WordPress has revolutionized website creation for both tech-savvy developers and novices alike. Thanks to its user-friendly interface and vast array of themes and plugins, it empowers users to craft stunning websites and implement powerful functions without delving into complex coding.
However, managing a WordPress website isn't always a walk in the park. Have you ever found yourself dreading the constant need to update plugins or felt a knot of worry about your website succumbing to a security breach?
If these challenges sound familiar, then managed WordPress hosting might be the answer you've been searching for. Picture a scenario where these worries evaporate. Imagine a world where updates, security, and performance optimization are managed behind the scenes seamlessly. This convenience leaves you to focus on what matters most– your content and building your online presence.
But what is managed WordPress hosting exactly? Is it a service every WordPress website owner should consider? And is it a costly affair? We're here to unravel these questions.
Throughout this post, we'll delve into the intricacies of managed WordPress hosting. Examining its benefits and potential pitfalls will empower you to decide if it's a worthwhile investment for your website. By the end, you will have the insights to make an informed decision about enhancing your WordPress experience. So, without further ado, let's dive in.
What Is Managed WordPress Hosting?
Managed WordPress is a premium hosting service specifically designed for websites built on WordPress. It goes over and above traditional web hosting, whereby a hosting company takes charge of all the technical aspects of running your managed WordPress website, leaving you to focus on creating content, growing your audience, and managing other aspects of your online presence.
Essentially, it is a VIP experience for your WordPress website, where you have the equivalent of an IT team on standby dedicated solely to your site's health and performance.
What Does Managed WordPress Hosting Cover?
Now that you know what managed hosting is by definition, the burning question becomes - what does it entail? Let's get some clarity by comparing it to the better-known types of web hosting.
Unmanaged hosting options, such as shared and VPS hosting, focus on apportioning server resources and providing a raft of features (bandwidth, control panel, pre-installed apps, and more). After that, these hosting options leave you to manage your server and site performance. We are talking about all the routine maintenance tasks- updating software, backups, optimizing speed, you name it.
In contrast, managed hosting takes on a more hands-off approach by assuming the responsibility of managing the back-end administrative operations of your site. As a result, managed WordPress hosting plans are service-oriented, where your host provider commonly delivers the following set of services.
1 Performance Optimization
One of the most important aspects of running a website is identifying and addressing bottlenecks that slow down your site's loading speed and overall responsiveness. Because of that, performance optimization is one of the pillars of managed WordPress hosting services.
Managed WordPress hosting employs out-of-the-box or server-level caching mechanisms designed for this CMS platform to ensure fast loading times and overall high performance.
These performance enhancement endeavors around the WordPress platform enable a smooth and positive user experience. As a result, this improves SEO rankings and even reduces hosting costs, resulting from consuming fewer server resources. It is an investment that pays off in more ways than one.
2 Automated Backups & Data Recovery
Managed WordPress hosts also offer automatic WordPress backups as part of their services. The backups are usually made daily, and cover everything from files to databases to configurations. It's all done to ensure easy restoration of your website to its previous state in case of data loss or technical issues.
3 Automatic Updates
Since its launch, WordPress has gone through numerous updates and versions, leaving a trail of over 40 major releases. Updates typically cover everything from bug fixes and patches for security vulnerabilities to new features and performance enhancements to improve the speed and efficiency of WordPress websites. Therefore, installing updates is imperative since it ensures that your site remains secure, functional, and optimized for the best possible experience.
Lucky for you, part of the managed hosting experience includes automatic WordPress updates, ensuring you never have to concern yourself with keeping up with future updates.
Your managed host will automatically handle WordPress core, plugin, and theme updates. As such, this guarantees that your website always runs on the latest and most secure software versions.
4 Enhanced Security
Managed WordPress web hosting promise is a worry-free solution for your website. To a large extent, that entails applying built-in robust security measures to protect your site from malware, hacking attempts, and other security threats. Those measures may include firewalls, malware scanning, DDoS protection, and two-factor authentication, to name a few.
But more than that, managed WordPress hosts maintain vigilance through proactive security monitoring. That ensures continuous security reinforcements and quick responses to security breaches or vulnerabilities.
5 Expert Support
Reliable web hosting providers naturally offer customer support via a ticket system, phone, or live chat. The same goes for managed hosting for WordPress websites, except in this instance, you are getting specialized support from professionals who are well-versed in the intricacies of the WordPress platform.
