The Cost of WordPress Hosting: What You Need to Know
There is no denying that WordPress is one of the most popular content management systems (CMS) available today. Being open source software, anyone can download it for free and use it to create a website or blog. As a result, over 3 million WordPress blogs and websites have been created so far and the number is growing every day.
This popularity means that there is a lot of competition when it comes to hosting a WordPress website. It’s therefore important for you to identify the right niche, pick a winning strategy, and deploy it smartly.
In order to do this, it’s important to understand the various options available to you when it comes to hosting a WordPress site.
The Basics Of Choosing A Web Hosting Plan
Unlike with some other CMSes, with WordPress you don’t need to purchase a lot of expensive software to run your blog or website. This means you can technically run on any web hosting plan without having to pay a lot for the privilege. This may come as a surprise to some people given that WordPress is extremely popular and hosting it can be rather expensive. However, this comes down to competition and the fact that there are so many people using WordPress which means that hosting providers need to monetize somehow. This could be through selling expensive add-ons or providing additional services such as e-commerce solutions or dedicated IP addresses.
As a result, the majority of the cost of WordPress hosting lies in the data transfer and storage. You don’t need a lot of storage to run a WordPress site (around 15GB) and web hosts provide you with this for free. What you do need to pay for is the data transfer which is fairly inexpensive. Getting a reliable and fast internet connection is also important so that your site doesn’t load unnecessarily slow.
Some people claim that it is cheaper to run a WordPress site than a custom built one. This is probably true if you have less than 500GB of storage available. Otherwise, it’s rather pricey to have a WordPress installation for every single blog post and it’s rather inconvenient to manage them all manually. This being said, if you have a team of people working for you and you want to create a central location for all of the blogs to interact with each other then WordPress is a great choice.
Hosting Or Self-Sufficiency? Try Both
WordPress is a fantastic free software package that can be used to build a functional website around any niche. This makes it rather versatile and applicable to a wide range of industries. As a result, you don’t necessarily need to run a WordPress blog to be able to monetize off the content. For instance, you could create a blog around lifestyle topics, product reviews, recipes, etc. and then monetize off the content through affiliate marketing.
In some instances, you may decide to go completely free while in other cases, you may want to consider paid hosting. This is a decision you need to make based on your particular needs and goals. If you’re just getting started or your existing site is doing well then self-sufficient hosting is probably the way to go.
Choose A WordPress Hosting Provider Wisely
Not all web hosts are created equal and it’s important to pick one that suits your needs. In most cases, you’ll need to pay for a quality hosting package but you’ll also need to ensure that they offer 24/7 support, a money-back guarantee, and an efficient user interface. These are just some of the factors you’ll need to consider.
If you go with a cheaper web host, you’ll quickly find yourself in a situation where you don’t have the storage or bandwidth to support your growing business. A reliable web host with a good reputation will ensure that your site runs smoothly and that you don’t encounter any technical issues. Cheap web hosts may not provide this level of support and you’ll find yourself in a situation where your site isn’t functioning at its optimum capacity. In most cases, this won’t be conducive to online success.
The Downsides Of Self-Sufficiency
While self-sufficiency can be great if you’re starting out or if your current website is doing well and you don’t need to make any significant changes, it comes with several downsides. One of the biggest is that it’s rather exhausting to manage a fully functioning blog from scratch. In most cases, this involves keeping track of stats, moderating comments, and keeping up with social media. As a solo entrepreneur, running a business blog can be a full-time job. That’s a lot of pressure to put on one person. This being said, if you’re passionate about what you do and you enjoy the interaction with your audience then self-sufficiency can be a rewarding experience.
Another downside is scalability. Once your site goes live, you won’t know what kind of traffic it’s going to receive. This means you don’t have much control over how many visitors you’re going to get or how they’re going to behave once they’re on your site.
If you’ve been operating a successful blog for some time and you’re looking for ways to monetize or you want to try something new then self-sufficiency isn’t for you. In most cases, you’ll need to purchase a premium plan from a professional web host to accommodate all of this.
The Advantage Of Hiring A Developer
If you’re not comfortable doing things yourself or you want to take advantage of the time that you have available then there is an option available that can help you automate certain tasks so that you can get back to doing what you do best. Hiring a web developer to help you install a WordPress blog on your site can be a smart move if you want to quickly and easily set up a professional looking website. In most cases, this will cost you money but it will be worth it.
WordPress itself is very easy to use which means that even non-technical individuals can set up a site with this software. As a result, it often doesn’t require a lot of coding knowledge to get the most out of it. For example, you can use shortcodes to build basic pages or forms or use the advanced customization features to build complex layouts.
Having a developer install and setup a WordPress blog for you can take the headache out of maintaining a blog. In most cases, this is going to be a one-time expense but it could be worth it if you want to stop worrying about the technical side of things. Plus, having a properly setup and functioning blog means that you can quickly and easily spin up additional sites when you need to. This is particularly useful if you have a team of people working remotely as it means that everyone can create and update content simultaneously. This will make things a lot easier for all involved.
The Risks Of Going Rogue
WordPress is a fantastic free software package that can be used to great effect. In most cases, this will result in a robust and highly functioning website that is suitable for any type of business or individual project. However, in some instances, you may decide to go rogue and do something different with the software. This can result in sub-standard functionality that may even be detrimental to your overall business. What you need to remember is that in most cases, WordPress is a trustworthy source and you’re going to get what you pay for. In most cases, you’ll get your money back plus some so it’s always good to shop around before making a purchase decision.
Going rogue with WordPress can be a risky proposition since you’re essentially on your own but it can also be a highly rewarding experience. It all depends on what you want out of the software and how much you’re willing to put in to get it.
Wrapping It All Up
When it comes to picking a web host, there are several important factors to keep in mind. One of the most important things to consider is data transfer. You don’t need a lot of storage to run a WordPress blog but it is always nice to have more than 15GB of free space. This means you can store all of the files needed for your site, including all of your media (images, documents, etc.), and there won’t be any limitations when it comes to the amount of content you can have.
As far as data transfer is concerned, cheap web hosts usually offer this for free but this can be rather limited. If you’re looking to do a lot of data transfer then it’s best to opt for a premium plan from a reputable web host. One key point to make here is that although you don’t need a lot of storage you will need to have a fast internet connection to keep your site running smoothly and make sure that everything loads quickly.