth. You should consider factors such as location, speed, uptime, support, features, and price when comparing different WordPress hosting options.
We hope this article has helped you understand what to look for in a WordPress host and how to make the best choice for your site. Thank you for reading!