Can You Setup WordPress Before You Get Hosting?
Some entrepreneurs and webmasters like to get hosting as soon as possible after they have set up their wordpress site. But is this really a good idea?
You can certainly install and activate wordpress on a trial basis, without going through the steps of setting up a hosting plan. This way, you won’t be held back by the limitations that come with shared hosting. But there are a number of considerations that you need to make before you dive into this approach.
Why Install WordPress On Trial?
The main advantage of this method is that you can try out the wordpress platform before you commit to investing in a whole server. The downside is that you will be somewhat limited in terms of the functionality that you can implement on your website. You won’t be able to use all of the advanced features that are available with hosted solutions.
So in some cases, you might want to consider this option as a stop gap measure. If you are looking for a content management system (CMS) to use on a static website, then this is a perfect solution for you. But if you are looking to create a fully-fledged wordpress site with all of the functionalities that this platform has to offer, then you should probably look into the next step.
The Perfect Hosted Solution
Fully-hosted solutions are generally the preferred choice amongst web owners and content creators. This type of arrangement provides you with everything that you need to create a stable and functional website. You don’t have to worry about the server maintaining your site or about backups. The hosting company takes care of all of this for you.
These kinds of plans mostly consist of a Linux-based web server that is capable of running multiple sites. In general, the load is evenly distributed across a number of servers so that no one site gets overwhelmed by too much traffic. In addition, you get a dedicated IP address which is not shared with other customers. This gives you the independence to determine the location of your site with great precision.
WordPress can be installed on a web server and functioned with relative ease. But once you have installed it, you will need to take the time to configure and modify it to work with your own hosting account. As a result, you won’t be able to take advantage of all of the built-in features that this popular CMS has to offer. This can be frustrating if you are looking for an out-of-the-box solution.
Managing A WordPress Blog With A Static Site
If you already have a static website, then it is probably already configured with some sort of content management system (CMS). A CMS is software that helps you to manage content on your website, such as blog posts, articles, and photographs. There is no backend server that you need to worry about; all of the content is stored on a central server. When a visitor requests a page from your website, the content is simply delivered to them.
For a while, this solution worked just fine. But now, with the rise of virtual assistants, AI search, and content farms, there is a growing trend towards personal websites. People want to publish articles, build blogs, and maintain web stores without needing to hand over complete control of their online identity to a third party.
If you are looking for a solution that provides you with total security and control of your content, then you should look into a managed wordpress hosting plan. With these kinds of arrangements, you simply need to point your website at the right host and you will be able to get started creating an engaging blog in no time.
Choosing The Right Hosting Provider
When it comes to choosing a web host, you want to look for a company that is well-established, has a good reputation, and offers a range of services that you might need. In addition, it is important that the company is reliable and that your content is not stored on a server that is experiencing issues. This could result in errors and malfunctions that disrupt the normal flow of your site.
Here are just a few of the things that you might want to check before you make a decision:
Platform Support
One of the first things that you will need to do is to check the technical support that is available for the platforms that you are interested in using. Does the host provide one-click installers for the most popular content management systems (CMSs) such as WordPress and Joomla?
Even if you have setup a blog on your own, you will eventually need to upgrade to a more advanced platform. If the answer is yes but there is no mention of what happens after the initial installation, be careful because this could be a sign that you are about to be charged for a useless service. You should know exactly what you are paying for and what you are getting because this is a key factor in making a good decision.
Backups And Data Recovery
You never know what could happen to your blog or website. For this reason, it is important to have regular backups of your data and to make sure that you can easily restore the settings and content that you have on your device. If you are not sure how to set this up, then there are a few services that you can use to create automatic backups of your site.
In general, you should not expect any backup service to be perfect. However, you want to look for a service that provides you with peace of mind and is easy to use. In addition, it is also important to make sure that your data is not stored on a server that is located in a region that is poorly provisioned or has too many hackers. This could result in your data being at risk.
Transfer Free
One of the biggest advantages of using a managed wordpress host is that you don’t have to worry about transferring files. The host takes care of all of this for you, so you don’t have to worry about losing your website’s content during an outage or a crash.
In some cases, you could end up saving money by not having to pay for expensive transfer charges yourself. However, it is important to keep in mind that this could vary from case to case and that you should not simply assume that this will be the case. For this reason, it is always best to look into the contract with the hosting company to get a clear idea of what is entailed.
Additional Services
One of the things that you might want to check is whether the host provides additional services or has a referral program that you could participate in. Some hosts provide additional services such as domain privacy, dedicated IPs, free backups, etc. You can find more information by simply entering your email address on the hosting provider’s website.
These are just a few of the things that you might want to check before you make a decision. Of course, you must also look for answers to the questions that you are asking yourself because the ultimate decision is all about what you need and want. But by doing your research, you will be able to make the right choice and avoid any unpleasant surprises down the line.