How to get started with WordPress hosting

Laura Wilson -

With 43% of all websites on the internet using WordPress, it’s the platform of choice for many. From small business owners and agencies to freelancers, it’s a simple, popular, and accessible best friend to launch your digital success.

Your chosen WordPress hosting will optimise your site and provide tailored features for seamless performance, security, and ease of use. Essentially, your hosting platform is the foundation, bricks, and builder. So, you need to make sure you get the right package for your needs.

Assess your hosting needs

Before setting the WordPress hosting wheels in motion, it’s worth understanding your website’s requirements. Consider its size, expected traffic, storage needs, and any special features.

Explore your options

Whether you’re the lead in your field or you run a local shop for haunted antiques, there are different types of WordPress hosting to suit everyone.

Shared hosting

A budget-friendly option, shared hosting is suitable for small business owners, freelancers, and newcomers, where multiple websites use the same server.

Pros

Cons

  • Cost-effective
  • Resource sharing available
  • Ease of use
  • Maintenance
  • Technical support
  • Limited scalability
  • Performance
  • Traffic spikes
  • Reduced features

Dedicated hosting

Dedicated hosting provides an entire physical server for one WordPress site. This type of hosting offers unparalleled control, customisation, and performance for websites with high-traffic volumes and specific resource requirements.

Pros

Cons

  • Maximum performance
  • Full control
  • Enhanced security
  • Reliability
  • Customisable environment
  • No resource sharing
  • Good scalability
  • Higher cost
  • Too much for small site

Virtual private hosting (VPS)

Halfway between shared and dedicated hosting, a VPS is a physical server divided into multiple virtual servers – each operating independently with its own dedicated resources and isolated environment.

Pros

Cons

  • Customisable
  • Root access
  • Easily scalable
  • Enhanced performance
  • Higher cost
  • Complex set up
  • Traffic spikes
  • Management responsibility

Managed hosting

Designed to offer a hassle-free and optimised experience, managed hosting is a good choice for business owners. If you want to focus on growth and content creation without worrying about the complexities of optimising a website, this is the one for you.

Pros

Cons

  • Expert support
  • Optimised performance
  • Automatic updates
  • Enhanced security
  • Daily backups
  • Staging environments
  • Good scalability
  • Higher cost
  • Limited control
  • Dependency on provider
  • Plugin limitations

Select the right hosting provider for you

One hosting provider might offer all the security in the world, but very few scaling options. Another might promise good performance, but can’t cope with traffic spikes. You need to find one that’s just right for your business and caters to everything you need.

Uptime and loading speeds

Reliability is extremely important in the online world. Fast loading speed means to a positive user experience and can impact your website’s search engine rankings. So, your hosting provider should guarantee optimum uptime.

Scalability and growth

Think about where your website is headed. You might start small, but could quickly gain momentum. With this in mind, consider going for a scalable hosting package.

Security measures

Security is non-negotiable. You should make sure it’s up to scratch to minimise risks. After all, cyber security affects your credibility and SEO rankings.

Lay the right foundations for your website

Get more from your WordPress website with a provider that offers amazing uptime, fast loading speeds, and reliable customer support.

Starting from as little as £1/month, WordPress Hosting packages from Fasthosts offer round-the-clock customer support, built-in security, a free domain, and SSL certificate.

Got any questions? Our team of experts are here 24/7 to help with whatever you need. Just give us a call on 0333 0142 700 or message us via live chat.