When it comes to WordPress hosting, you have plenty of options – even beyond the countless providers. There are a variety of different hosting plans as well. With so many types to choose from, you possibly haven’t had time to learn about managed hosting.
Fortunately, we’ve done the research for you. By learning the basics of managed hosting, you can better understand what it offers and make an informed decision to support your website.
In this article, we’ll introduce you to managed WordPress hosting. We’ll also cover a few of its alternatives. Finally, we’ll walk you through four reasons why this kind of hosting might be right for you. Let’s dive right in!
An introduction to managed WordPress hosting
Hosting services are responsible for getting your site up and running on the web. However, calibrating the perfect settings for your website can be complicated. That’s where managed WordPress hosting can help you.
With managed WordPress hosting, your provider will take care of most of the technical aspects. Depending on the host, these may include:
- Setting up the WordPress software for you
- Maintaining and adjusting security measures
- Moving your website to a new domain
There are a few key benefits to this kind of hosting. Firstly, it can take a lot of vital tasks off your plate. Actions such as WordPress site migration can be necessary and require significant amounts of time. Managed hosting can ensure you get the job done with minimal effort.
Furthermore, managed hosting can save you time by eliminating the need to keep up with tech news. Unfortunately, hackers are continually finding new ways to access your site. Having experts on hand means you can rely on them to upgrade your site security as necessary.
Moreover, you’re also ensuring that these tasks are completed correctly. Even a small mistake on the backend of your site can lead to a crash. Managed hosting by WordPress experts can remove the risk of these errors happening.
However, managed hosting isn’t always a perfect solution. There are also a few drawbacks as well.
Most notably, you’ll likely have limited access to some features, including a management interface such as cPanel:
Managed hosting can also be more expensive than its alternatives. Thus, we highly recommend that you take the time to consider all aspects of this hosting option before you commit.
An overview of managed WordPress hosting alternatives
Managed WordPress hosting isn’t for everyone. If you’re looking to explore other options, here’s some information on the leading alternatives.
Shared hosting
Hosting providers operate on a system of servers. Each one has a limited number of resources such as storage and bandwidth. If you choose shared web hosting, you’ll be sharing those resources with other websites on the same server:
One benefit of this option is pricing. Shared hosting is usually the cheapest option on the market. Therefore, having a tight budget – for example, if you run a small business – doesn’t prevent you from launching a website.
Another advantage of shared hosting is easy access to your control panel. It can help you get more in-depth with your site management. It may also come with access to professional email services too.
Nevertheless, there are also a few less positive aspects to consider. Shared hosting is often cheap for a reason: with more people using the same resources, you could be looking at slower load times. Thus, it might not be suitable if you have a high-traffic site.
This principle also applies to potential crashes. Your site’s proximity to others could mean that one person’s unexpected visitor surge will take your website down with it. This can also be an issue with viruses: if one website is infected, it can quickly spread to its neighbors.
VPS hosting
Virtual Private Hosting (VPS) is another option. You’ll still be sharing a physical server with others. However, you’ll be assigned resources in a slightly different way.
Instead of sharing one pool of resources with several other sites, these plans assign you your own resources by simulating an independent server. That means no sharing RAM, CPU, or data with others. Your access is guaranteed, and your files are kept separate.
For many people, VPS is the perfect middle ground between shared and dedicated hosting. Some hosts may also offer managed VPS hosting. This option means that you can get the benefits of hands-off technical support as well as high-quality performance.
However, this middle-of-the-road solution also has drawbacks. For example, while scaling your website is easier with VPS hosting than shared hosting, it’s not limitless like dedicated servers. That means if your needs start to grow, your VPS may not be able to keep up.
Security may also be an issue. VPS servers are more secure than shared servers, but that doesn’t make them invincible. You’ll still only be able to control your resources, meaning that a spreading virus could still affect your website.
Finally, VPS hosting is almost always more expensive than shared hosting. You’re getting more powerful features. However, this price can still be an issue if you’re trying to limit your spending. Thus, you may need to cut down your budget for content marketing to afford it.
4 reasons why you might want to consider managed WordPress hosting
Choosing managed WordPress hosting can be a big decision, but it may also be your perfect fit. Here are a few reasons why you might want to consider this option.
