How to Choose the Best WordPress Hosting for Non Technical Users
If you’re looking for a self-hosted blogging platform that’s easy to use and doesn’t require coding skill, then you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll discuss the ins and outs of choosing the perfect WordPress hosting for your needs.
What Is WordPress Hosting?
WordPress hosting is the space on a web server where you can install WordPress. Once WordPress is installed, you can begin blogging immediately without needing to go through any setup process. WordPress hosting is ideal for people who want to build a basic blog around their existing social media platforms (e.g., Twitter, Instagram, etc.).
While there are many different hosting providers, not all of them are made equal. Some offer greater reliability and efficiency while others charge you an arm and a leg for the privilege of using their services.
Features You Should Look For In A WordPress Host
When choosing a WordPress host, you’ll naturally be drawn to the features the provider offers. However, not all features are created equal, so you’ll need to be careful here. Below we’ve listed some of the most important things to keep in mind when choosing a WordPress host:
1. Performance
Your website’s performance is of paramount importance. When people land on your site, they’re expecting it to load quickly and effortlessly. Poor performance can make or break your SEO efforts and potentially hamper your conversion rates.
The good news is that with a little planning and research, you can ensure that your web host handles all your website’s performance expectations. You’ll just need to make sure that your host is capable of handling the volume of traffic you’re sure to rack up once your blog goes viral. Even then, you might want to consider an alternative host as your SEO might struggle due to a bad performance score.
2. Support
As a blogger that’s just getting started, you’ll most likely need some assistance as you navigate the world of blogging. Fortunately, most WordPress hosts offer excellent support through live chat and ticketing systems. While you’re at it, look into the host’s reliability; does the company have a good reputation in the industry? You’ll want to be sure that you can depend on the support you receive should you need it.
3. Security
Your blog’s security is of utmost importance. After all, you’re putting your content directly online for all to see. In today’s world, hackers are becoming more and more sophisticated, so you can never be too careful. Ensure that the WordPress host you choose is up to date with the latest security patches and has a good reputation for being secure.
4. Backups
It’s critical to keep your content safe from hackers and website malfunctions. One way to do this is via backups. Most WordPress hosts offer this as a part of their service, however, it’s something you might want to consider investing in yourself. Create regular backups of your blog and host them somewhere safe (e.g., an external hard drive, Dropbox, etc.). This will assist you should your website suffer from a malfunction or attack.
5. Scalability
Did you know that a standard WordPress installation can only handle around 2,000 visits per day before experiencing performance issues? If you’re looking to grow your blog considerably, you’ll need to consider a hosting plan that offers greater scalability. The better the scalability of a host, the more you can handle without worrying about hitting performance limits.
6. Performance After Sales
It’s important to consider how you plan on using your blog once you launch it. Will you be looking to constantly update it with new content? Or will you just want to occasionally publish a blog post?
The answer to these questions will determine how much you need to look out for after sales. If you plan on constantly updating your blog with new content, you’ll want to ensure that your host is up to date with the latest WordPress patches and that they offer satisfactory support should you need it.
Reliability And Performance
The two most important things here are reliability and performance. You’ll want to be sure that your web host is up to date with the latest software updates and that they have ample resources to ensure that your site doesn’t suffer from any downtimes. You should also consider their performance in relation to other competing hosts. Does your host shine in comparison or are they the worst in the industry?
If you’re searching for a new host, you’ll probably come across numerous references to the WordPress hosting comparison chart. This is essentially a list of well-regarded WordPress hosts and the pros and cons of using them. Take a look at the WordPress comparison chart and you’ll see that each host is rated on a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 being the worst and 10 being the best. The scores are calculated based on 12 different areas, 4 of which are strictly performance-related (i.e., speed, uptime, security, and backups). When you find a host with a rating of 7 or above, you’ll know that they’re highly reliable and can handle high traffic volume.
Once you’ve found a reliable and high-performing host, you can rest assured that your content will be safe and that you won’t have to worry about any performance issues.
If you’re worried about performance, search for the best web host that meets your needs. The better their performance score, the safer and more efficient your site will run. Remember: speed is important, but so is reliability.
Security And Scalability
There are several important things to consider when choosing a WordPress host. First off, you’ll want to make sure that the host you choose offers security. This means that they’re taking the necessary steps to protect your content from hackers and online criminals. Does the host utilize any security measures? Are they effective?
The second important consideration is scalability. Did you know that a standard WordPress installation can only handle around 2,000 visits per day before experiencing performance issues? This is mainly because WordPress wasdesignedfor small blogs and not for large-scale operations. If you’re planning on getting a lot of traffic, you might want to consider a host with greater scalability.
Additional Considerations
As we mentioned above, not all WordPress hosts are created equal. Some hosts are better than others when it comes to certain things (e.g., performance, security, or support). Before you choose a host, be sure to consider the following:
1. Control Panel
The control panel is a web-based user interface that provides you with easy access to all the necessary tools you need to manage your site. Some good examples of control panels are cPanel and Hosting Control Panel. Does the control panel look professional? Are the templates easy to use?
2. Support
As a blogger, there’s no question that you’ll be needing support as you grow your site. Fortunately, most hosts offer excellent support via live chat and ticketing systems. Does the support look competent? Are the agents welcoming and kind? You’ll want to be sure that you can contact anyone at anytime via live chat should you need assistance.
3. Location
You might also want to consider the location of the server. Will you be getting traffic from all over the world? Or will you be located in a single area? The answer to these questions will dictate the location of the server. If you’re getting a lot of traffic from America, you might want to look into setting up a server in the United States. Alternatively, if you’re only getting traffic from nearby areas, you might want to consider a virtual private server (VPS). VPSes give you the freedom to run your site from any location you choose. This can be very beneficial should you decide to blog remotely from luxury accommodation.
4. Price
Last but not least, we have price. As a blogger, you’re bound to be on a tight budget. Not every purchase is an option, especially when you’re starting out. Be sure to consider the cost related to running a WordPress site. Some web hosts are very pricey but offer unparalleled levels of reliability and performance. You can get a good feeling for the pricing structure of a web host by visiting their website and looking at the different plans available.