THE PROBLEM:
Are you in the process of choosing your web host for WordPress or are you struggling to figure out if the hosting you have is the best? A simple google search and you’ll find a ton of “best web host for WordPress” out there. When shopping for a hosting, it can be confusing, especially there are several options to choose from. There are varying options from shared server, cloud hosting, VPS (virtual private server) and Dedicated Server.
Reviews are available in order to determine whether your potential web host has frequent periods of downtime. Once, I’ve recommended a good web host to a client, the web hosting was exceptional in terms of support and uptime. However, a year ago, systems was changed with that particular web host which caused a decline uptime.
Constant periods of a website being down can cause drastic negative consequences. For example, if you are running an online or ecommerce business, downtime directly translates into lost business. It’s because potential customers will not be able to access your website. Look for a web host that specializes in the platform you are using. For WordPress websites, choose a web host that specializes in WordPress sites. Within the last two years, a lot of hosting companies have created this new feature of “WordPress hosting”. In the past, hosting companies simply sells shared server, cloud hosting, vps, etc. But with the increase of online businesses using the most popular CMS platform (WordPress), web hosts have to compete and up their game. If you’ve been enjoying a web hosting for quite some time but recently experiencing issues like 500 errors or similar on your hosting services, it may be time to audit your hosting again.
FINDING THE BEST HOSTING
How do you audit your web host? Keep track of how often outages occur and how long they last. If they are too long and too frequent, you should think about choosing a different service. Most services encounter issues once in a while but if they are not fixed quickly, you are not getting your money’s worth. Uptime Robot is a great tool that you can use for free, to monitor your website’s uptime and downtime.
Free web hosts like WordPress.com, Wix or the likes may be free, but doesn’t offer all the other features a paid-hosting provides. Because free web hosts don’t generally offer any guarantees about backing up your data, if anything disappears, it will be on you, and not on them. Choosing a web host that offers an automatic backup of your web host not only will save you time but also money. Lastly, SSL (secure socket layer) certificate is now a standard and requirement by Google to ensure data that are passed between the server and browser is secure. Because of this, you would want to get a hosting that offers installation of SSL for free.
If you have a WordPress hosting, I recommend WPEngine being the #1 web host in terms of performance, automatic backup, CDN and free SSL via Let’s Encrypt. However, the monthly price of WPEngine can be on a steeper side for some online business starters. It specializes in self-hosted WordPress and there is no cpanel access. The good news is, if your WordPress website receives a ton of traffic, then this is the “best hosting” for you.
If you’re on a budget, Siteground is the next web host for WordPress to keep your website up to speed. It is officially recommended by WordPress.org too.
Bluehost & Hostgator are the still the most popular choice. Bluehost is one of the oldest web host operating since 1996. Hostgator had some issues in past years, but I’ve noticed a changed in the past few months with their customer service, uptime and website.
Choose a web hosting service that can handle eCommerce or shopping cart plugins for your WordPress site. Even if you do not initially plan to offer products for sale on your website. Keep in mind that having a scalable website is vital as your company grows and expands. You will save yourself a lot of time and energy.
Disclaimer: This blog post may contain affiliate links, read full disclaimer here. It means, if you signed up using my affiliate link, I may get commission without extra cost to you. Signing up for WPENGINE? Get 20% off your first month here.
As a Web Producer, I possess a diverse skill set that includes web design, graphics, marketing, software integration, and SEO. What I find fulfilling about my role is collaborating with fellow innovative marketers and assisting business owners and organizations in optimizing their digital footprint.
