Everyone who knows anything about how websites work must have heard about or even used WordPress. Although many other content management systems exist, WordPress is by far the most widely used CMS preferred by owners of almost any type of website.
The WP platform had very humble beginnings and it was initially designed as a blog management tool, but it gradually evolved into a versatile CMS capable of running some of the most complex e-commerce websites out there.
If you have chosen to work with WordPress for your blog or website, then great choice! You will find thousands of customized and ready-to-use themes and plugins to help you create the website you exactly want.
One of the most crucial steps in starting a new website is finding the right web hosting provider and plan for it. Typically, small blogs and thin sites opt for budget-friendly shared hosting, and there are many good companies that offer shared hosting services. However, if you have a large or a technically demanding website (like an online shop), then you’ll need to consider more advanced hosting services, such as WordPress optimized hosting.
Also often called managed WordPress, this type of hosting solution is specifically designed for the WP platform and fine-tuned to provide optimal performance and security without much work required from the site owner. Below we will discuss the most remarkable pros and cons of this web hosting genre.
The pros of managed hosting
Let’s start with the top reasons to get a managed WordPress hosting plan for your website, and those are as follows:
Boosted loading speed: Most web users nowadays would wait no more than a couple of seconds for a page to load. The longer it takes your website to load, the more visitors will exit before they even get a chance to read the content. Finding a web host that can ensure fast page loading is crucial for e-commerce sites, as explained in an article published in The Daily Iowan. Managed WordPress providers should have the right server software and configurations, as well as ample resources to facilitate blazing fast loading speed.
Server-side caching: One of the most effective ways to improve your website’s speed is by implementing server-side caching to minimize pressure on your server’s main resources. Instead of manually searching for and installing third-party caching plugins, you should expect this feature to come preinstalled and preconfigured.
Maximum security: A major downside of WordPress is that it’s a huge target for hackers in the cyber world, which is why business owners usually invest a lot in security tools aimed at protecting their website from various forms of malware, viruses, DDoS attacks and other security threats. Non-managed WordPress may come with some basic-level security checks, however, fully managed services include more advanced security measures that can potentially save you a lot of money, time and headaches.
Automatic backups: The importance of keeping regular backups of your website can’t be overstated. A simple code error or server failure can mess up your files and/or database, which is why it’s critical that you always maintain a recent backup of your website so you can restore it and reverse any unwanted and unexpected changes. There is no need to do this manually or depend on an external service, because automatic daily backups is a staple feature with managed hosting.
Professional support: If you ask any website owner what is the most vital aspect they seek in a web hosting company, the top answer would be a knowledgeable technical support team that responds and resolves issues quickly. With managed WP, you often get a higher level of expert technical support from a well-trained team that has thorough experience working with and fixing WordPress issues. You’ll particularly appreciate this if you have limited technical knowledge and you tend to rely on the support team to fix website/server errors and problems for you.
The cons of managed hosting
There are good and bad sides to everything, and the following are the main reasons why some people may think twice before purchasing a managed WordPress hosting service:
Higher cost: All of the advantages listed above, especially the expert technical support, don’t come cheap. If you want to go with managed hosting then be prepared to pay a significantly higher price. It’s mostly a matter of what’s more precious to you; time or money. The premium price usually means you’ll be spending less time dealing with technical issues and more time focusing on your business, so you decide what is more valuable to you.
No email services: The majority of managed WordPress plans exclude email from their feature list. If you want to create email accounts using your website’s domain name, you’ll have to use an external email provider. You can quickly set up custom email accounts with a service like Google Workspace, for example.
No cPanel: Shared and VPS hosting normally come with cPanel, which is the most commonly used control panel for hosting services. It gives you access to some of your server’s software and the ability to adjust and customize it. Managed WordPress often comes with a custom control panel with much less direct access to the server and only includes key tools, such as a file and database manager, caching settings, backup and restore functions, and others. Most of the server-side software and settings will be controlled by the provider, which actually ensures better security and stability of the severs and network.
One last note worth pointing out is that WordPress optimized or managed hosting comes in different forms and with different features. Some companies try to cut corners by slightly adjusting their shared hosting plans and offering them as managed WP at a premium price. Others implement virtual private servers or fully dedicated servers that grant higher resources and performance. Before you buy any plan, make sure to carefully read the full description, and if not specified, ask the company about the exact server resources and limits that are allocated to each package.
Story by Cyndy Lane
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