Did you know that WordPress powers more than 42% of all active websites online? It’s humbling to think that one CMS (Content Management System) can become so popular and all-encompassing. It’s easy to work with and highly customisable. However, if you’ve ever built a website with WordPress, you also know how picky it can be about its environment.
Themes, plugins, updates, performance tweaks, server requirements; it can all add up. Managing WordPress can be a whole, full-time job in itself. Fortunately, for those who would rather avoid it, managed WordPress hosting is here to save the day.
In this article, we’ll define what managed WordPress hosting is, how it differs from traditional WordPress hosting, and explain what sites will most benefit from it.
What is managed WordPress hosting?
Let’s start with the most obvious question. Managed WordPress hosting is built specifically for the popular CMS. That’s the simplified, one-sentence version of the answer. It’s a bit more complex than that.
Firstly, the hosting environment is optimized for WordPress specifically. No other application will run on it. The server is tuned solely for WordPress, which means better performance than general-purpose hosting (such as Shared Hosting or a VPS).
However, there is also the “managed” part of this equation. This is where typical WordPress hosting becomes premium. In a managed environment, all background tasks are handled by the host. Updates, security, caching, performance, it’s all managed–hence the name–by the host’s team.
You still own your site, you still create content, you still run it. The team handles the technical heavy lifting for you.
Standard WordPress hosting vs. managed WordPress hosting
We already alluded to the difference between typical and managed WordPress hosting.Let’s dive deeper and explain exactly what it is.
Both of these hosting environments are designed to be the best-in-class solutions for WordPress websites. They both give you the optimized resources, infrastructure, and tools to improve your website’s performance.
However, it all comes down to the word “managed”. We’ve put together a table below that perfectly illustrates what that word means in this context.
Feature | Normal WordPress Hosting | Managed WordPress Hosting |
WordPress installation | Typically you have to install it yourself (but it’s sometimes pre-installed). | WordPress is pre-installed and optimized out of the box. |
Updates | You handle all core, theme, and plugin updates. | Updates happen automatically. |
Security | You install and manage your site’s security and backups. | The host manages site security and has automated backups. |
Performance issues | You have to troubleshoot any performance issues. | All performance issues are investigated and handled by the host. |
Uptime | The host is responsible for server uptime, but you handle any website downtime. | Better uptime guarantees (usually 99.99%), and the host will also help with any website downtime. |
Support | In many cases, support is handled by the general technical support team. | A team of WordPress specialists handles the support. |
In short, both are great options for a WordPress website, but managed WordPress hosting also comes with a crew that keeps everything running smoothly.
Why do I need managed WordPress hosting?
It just makes running your site easier. If you don’t care about learning to manage a WordPress website, a managed WordPress hosting solution is perfect for you.
We know that not everyone has a team of developers and IT specialists behind them. We understand the pain of troubleshooting a plugin conflict for hours on your own or trying to fix a broken theme.
So if you don’t have a dedicated team to handle those tasks, a managed WordPress hosting plan is the next best thing. Sometimes it’s even better, since it can free up your team to focus on more important things.
Consider a managed WordPress solution if any of these describe you:
You want your website to “just work”.
You prefer not to handle technical tasks.
You run a business, and uptime matters.
You rely on your site to generate sales or leads.
You want consistent performance without tinkering.
You’d rather spend your time creating content, not managing a hosting environment.
Online stores, business websites, and even blogs with growing traffic can benefit significantly from managed WordPress hosting. Any site where uptime, performance, and security are mission-critical is the perfect candidate for the service.
The benefits of using managed WordPress hosting
We’ve stressed how convenient managed WordPress hosting is throughout this blog post, but it’s not entirely about that. You’ve noticed us mentioning things like performance and security a few times, which are also extremely important.
To wrap up this post, here are the benefits you and your website will enjoy when choosing a managed WordPress hosting environment.
Better performance: All resources in the environment are tuned for speed. Everything from the PHP version to the caching layers contributes to making your site faster. And Google loves fast websites.
Automatic updates: You never have to chase new core, plugin, or theme versions ever again. It’s all handled smartly for you.
Advanced security: Because the server supports only one application (WordPress), it allows for a more advanced security beyond the usual firewalls and malware scanning. Things such as vulnerability fixes and WordPress-specific software hardening.
Automated backups: If something goes wrong (and it will at some point), a managed WordPress host will have backups ready to restore. No need to do it manually.
Staging environments: A managed WordPress plan usually includes the ability to create a separate staging environment. You can test any changes before applying them to your live site, in case they break something.
Expert support: The team handling your request isn’t the general tech support team. It’s a team of experts, trained to understand WordPress’ intricacies and familiar with common issues.
And what do you get out of all of this? A faster site, better uptime, increased security, and–most importantly–more free time to focus on your site’s content or your business.
Give your WordPress site the home it deserves
Many people think “managed” is just a buzzword to hike prices, but it’s usually the opposite. A good managed WordPress host like Webcentral gives you a smoother, safer, and more reliable WordPress hosting experience.
It’s for anyone who wants their site to perform well without having to do all the technical work themselves. Whether it’s a business site, online store, or even a growing blog, a managed WordPress host can take the stress out of running it.
A managed WordPress plan is a partnership with one common purpose: making your website the best it can be.