How to Host a WordPress Site on Microsoft Azure
Recently, I needed to set up a WordPress site from scratch on Microsoft Azure. I decided to write down some of the things I learnt along the way so that others can benefit from my mistakes.
Choosing The Right Server Size
When it comes to choosing the right server size for your WordPress site, you need to first decide how much traffic you will receive. I found that for my needs, a small server with 1 GB of RAM was sufficient. You can always upgrade it to a larger one if you need more speed.
The trade-off is that with a larger server, you will need more resources to manage it. For example, if you plan on using a staging area or an CDN (content delivery network), you will need additional resources to set them up. A staging area improves the performance of your WordPress site by caching the content and serving it from a different location than your origin server. Having a CDN also caches the content for you and provides a faster experience to your visitors.
Pro-Tip: When choosing a server, always check the CPU/RAM & the hard drive space
You also need to consider the operating system of the server you will use. I ran into a couple of problems when I started out with WordPress on Azure. One problem was with the hard drive space. I initially used one of the lowest-priced servers from Bluehost because it came with 1 TB of hard drive space. Bluehost is a very popular web host among bloggers due to its very attractive pricing. Unfortunately, this was not enough space for WordPress to run smoothly.
After a while, I decided to upgrade my server to one that is located in the U.S. This way, I can avail of the benefits of the Google Cloud Platform, which has fast SSD drives and a large amount of RAM. One thing to note is that if you run your site off-site, you will need a content delivery network (CDN) to cache the content for you. In this case, you will need to buy a scalable SSD plan from Bluehost to ensure that your content is always available to your readers. Another thing to consider is the CPU. If you plan on running multiple sites from this server, make sure that you purchase one that has enough CPU power to handle all of your traffic without slowing down. If you already use Bluehost, you can contact them directly for help choosing a suitable server.
Pro-Tip: Always use the LAMP Stack to build your WordPress sites
If you are new to WordPress, you should always build your site using the LAMP Stack. It is very popular because it is an open source project that can be freely modified and extended by anyone who understands how it works. It is very extensible due to the fact that it is built on a modular basis. This means that you can add extra functionality to it by installing additional modules.
Having said that, using the LAMP Stack as the foundation of your WordPress site means adding additional functionality to it is very easy, as long as you have the skills to do so. Most web hosting providers and cloud platforms offer an installer for the LAMP Stack, which makes it very easy for anyone to set it up. They simply need to follow the instructions and press the “Install” button to have the WordPress site up and running in no time.
Pro-Tip: If you decide to host your WordPress site on Microsoft Azure, make sure that you purchase one of their specialized plans
If you decide to host your WordPress site on Microsoft Azure, it is advisable to go with one of their specialized plans. These plans are designed specifically for WordPress sites and come with several advantages. First, they include a free tier where you can try out their service. Second, they include features tailored toward WordPress users. Third, they include support for WordPress features, such as automatic updates and backups. Fourth, they include an affordable price compared to the cost of their shared hosting plan.
One of the major advantages of using a specialized WordPress plan is that you can take full advantage of all of the resources made available to you by Microsoft. For example, if you have a large database of entries, you can use their SQL Database to store them. Their storage is highly available, so if you experience outages with other web hosts, you can be sure that your data will not be lost. Another advantage of using a specialized plan is that you can install additional plugins and themes without worrying about running out of disk space. Finally, it is advisable to purchase a dedicated IP from Microsoft as this will make your site more secure and private.
Creating Your WordPress Account
To create your WordPress account, you will need to first visit https://wp.createaccount.io and click on the “Create Account” button. You will then need to enter a desired username and password. Make sure that you check the “I have read and agree to the terms and conditions” box and then click on the “Create my account” button.
After you create your account, you will need to click on the “Get Started” button to be taken to your WordPress dashboard. From there, you can log in and begin setting up your WordPress site.
Installing WordPress To Your Server
To install WordPress to your server, visit the WordPress dashboard again and click on the “Install WordPress” button. In the “Quick Install” mode, WordPress will check for available plugins and automatically install them as soon as it is finished. If you are looking to install WordPress manually, you can do so by clicking on the “Continue” button.
Once you reach the “Install WordPress” page, you will need to choose a plugin to activate. There are several WordPress plugins that can be used to enhance the performance of your website. For example, you can use Jetpack to create a fully-fledged events management system or use Redirection to create a landing page for your blog.
You can also use the All in One SEO Pack plugin to get started with Google Analytics and other marketing tools. To install a plugin, simply click on the “Install” button and the plugin will be downloaded and installed automatically.
Set Up Your Login Page
You will need to create a login page for your WordPress site. To do this, visit the WordPress dashboard and click on the “Users” link in the navigation bar. From there, you can select the Registration option.
You will then need to create a unique username and password for your WordPress site and activate it. Afterward, you can click on the “Login” button to test the login page.
If you are satisfied with the results, you can click on the “Update Settings” button to save the changes.
Set Up Your Admin Section
You can now create additional user roles and customize their access level to different parts of your WordPress site. To do this, return to the WordPress dashboard and click on the “Users” link in the navigation bar. From there, click on the “My Profile” button.
Once on the “My Profile” page, you will need to click on the Roles dropdown menu and select Administrator from the options provided. An administrator is a user whose role it is to make changes to the WordPress site. They can install and uninstall plugins, modify theme settings, and perform all other tasks that a regular user cannot. Regular users cannot become administrators, but they can request to become a super-user.
Once you are an administrator, you can click on the “Users” link in the navigation bar to see all of your user roles. You can also go back to the Dashboard and click on the Users link under the Roles dropdown menu.
You can create additional user roles and assign them specific access levels so that only those users with the correct access can see and use the parts of your site that they are allowed to. This will help prevent unauthorized access to your PHI (personally identifiable information) and improve the security of your WordPress site.
Set Up Your About Section
The about section of your WordPress site will be used to describe your blog to potential subscribers and other websites that may link to it. To set up your about section, return to the WordPress dashboard and click on the “Settings” link in the navigation bar. From there, you can choose to have an “About” page or a “Company” page for the about section of your WordPress site.