How to Choose a Secure Private WordPress Hosting Provider

WordPress is a free and open-source content management system (CMS) that’s been around since 2007. It was originally created for blogging, but it’s since evolved to become a versatile tool that can be used to create many different types of websites. Today, WordPress is the third most popular CMS behind Joomla! and Drupal. It is especially popular among online marketers who use it to store and display their landing pages and websites.

The main benefit of choosing WordPress is its easy to use nature. Anyone can pick up the software and start using it without needing any previous experience. This is in stark contrast to other platforms such as Joomla!, where you need a trained person to set up your website. The barrier to entry for WordPress is also low as there are a variety of hosting providers that offer the service with all the necessary packages and plans included.

The Two Kinds Of WordPress Hosting

There are two kinds of WordPress hosting: professional and consumer. Professional services are provided by companies that offer businesses the use of multiple servers, custom solutions, and databases. These are typically reserved for large businesses and organizations who need the reliability and performance that a dedicated server provides.

Meanwhile, consumer hosting is geared toward individuals and organizations who want to run a single website and don’t need the advanced features that a business-class account provides. In fact, they can even run on the free version which is included with most web hosting providers. The main difference between the two is in the amount of care and attention that is put into ensuring that your website is secure and optimized for performance.

Consider These Factors Before Choosing A WordPress Hosting Provider

While there are many benefits to choosing WordPress, you must first consider a few important factors before picking a hosting provider. These include:

• Features – Does the web host provide the necessary features to build your website the way you envision it? Are there any unique tools or applications that can help you get the most out of the platform?
• Reliability – Do they have a good track record of offering reliable services? How important is it to you that your website is constantly available?
• Performance – Can you quickly load web pages on your site? How about running certain WordPress plugins or using certain WordPress SEO techniques?
• Support – Are they experts at providing assistance to their users? Do they have an expert forum where you can get help from other users?
• Uptime – Does the web host guarantee uninterrupted service? What is their uptime record like?

Security

Keeping your website secure is one of the main considerations you need to make when choosing a hosting provider. Although the topic of security and online privacy is currently highly topical and debated, in terms of web hosting, the industry has been moving towards more security since COVID-19 forced websites to close down. As a result, web hosts have started offering better security to their customers as a differentiator.

One of the best web hosts for privacy and security are DreamHost, which offers a special version of WordPress known as DreamPress, and Bluehost, which offers a free domain with every package and offers an all-inclusive privacy policy.

Besides, make sure that the web host you choose is not owned by a company that is based in a country that does not have data privacy laws. This is extremely important if you’re storing any kind of personal information (like credit card numbers) on your site.

Location

Since the purpose of a web host is to provide a platform for your website, it’s crucial to pick one that is located close to your target audience. While it is always tempting to pick the nearest web host, in terms of performance and reliability, it’s generally best to pick a remote location if your site is a global one and there are geographical restrictions on content or service availability. In some cases, it might also be better to pick a location that is farther away from your current location in order to lower your ping times to manageable levels.

On the other hand, if your site is strictly for local use and there are no geographical restrictions, it’s best to choose a nearby web host to improve your site’s performance.

Scalability

Scalability is another important consideration when choosing a web host. This refers to the ability of the provider to grow with your website. While there are many benefits to choosing the biggest web host offered by a large company, when it comes to scalability, it’s generally best to go with the smaller host. The main reason behind this is that larger web hosts usually require you to pay for more expensive plans as a result of the larger scale.

On the other hand, smaller web hosts typically offer better solutions for the price because they’re designed with scalability in mind. This way, your site will perform well regardless of the amount of traffic it receives.

Bandwidth

The amount of bandwidth you need is another important factor to consider when choosing a web host. This refers to the amount of data that is transferred to and from your site each month. If you have a limited data cap, it’s best to choose a web host that offers a limited data plan as a result of which you won’t go over. Otherwise, it’s best to choose a web host with a generous data cap so that you’re not stuck with paying extra for every gigabyte that you go over.

In some cases, you might also want to consider looking for a web host that offers unlimited bandwidth as a result of which you won’t be charged for additional data used beyond what is included in your plan. This is especially useful for websites that are getting lots of traffic and are therefore using a lot of data each month.

E-commerce

If you’re running an eCommerce store or blog that gets a large amount of traffic each month, it’s important to choose a web host that is equipped for handling a high volume of online transactions. In addition to this, you should also look for a host that offers additional perks for those who run their own eCommerce stores. For example, if you’re using a service like Shopify to set up your eCommerce store, you’ll want to make sure that they have a good performance record. This way, you’ll avoid getting frustrated with the platform and having to look for alternative options.

On the other hand, if you’re using a platform like WordPress to run your eCommerce store, it’s important to go with a web host that is known to be technologically up-to-date. This ensures that your site will be compatible with all the latest platforms and technology. In addition, going with a popular web host will also provide you with a bigger audience which is likely to generate more revenue from products and services sold on your site.

Aesthetics

The aesthetics of a site are also important factors to consider when choosing a web host. This refers to the design and layout of your website as well as the appearance of the server itself. While you don’t need to choose a web host with the most attractive design or with a sleek interface, it’s important to choose one that is easy on the eye so that visitors can easily navigate your site.

As a result, if you’re using WordPress, it’s best to go for a web host that offers a simple and clean interface that is easy to use. In terms of the visual design of your website, you might also want to consider going with a service that provides you with a free domain so that you can make your site’s brand identity clear.

User Experience

The user experience of a website is yet another important factor to consider when choosing a web host. This refers to how easy or difficult it is to navigate and use your site. Are there a lot of steps that you need to go through in order to get the functionality you’re looking for? Are the settings easy to configure or do you need help from tech support?

With so much competition in the web hosting industry, web hosts are constantly on the lookout for new ways to differentiate themselves from the rest of the pack. One way to do this is through outstanding support and user experiences. As a result, make sure to focus on these two aspects when considering which web host to choose.

Above all, make sure to read reviews of the various web hosts you’re considering. This will give you an idea of how others feel about their services and whether or not they are worthy of your time and money. Last but not least, make sure to backup your data frequently so that you can easily restore your site in case something happens.