How to Host Multiple WordPress Sites on the Same Server
WordPress is one of the most popular content management systems around. With its ease of use and powerful features, it’s not hard to see why.
On the other hand, setting up a WordPress site can be quite the hassle. Not only does it require a bit of technical expertise, but you also need to consider security measures and performance. For all these reasons and more, it’s not always the best solution for small businesses or bloggers who want to quickly set up a website for themselves.
That’s where vHosting comes in. With their managed WordPress hosting plans, these providers take care of all the heavy lifting for you so you can simply focus on creating content and enjoying your site.
The Pros And Cons Of Self-Hosting
While WordPress is incredibly popular and accessible, it’s also a bit more complicated and less suitable for people who are new to the internet and web design. For those who are unfamiliar, self-hosting refers to when you operate your own website instead of renting or buying a website from a third party.
What this essentially means is that you’re in charge of maintaining and operating your web server, as well as installing and setting up the WordPress software on it. In other words, you have to do all the tasks required to make your blog or website work. In comparison, with vHosting, you simply need to upload your content to a clean new site and begin configuring the design and functionality of your site. Once you’re done, you just have to monitor your traffic and content.
Overall, while self-hosting has its perks, it can be a hassle to set up and run a website. That’s not to say that it’s impossible – it’s just that it requires more work.
The Advantages of Using WordPress
On the plus side, if you have a basic knowledge of the internet and web design, setting up a self-hosted WordPress site is quite easy. After you’ve uploaded your content to your site, all you need to do is configure the look and functionality of your site. From there, it’s just a matter of adding content and continuing to build your audience.
WordPress is incredibly popular because it provides users with a versatile content management system that can be configured in a number of ways to fit any business or blog type. In addition, WordPress is completely free, which makes it accessible to millions of people around the world. Finally, with WordPress being open-source and maintained by a large community of developers, it is always improving and evolving to fit the needs of users and business owners everywhere.
Why Choose A Managed Service For Your WordPress Hosting?
As we’ve established, self-hosting can be quite the hassle. That’s not to say that it’s not possible, but you should certainly consider the option of hiring a professional management company to take care of all the technical aspects of your WordPress hosting for you. Doing so can greatly reduce the amount of stress and hassle you experience when running a blog or website.
Why should you use a managed service for your WordPress hosting? Primarily, because they have experts who knows how to set up and maintain a WordPress site. In addition, with a managed service, you’re not required to have any form of technical expertise in order to use the product and they’ll take care of all the dirty work for you.
Also, since a managed service provider already has the required infrastructure in place, setting up a new site will be much easier and faster. In comparison, if you were to try and set up a new site from scratch, you’d have to worry about sourcing a web host, installing WordPress, figuring out the technical aspects of connecting all your devices (e.g., phone, laptop, etc.), and getting your domain name pointed to your new site.
Steps To Setting Up A Self-Hosted WordPress Site
If you’re looking to set up your own WordPress site, here’s a step-by-step guide that will help get you started.
1. Select A Domain Name For Your New Site.
Whatever you call your new site, you’ll need to pick a domain name for it. You can find a number of extensions to choose from when selecting your domain name, so take your pick from there. Alternatively, you can opt for a fully qualified domain name (fqdn) if you’re feeling extra creative.
2. Choose A Web Hosting Service.
As we mentioned earlier, in order to have a functional WordPress site, you’ll need a web host. This is where you’ll upload everything that isn’t static (e.g., images, videos, etc.) to your site. You can find many different hosting services that are suitable for WordPress websites, so find one that perfectly matches your needs.
Once you’ve found the perfect fit, it’s time to move on to the next step.
3. Install WordPress On Your Server.
Installing WordPress on a server is pretty much identical no matter which hosting service you opt for. You can choose to do this using the cPanel interface, which is what most people use when using shared hosting services. Alternatively, you can use a command line interface (CLI) and some technical expertise to install WordPress on your server.
In both cases, after you’ve installed WordPress, it’s time to move on to the next step.
4. Configure WordPress.
Now that you’ve got WordPress installed, it’s time to configure it. When configuring WordPress, you’ll have the option of using the dashboard, which is the equivalent of a web browser’s front page. Alternatively, you can use the WordPress CLI to configure your site. Doing so will allow you to use all the site’s functionality from the command line interface (CLI).
From a security standpoint, it is highly recommended that you use a dedicated IP for your website. When using a shared hosting service, your website will be hosted on a server alongside other sites, which can expose it to possible hacking. With a dedicated IP, your site will be hosted on a server that is directly connected to the Internet, thus preventing any possible security breaches.
Steps To Setting Up A Managed WordPress Site
If you’ve decided that you want to go the managed route and use a service to take care of all the stress and hassle of setting up a WordPress site, here’s a step-by-step guide that will help get you started.
1. Visit The Managed WordPress Services Website.
The first thing you’ll need to do is visit the managed WordPress services website and click on the Get Started button. You’ll then be redirected to a page that will give you further instructions on how to proceed.
2. Select A Package.
Once you’re on the Get Started page, you’ll see a number of different packages from which to choose. Dive into their FAQ section to learn more about what each one provides and which one would be the best option for your needs. Bear in mind that all the packages from a single provider can be used together, so it’s worth finding a combination that’s right for you.
3. Determine Whether To Host With One Website Or Multiple.
This option will be determined by your needs. If you’re looking for something versatile that can be used for a number of different websites, then you should opt for the one-site package. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a simple, standalone blog, go with the basic plan and don’t worry about upgrading later.
Regardless, it’s always a good idea to get a package that offers both options, so you don’t end up with excess infrastructure that you don’t need. For example, if you decide to have just one site hosted on your server, you won’t need to purchase a domain name and can continue to use the default domain name provided by the hosting service.
4. Choose A Domain Name.
The domain name of your site will be how users and online savvies refer to your website when they’re surfing the web. Ideally, you want to find one that is both memorable and easy to spell. Fortunately, with the power of the internet and tools like Google Domains, this has become a lot easier. Don’t worry too much about picking a unique and memorable domain name – if you’re stuck for ideas, you can always use the free Google Domains service to generate dozens of alternatives.
Once you’ve found the perfect domain name, it’s time to move on to the next step.
5. Set Up A Back-Up System.