It’s easy to see why managed WordPress hosting has become a major trend in website hosting. With almost a 65% market share of the websites currently running, WordPress is the most popular content management system (CMS) around.
But if you’re wondering if you should choose a WordPress hosting plan or a managed hosting plan, then you may need some clarification on the difference between the two. Depending on which one you choose, it can help your website be as successful as possible.
What is WordPress Hosting?
Traditional WordPress hosting is when your website is placed on a server only with other sites that have been created using WordPress. The shared server is specifically optimized to ensure that it runs faster than a regular shared plan with multiple CMSes all running on the same server.
This is a great plan for websites that are just starting out and need an option that won’t hurt the budget.
However, it does come with some detriments. Overall, shared hosting is not the best choice for businesses that are looking to grow beyond the basics. For instance, a shared plan means that all of the resources on the server are split amongst the different sites. If your site is drawing more bandwidth and processing power from the server, then it will take that away from the other sites, meaning that they will be slower. But, if they get a spike in traffic, the same slowdown could happen to your site.
Also, shared systems are not as safe as others since you do not have a unique IP address for your site, but rather a shared one with the other sites on the server. When this happens, your IP could be flagged if the other websites on the server are deemed unsafe through hacking, malware, or adult content.
What is Managed WordPress Hosting?
Managed WordPress Hosting is a step above traditional WordPress Hosting. The main downside is that it does cost more than shared hosting. But, for businesses looking to truly grow their site, this con should be negligible as you literally “get what you pay for.”
Managed hosting means that you will have a support staff at your hosting company that is responsible for handling issues directly related to WordPress, including installation, updates, and backups. All of this is included with your monthly hosting fees and takes the onus of this job off your shoulders.
Managed WordPress Hosting has several benefits, the first of which is the better performance because of optimized servers. Since your server is only running WordPress, it will not have other software loaded on it for other CMSes. This in itself will help it to run faster.
Your server will also be specifically designed to run your site, which is definitely a plus. It also means that your website has room to grow due to scalability. This means that, as your website gets more traffic and begins to really grow, the server has the capability to accommodate this growth so that you don’t see a slowdown on your website.
Finally, you have the added bonus of having a specially trained support staff. These technicians aren’t hampered with trying to learn the bare minimum of dozens of CMSes. They are experts in one CMS—WordPress—and they can use this expertise to identify problems with your website rather than having to guess and troubleshoot from a list of possibilities. This, along with the automation that they provide, helps you to make sure your website runs smoothly.
Shared vs. Dedicated Servers—What’s the Difference?
When it comes to choosing between shared versus dedicated servers, the difference is in how the servers are set up. With a shared server, you are renting space on a computer server alongside several other websites that are also using the same server.
With a dedicated server, you have the whole server to yourself. Think of it as a home rental. A shared server would be like an apartment building that you rent alongside a bunch of other residents. You have to share the main entrance and some of the resources. But if you have a dedicated server, it’s like renting your own home. There’s no sharing required.
Advantages of a Dedicated WordPress Hosting Service
Now that you have an idea of the difference, let’s look at the advantages that a dedicated server provides to you and your website.
First and foremost is having your own private set of resources on your server. With a shared hosting set-up, you share the resources with the other sites on the server. That means that if one of those websites is eating up a lot of bandwidth on the server, it can cause your website to slow down significantly.Also, if some of those websites are using lots of plug-ins or need additional memory to help them run well, then they will be pulling that from your potential resources. If your website has a lot of traffic, then you are going to want to choose a dedicated server that can guarantee you all the resources you need.A second major consideration for people looking at dedicated servers is site security. With shared hosting, you don’t just share the resources of the server — you also share the risk. If one of the sites on the server becomes infected with malware, then that same infection can spread to your site. Once that happens, you can be vulnerable to data breaches. But what is worse is that you can lose the confidence of the people who patronize your site. Once it is known that your website is unsafe, then you can guarantee that people will stop visiting you. Some browsers will even block your site as a security risk. With a dedicated server, you don’t have to worry about this potential security hazard.One other reason to choose a dedicated server is to prevent the possibility of being blacklisted by search engines. If a site on a shared server is branded as a spam or malware site, then it can negatively impact all of the sites on that server because they share the same IP address. Those sites can be downgraded on search engines or not even listed at all. If you want your site to be found at the top of the searches, then you might want to consider a dedicated server.Finally, a dedicated server provides you with a much greater sense of freedom when customizing your website. If you want to add a feature to your website, you don’t have to worry about it not working because of a lack of resources. This allows you to make your website look better than the bare bones sites that work best on shared servers.
If you’re considering a managed WordPress hosting plan, you should realize that the extra cost is worth it for the benefits that it provides. Whether you’re just starting out and need a basic plan, or are looking to choose something more advanced for your growing business, InMotion Hosting has a variety of plans to meet your needs.