The support you get will include assistance with WordPress-related issues, performance optimization, and troubleshooting. And not just that! You get round-the-clock support, ensuring that emergencies are dealt with quickly enough to avoid inconveniences or serious consequences.
6 Possible Extra Features
It is important to note that the specifics of managed WordPress will vary depending on the hosting provider and plan you choose. Beyond the core services we have mentioned, fully managed WordPress hosting plans can offer a variety of additional features, including but not limited to:
What Are The Advantages of Managed WordPress Hosting?
Frankly speaking - only a fraction of website owners are well-versed in the technical intricacies of running a website. While one can learn on the job and even go on to become a pro down the line, nothing beats the value of managed hosting for WordPress sites.
Between the WordPress-centered infrastructure, daily backups, and automatic updates, you will have peace of mind, knowing that on top of being set up on a solid foundation, your website is also getting the best possible maintenance services. So, no more sleepless nights worrying about security threats, hours spent on manual updates, or days wasted trying to figure out a tricky theme.
Consequently, that translates into saved time and resources, freeing you to focus on the growth of your website.
Supposing you want to double the number of regular posts on your blog or set up a flash sale on your e-commerce store during peak season. Managed WordPress focuses on maintaining the health and functionality of your site, which means the website will be able to handle increased demands from traffic spikes or ensure smooth navigation and fast checkout experiences for customers.
The bottom line is that managed WordPress empowers you to focus on the strategic aspects of website growth by removing technical hurdles and ensuring that your site remains accessible and secure at all times.
Are There Managed WordPress Hosting Downsides to Consider?
Cost is often a primary concern for website owners evaluating managed WordPress hosting. This type of hosting generally comes with a higher price tag when compared to traditional hosting solutions. That may not be feasible for budget-conscious website owners, particularly those with smaller websites or limited resources.
However, the additional services, features, specialized support, and infrastructure optimization provided by managed hosting often justify the higher cost.
Managing automatic updates is another consideration for users of managed WordPress hosting. While automatic updates can help keep your site secure and up-to-date, they may also introduce compatibility issues with plugins, themes, or custom code.
For website owners who rely heavily on specific plugins or themes that are usually not updated regularly or have a slower development cycle, the risk of automatic updates causing compatibility issues may outweigh the benefits of hands-off maintenance.
To manage this effectively, it's essential to:
- Monitor updates: Stay informed about upcoming updates to the WordPress core, plugins, and themes.
- Test updates: Before applying updates to your live site, test them in a staging environment to identify and address compatibility issues.
- Customize update settings: Customize or deactivate automatic updates for specific components to have more control over the update process.
In addition to automatic updates, managed hosting for WordPress typically involves relinquishing some control over your site's environment. Hosts may impose restrictions on some plugins and themes, particularly those that are resource-intensive or have security vulnerabilities. While this helps maintain server stability and security, it can frustrate users who prefer more control over their hosting environment.
By carefully managing automatic updates and staying proactive, you can minimize the risk of compatibility issues and ensure that your WordPress website remains secure and functional. Remember, choosing the right hosting option involves balancing features, cost, and your particular website needs.
Pros and Cons of Managed WordPress Hosting
Pros
Cons
Bottom Line: Is Managed WordPress Hosting Right For You?
We have just pointed out above that managed hosting for WordPress is a worthwhile investment despite the higher cost. The entire hosting solution, from server infrastructure and developer tools to its comprehensive suite of services and features, is tailored for the WordPress platform. So, logically speaking, it is the best hosting option for websites built with the WordPress CMS.
That said, whether managed hosting is right for you isn't so clear-cut. Your priorities and website needs will ultimately dictate if managed hosting is the right choice for you.
If you are confident in your ability to manage website updates, backups, and security, another hosting plan might be sufficient. Alternatively, managed hosting may be overkill for small or personal blogs with minimal traffic and functionality requirements.
Ultimately, managed WordPress as a hosting plan makes a good fit if you:
If these aspects resonate with you, managed WordPress can be an investment that empowers the growth and success of your website or business.
Ready to experience the convenience and peace of mind of managed WordPress hosting with DTS-NET? As you configure your desired hosting options, simply check the 'Managed Services' box in the 'Available Addons' section (see screenshot below). Let us handle the technical aspects while you focus on growing your online presence! Get started here!
