Choosing a hosting provider for your WordPress website is an important decision. In this article we will discuss some of the excellent features offered by WP Engine’s managed hosting service and why we recommend them to every client.
What is Managed WordPress Hosting?
Managed WordPress hosts specialize in hosting WordPress websites specifically and they offer special features like caching, staging for updates, easy backups and restores, and speed enhancements. They are generally helpful with WordPress issues, and they often have additional security features that other hosts don’t have. This is very different than traditional shared hosting where you simply rent storage on a server which may or may not be well designed to work with specific platforms or technology, and where you may feel left on your own if your site is hacked or you have a WordPress specific question.
When you should consider switching hosts:
When you start a new blog/website it’s normal not to think about things like server performance, traffic and security and often people looking for hosting only consider cost. You want to worry about the site’s appearance and what content to publish rather than the technical underpinnings of the server hosting your site, and that’s totally understandable. Often it is only after the site’s been up for sometime that issues with your server will begin to arise, and you may start to wonder about your choice of web hosing. Maybe your site slows down or you have down time, or goodness forbid your site gets hacked. Good quality managed WordPress hosting guards against these issues, and even though it tends to be a bit more expensive, it can save you a lot of hassle, and even money, in the long run.
Why is WP Engine the Best WordPress Hosting?
1. Designed for WordPress
WP Engine’s WordPress hosting is designed and optimized for WordPress websites specifically. They take care of every single piece of server optimization to ensure your website is living on the most fastest and best WordPress hosting platform possible.
2. The Best Customer & Technical Support
WP Engine’s technical team and customer support consist of WordPress developers and trained experts. The WP Engine support team is available 24/7 via phone, chat or support tickets. We can not emphasize enough how valuable it is to have a smart and knowledgable support team available for you (and your website) at any time. They are also extremely professional and friendly!
3. The Best Security
WP Engine takes security very seriously. They monitor server traffic 24/7 and are able to prevent malicious traffic and attacks. In addition to real time monitoring and finely tuned server security, all WP Engine plans include daily backups and 1-click restore points. With WP Engine you are only 1-click away from your site being restored to a prior state if anything goes wrong.
4. Speed!
The WP Engine architecture and caching system ensures your site will perform at optimal speed and their architecture is continuously improved to reduce site load time. Additionally WP Engine can make use of a Content Delivery Network (CDN) to distribute your site data across a global network of servers to reduce geographic distance between your site visitors and your website data if you server a global audience.
5. One-Click Staging Websites
We can not emphasize enough what a valuable tool the one-click staging feature is. We LOVE it! A staging website is basically a copy or clone of your live website. One of the reasons we love the staging environment is that it gives our clients are safe and easy place to try out core and plugin updates or plugin additions before changing things on their live websites. This way, clients can take control of their own updates while maintaining confidence that those updates will not break any functionality on their live website.
6. Free SSL Certificates with Let’s Encrypt
To top it all off, WP Engine now offers free SSL certificates through Let’s Encrypt. With fast and easy configuration we appreciate how painless it is to configure SSL for any site on WP Engine.
TLC with WP Engine ♥
Your website is very much like a living thing. It needs care and love and maintenance. You probably spent many thousands of dollars investing in your new website, and you want your users to enjoy a fast and reliable experience when they visit it, while you want to maintain it in as pain-free a way as possible. This is where WP Engine comes in.
In closing, it may seem like spending $35/month on hosting is a lot, and with plans starting at $35/month WP Engine is not a “cheap” hosting solution. But with all of the great features, performance and support that WP Engine can offer, we believe that it is an excellent value.
