Hosting your website yourself, or going with a managed host which takes care of the technical stuff for you, there are plusses and minuses to both choices. If you’re looking for a lightweight solution then managed hosting is for you. But if you’re looking for full control then go with self-hosting.
Here are the top eight benefits of managed hosting for WordPress bloggers.
Free Tools
Using managed hosting you get access to a whole suite of free apps and plugins that can enhance your blog’s functionality and performance. A lot of hosts offer a free version of their managed WordPress hosting which means you get access to a whole community of people and content creators who can help you grow your audience and eventually monetize your blog.
Some of the most popular tools you get with managed hosting are:
- An affiliate manager which allows you to connect your affiliate links with various online merchants. You can even set up custom links for particular products you’re promoting.
- A code snippet tool which can create shortcodes for you to use on any page element. You can create tabs, displays, and boxes and have them show up on every page.
- A built-in cache which stores previously viewed content for faster loading times.
- A mobile-friendly version of your blog which looks great on any device.
- Fully customizable header and footer designs.
- A built-in email marketing program which sends out automated emails as soon as a new post is published.
- A security plugin that protects your blog from hackers and spammers.
- A free domain name with every plan. You can also install one of the many free domain name providers like Bluehost to create your own custom domain.
If you have a product or brand you want to promote then you can do so effortlessly with these tools. Simply create an affiliate link or shortcode for the product, brand, or service then promote it on your blog. If you have a store then you can integrate your shop with your blog via a quick and easy shopping cart plugin.
Features
One of the things that makes managed hosting so popular is the fact that the host takes care of the technical stuff for you. This means you only have to focus on creating content and growing your audience.
To help you do this smoothly the host will handle all the server configurations, security patches, backups, and much more so you can focus on reaching out to your audience and bringing in the ad revenue.
Some of the features you get with managed hosting include:
- Free dedicated IP addresses which allows you to create multiple websites with one IP address.
- Free SSL certificates to secure your WordPress site.
- Free backups which automatically upload your site’s content to a safe location so you can easily recover from catastrophic events.
- One-click installers for the most popular CMSes so you can get up and running quickly.
- Free domain privacy so your visitors can’t be tracked by third parties like Google.
- Free malware scans every week.
- And much more…
These are just some of the features that make managed hosting so attractive to WordPress bloggers. You should research the host you’re considering using to make sure they offer these features and are a good fit for your needs.
User-friendly
Many times the technical stuff can get so complicated that even IT professionals have a hard time handling it. This is where hosts like Bluehost and Flywheel come in. These hosts make everything easy for you by taking care of the cumbersome tasks so you can focus on writing content and growing your business.
With a little care and attention to detail you can easily get the most out of your new host. For example, Bluehost offers a simple 1-click install for WordPress which means you can have a fresh copy of WordPress up and running in no time at all.
It’s important to note here that WordPress itself is a very user-friendly platform. It has a lot of great features that allow anyone to get up and running easily. But with so many options it can be difficult to know where to begin. This is where having a user-friendly host can come in handy. Bluehost and Flywheel both offer live chat sessions with helpful WordPress experts who can step you through the setup process or get you off on the right foot if you encounter any issues.
A Growing Community
One of the main draws of a managed host is the fact that you get access to a large community of people and content creators who can help you grow your business. For example, Bluehost has an entire support team dedicated to helping its customers with any issue they might encounter. This includes everything from setting up the site to solving complex problems.
On the surface this might not seem like a huge advantage. After all, you’re not going to grow your audience simply by hopping on the WordPress bandwagon. But the fact is you’ll end up with many more leads and connections to potential customers because of it.
Having a large, engaged audience is important for any business. It means you have the potential to reach a large number of people who are either interested in your product or service, or who enjoy your blog’s content and would like to learn more about your brand. Either way, you’re essentially advertising to an audience which is somewhere around the internet.
Security
Keeping your WordPress site secure is one of the main priorities for any blog owner. After all, your site can be a target for hackers and malware writers who want to steal your content or alter your site’s content to trick or scare you or your visitors away.
Even if you take all the necessary precautions and use the most advanced security tools available, there is always the chance something could go wrong and your site could be hacked. This is why it’s important to have a managed host which provides the necessary security features to protect your content and business. Some of the most popular security plugins you get with Bluehost are:
- A free Google SSL certificate which encrypts your visitors’ data while they’re on your site. This way nobody can steal their information while it’s traveling to your server (assuming of course you’re using a secure connection like HTTPS).
- A free SSL certificate which encrypts your blog’s content so nobody can read your posts unless they have the encryption key.
- An advanced one-click install for WordPress so you can have the platform up and running in no time.
- Daily malware scans which check for any malware found in your site. If you do encounter any malware or malicious code then the hosting provider will remove it and keep you updated on the status.
- Free backups which automatically store all your content in a safe location so if anything goes wrong you can easily recover from catastrophic events like hackers breaking in.
- Free domain privacy so your visitors can’t be tracked by third parties like Google.
- And much more…
These are just some of the things you get with Bluehost’s managed WordPress hosting. While there are definitely plusses, there are also a few minuses. For example, while you won’t have to worry about security patches or updating the CMS, you will have to research the various tools and plugins to make sure they’re compatible with your blog.
Convenience
If you’re looking for a blogging platform that is both user-friendly and has all the necessary technical support then managed hosting is the right choice for you. You get everything you need without having to run around searching for plugins or documentation.
But the main advantage here is that you don’t have to worry about a thing. The hosting provider will take care of all the technical stuff so you can just focus on creating content and engaging with your audience.
Custom Domains
One of the things you’ll notice right away about Bluehost is its 24/7 customer support. If you have any questions regarding setting up your site or using the platform, you can contact Bluehost directly through a simple questionnaire or live chat window. The staff will be able to help you in no time, regardless of what hour you encounter an issue.
Another great thing about Bluehost is the fact you can install a custom domain on your site. This could be a useful tool for attracting potential customers to your brand or product. You can install a free domain like shopify.com or godaddy.com and use their one-click installer to quickly set up a professional-looking store.