1. You’re not interested in technical upkeep
Website servers can come with many complicated options. If you don’t consider yourself tech-savvy or you’d simply rather spend your time elsewhere, you may want to choose managed hosting.
Managed hosting will take care of the complex options for you. Instead of wrestling with a busy control panel, you can trust all the technical maintenance to the experts.
Not only can this cut down your to-do list, but it also helps avoid any accidental critical errors:
This principle also applies to how much control you’d like over your site’s server. If you want access to intricate options, managed hosting may not be the option for you. However, it could be a smart alternative if you’re willing to give this control up in exchange for peace of mind.
Finally, technical upkeep tasks usually happen on a schedule. Many of these processes are essential, but they can also slip through the cracks on busy days. Even a single lapse could put your site in danger. Therefore, you should consider managed hosting if you’re not ready to commit to the upkeep process.
2. You don’t have a lot of time to spare
Let’s be honest: running a website can take a lot of dedication. On top of website maintenance, you’re probably also working on content and marketing. Some unmanaged hosting services offer lower pricing, but you might be trading those savings for a hefty time commitment.
Unfortunately, server maintenance isn’t a one-time responsibility. If you choose an unmanaged host, you’ll have to put in consistent work to keep your site up and running. That means that even if you’re an expert at time management, finding enough hours in the day can be challenging.
These tasks are also crucial, so you can’t put them off if you ever need more time. Moreover, if your site is in a period of growth, keeping up with all the processes you need to support this expansion can feel unmanageable.
Managed hosting can thus take some work off of your plate. Without WordPress website maintenance to worry about, you can focus on other ways to help your site succeed. For example, you might put effort into creating landing pages that can earn more conversions.
3. You want experts in charge of your security and optimization
Whether you’re running an online store or simply advertising your organization, robust security is necessary for any successful website. Hackers are constantly evolving and looking for new ways to attack your site. Keeping up constant defense on your own can be difficult.
Moreover, these attacks can come from a variety of different sources. For example, hackers may be able to add themselves as new users with high access privileges.
If you’re not constantly monitoring your user page for changes, this could result in compromised data:
Choosing managed hosting means you don’t have to monitor your security constantly. From minor issues like necessary updates to attack recovery, you can trust experts to keep your site safe around the clock instead.
It’s not just about site safety, either. WordPress optimization can also be a consideration. That’s because specific server settings can support your website better than others. With a support team that knows how to best deploy managed WordPress hosting, you don’t have to spend time finding the best configurations.
Finally, managed hosting often means you’ll have access to high-quality customer support. If you run into an unexpected issue, you don’t have to scramble to find a solution. Instead, you can reach out to your team, either for simple advice or for full resolution of your problem.
4. You’re looking for room to easily scale
No matter which specific website goals you have, expansion is likely one of them. Growing your WordPress site’s traffic can lead to more business opportunities and boost your income. However, this process may require similar growth in your server capabilities.
If you’re working with managed hosting, this process is typically pretty simple. All you need to do is reach out to your provider and request more resources. Because you’re not controlling these aspects, the rest will be up to your provider.
In contrast, choosing an unmanaged shared server can make scaling a headache. You’re already sharing resources, so you’ll probably need to change providers altogether or pay for a higher plan. This change can lead to unfortunate downtime for your website during the migration period.
If this is a big concern for you, you might want to consider VPS managed hosting. Virtual segmenting means that you have more freedom to grow at a reasonable price. However, if you have your eyes on large-scale expansion, consider a managed dedicated server instead.
Conclusion
With so many different providers available, deciding whether or not managed WordPress hosting is right for you can feel overwhelming. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be. By understanding the basics of this service, you can make the best decision for your website.
In this article, we walked you through four possible reasons why you might want to consider managed WordPress hosting:
- You’re not interested in dealing with the technical server-level tasks.
- You’re already spending a lot of time on your website and don’t want any more commitments.
- Security and optimization are priorities that you’d rather entrust to a trained expert.
- You’re planning to scale your website up significantly and want the process to have as little friction as possible.
If you’re looking for first-class managed WordPress hosting, FreshySites has you covered. Check out what else our hosting services can do for your website today!
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