Which web host to choose is an important question for the majority of new site owners (not to mention some experienced ones). This is because there are so many to choose from, and many questions that need to be answered to find the best option. It can leave you looking to simple, yet restrictive solutions such as ‘site builder’ websites – and they’re not usually cut out for decidedly ‘pro’ use.
Fortunately, self-hosted WordPress is easy to install, the hosting options are plentiful and powerful, and what’s more, you always control (and own) every aspect of your site. Even better, some WordPress-specific hosts offer so-called ‘managed’ hosting. In a nutshell, this means that the host maintains your server, while you focus on creating a killer site and content.
In this post, we’ll discuss the basics of managed WordPress hosting. We’ll also look at different elements you’ll need when choosing a managed WordPress hosting provider.
“What a Managed WordPress Hosting Provider Is”
Macido
To give you an explanation of how managed hosting works, let’s use an analogy many people can relate to: owning a car. As you know, this is a complex beast of different moving parts – much like a website. However, you also have to think about the maintenance of your vehicle in order to keep it running at optimal condition.
At this point, you can go down two paths: look after the car yourself, or periodically take it to a garage for maintenance. Websites work the same way. A managed host is essentially the garage in this example if the garage provided a day-to-day, hands-on approach to working on your web server. The majority of hosts are unmanaged, which places the responsibility for smooth and optimal running on you.
As you can imagine, you’ll often pay a premium for managed services. However, for those with no tech support team to speak of, or no inclination to open up the guts of your website, that may be a small price to pay. After all, it gives you the ability to focus on creating content and earning money, rather than constantly having to roll up your sleeves with a virtual spanner.
Now that we’ve looked at what a managed WordPress host is, let’s dive into the different elements that you should look for. This will help you pick a host and plan that offers everything you need for your site. Let’s start by looking at an important topic: support.
A Stellar Support Team
Asking for help isn’t a bad thing – especially when you’re new to a product or service. After all, you’re the one shelling out, so you should be able to get a full experience. As such, you’ll likely need to lean on your host’s support channels initially (although if you find yourself having to do so too much, this can itself be a red flag for the host’s quality).
Glowing References from Users
While popularity isn’t everything, it can be a strong indicator of a potential host’s quality. Of course, the most popular solutions are not always the very best, so carrying out some further research is always a good idea.
Flexible, Suitable, and Scalable Plans
Any managed WordPress hosting provider worth their salt is going to look at offering solutions to a wide variety of applications. Given this, you’ll want to not just look at a plan suited to your current requirements, but at how you could upgrade it down the line.
A Solid Foundation in Multiple Niches, Industries, and Site Sizes
Following on from the previous point, you’ll be able to extrapolate from the various plans to determine just what experience the host has in dealing with heavy loads and traffic numbers. Even if you have your sights set on more modest goals, knowing that your site is barely moving the needle gives you peace of mind that uptimes will remain high, no matter what.
The Ability to Use a Top-Drawer Content Management System (CMS)
Speaking of experts, many advise working with a CMS to create your website. In layman’s terms, this is a well-rounded package that lets you create posts and pages on a dedicated back end, while also giving you flexibility in designing your site.
A Focus on Speed
As you likely already know, speed is a killer. More specifically, slow site speeds is a death sentence for traffic numbers, so having a managed WordPress host optimized for speed is a great weapon for boosting your traffic levels.
Extras to Help Enhance Your (And Your Visitors’) Experience
Finally, we wouldn’t suggest making a purchasing decision based entirely on peripheral elements. However, if a managed WordPress hosting provider offers a few freebies that are genuinely helpful and valuable, this could mean spending less money in the long run.
The web host you choose is an important decision, and picking the wrong one can cause you to be stuck with a poor-quality option that isn’t set up to grow as you become more successful.