When deciding what sort of hosting your business website needs, consider the difference between a dedicated and a shared server. A dedicated server hosts your site and nothing more. No one else gets in. A shared server hosts a number of websites, not necessarily thematically related.
Just like sharing an apartment means a smaller rent bill for each tenant, a shared server is cheaper, since the other websites kick in their share of the costs. That’s the good news. The not so good news is that you really don’t have a say in who you’re sharing the server with. This means your otherwise respectable business site may end up using the same IP address as Barely Legal Cheerleaders, or something equally as classy and professional.
Say “hello” to the people who share the host with you!
That leaves the other choice, a dedicated server. Although it costs more than a shared server, you know who your neighbors are: you! So you end up paying more, but in return you get privacy, peace of mind, and little risk of acquiring an unwelcome association with the wrong element. If you’re in the market for a dedicated host, you should consider WordPress. Here’s why:
Choice
There’s a ton of WordPress hosting sites to choose from, including WPEngine, Page.ly, CloudyPress, KahunaHost, ZippyKid, BlueHost, JustHost, and HostGator, to name just a few.
Simplicity
If your business is too small to have its own dedicated IT department, it’s comforting to know that your web host is simple enough for a layperson to use, and even when an issue arises, the host has the technical side covered. With dedicated hosting, you get easy access to add-ons, upgrades, and user interfaces. Some sites, Page.ly for instance, have fast setup, pre-installed plug ins, and automatic upgrades.
Also, WordPress dedicated hosts already have extensive knowledge of the ins and outs of WordPress itself, and you get that experience in your corner. And since your dedicated host works with WordPress, you know that it’s compatible with your system.
Security
Your data is vulnerable to corruption and hacking; that’s a fact of life in the Internet Age. Therefore, you need to have strict security and data backups available to you. Dedicated WordPress hosting sites such as ManageWP offer backup services, encryption, and high security protocols. So with dedicated hosting, two of the biggest data worries are handled, safely in the hands of experienced professionals.
SEO
You need Search Engine Optimization to maintain a high search result rank. The more prominent your site in a Google search, the more visitors you get, and the more possibilities of conversion to actual customers. Some WordPress hosting sites provide you with Google analytics and SEO analysis bundled in with the hosting package. Like it is with the case of security concerns, it’s comforting to leave SEO duties in the hands of people who know these procedures inside and out.
The Drawbacks
No solution is perfect, and WordPress dedicated hosting has its own unique challenges and restrictions. Aside from the increased cost, using a dedicated WordPress host means that you can’t try another content platform. If you want to do that, you’ll have to leave and go to a different host. In addition, your host’s support may be limited strictly to WordPress issues. If you’re having problems with other parts of your site, you may end up on your own.
The Decision Is Yours
Ultimately, it’s up to you to shop around and decide for yourself what sort of hosting is best for you. But when you get right down to it, it’s a classic case of you getting what you pay for.
