There are so many options available to you when it comes to web hosting for your or your company’s site. Two of the most common and popular ones are shared and dedicated servers. A shared server hosts a number of different websites on one server, whereas a dedicated server hosts your site and no other. It’s all yours.
A shared server is cheaper, but that makes sense, since you’re sharing the cost (and resources, unfortunately) with other websites. And since you have no control over who your “neighbors” are, your site may end up sharing an IP address with unsavory sites that may end up dinging your business reputation.
A dedicated server, on the other hand, is all about you. You know who’s on the server, and there are no surprises. Granted, it costs more, but when it comes to hosting, you get what you pay for. So what are the advantages of dedicated WordPress hosting? Read on…
Variety
9 Leading Options for Managed WordPress Hosting
There is a plethora of dedicated WordPress hosting sites, ready to handle your personal or professional hosting needs. Among the more popular sites out there are: WPEngine, Page.ly, CloudyPress, KahunaHost, ZippyKid, BlueHost, JustHost, and HostGator. This list isn’t exhaustive; there’s more where that came from!
Data Safety
WordPress Security: How to Secure WordPress Thoroughly
When it comes to data worries, the two biggest are the data’s integrity and its vulnerability. In other words, backing up your files and keeping them safe from unauthorized access. Dedicated WordPress hosting sites, such as ManageWP, offer encryption and high security standards, as well as backup services. So, right of the bat, two of the biggest concerns get addressed with dedicated hosting. The peace of mind factor of this alone makes it worth the price of admission. And the beauty of this is, it’s not on your shoulders. You entrust these two crucial tasks to the professionals, after all you shouldn’t have to worry about how stuff like IPv6 security will affect your site, let them take care of you.
Ease Of Use
Essential WordPress Plugins to Kickstart Your Blog
Not everyone is a computer whiz or turbogeek. Many people favor the plug and play approach, and that’s totally reasonable; no one is here to judge! Dedicated hosting provides ease of upgrades, add-ons, and user interfaces, things which may make computer enthusiasts drool, but make the average site owner just stare blankly. Some hosting sites, such as Page.ly, offer automatic upgrades, pre-installed plug-ins, and rapid setup.
The dedicated hosts are also intimately familiar with WordPress and its inner workigns, so you get their expertise working for you. This means you derive maximum benefit from your host site.
Also, you have no fears of compatibility. Since your dedicated host works with WordPress, then you can be assured that WordPress runs smoothly on your system, with no nasty compatibility surprises.
SEO
Self-Hosted WordPress Websites: A Few SEO Do’s and Don’ts
Ah, Search Engine Optimization; the big buzzword for today’s e-commerce world. SEO is crucial for making sure your business’ site is turning up prominently in searches, which in turn means more page views, which hopefully translates into more sales. Some hosting sites offer SEO analysis and Google analytics, rather than you having to invest in separate SEO packages. There’s a lot to Search Engine Optimization, and entrusting it to a dedicated hosting site removes what can be a complex and baffling task.
Downsides
In all fairness, it’s only right to explore the disadvantages of dedicated WordPress hosting. It’s already been mentioned that dedicated hosting is more expensive, but that’s not all. Sites that offer dedicated WordPress hosting also means that it’s exclusively WordPress. If you ever want to try another content platform, you’re going to have to pull up roots and go to a different host.
Also, while your dedicated host is all great guns when it comes to WordPress support, if you’re experiencing issues with any other aspects of your site, you may be out of luck. Check how far your host’s support goes.
But At The End Of The Day..
The Only Web Hosting Guide You Will Ever Need – For Perfect Speed, Price, and Support
The advantages of dedicated WordPress hosting outweigh those few disadvantages. Look at it this way: if you want a gourmet meal, you can go out, buy all of the ingredients, read up on how to do it, and then go for it and hope for the best. Or, you can spend more money and go to a gourmet restaurant and have a professional take care of everything, including clean-up.
Bear in mind, different hosts offer different benefits. Shop around and find the one that offers you the best services for your needs and budget.