#wordpresshosting #hosting #websitehosting
As a local business owner, you’ve likely asked yourself: when it comes to WordPress hosting, should I go with a big corporate provider or a local web design agency? The answer isn’t always straightforward, especially when price differences are a factor. Today, we’re diving deep into the pros and cons to help you make the best decision for your business’s online success.
Why Quality WordPress Hosting Matters for Local Businesses
Your website is more than just a digital presence; it’s your 24/7 storefront, always open and always working. Because of this, reliable and professional WordPress hosting is crucial. Here’s why:
- Maximum Uptime & Reliability: Your website needs to be consistently available to customers.
- Support & Security: Beyond just uptime, you need a team that can offer support and keep your site secure.
- Local SEO Impact: Website performance directly affects how you rank in local search results.
- Mobile Speed: With more people Browse on phones, a fast, mobile-friendly site is non-negotiable.
- Customer Trust: A reliable website builds confidence with your customers.
What to Look for in a WordPress Hosting Provider:
When evaluating WordPress hosting, consider these essential features:
- Security: Your site needs to be regularly cleaned, secure, protected, and backed up. This includes having an HTTPS (secure socket layer).
- Mobile Responsiveness: Ensure your site adjusts flawlessly to all mobile devices. The right WordPress theme is key here, and some hosting providers offer themes as part of their service.
- Speed: A fast website is crucial for user experience and SEO.
- Worry-Free Management: Are updates handled automatically, or do you have to do them yourself? This includes PHP, WordPress core, database, theme, and plugin updates. Remember, plugins can update daily, while PHP and core updates happen less frequently but are vital for long-term website health.
- Hosting Support: Is their support reactive (fixing things when they break) or proactive (actively improving your site)? Proactive maintenance, like regular cleanups, spam comment removal, and database optimization, keeps your site running smoothly.
- Technical Services: Consider if the provider offers help with domain, email, and DNS management. While some platforms allow you to manage these yourself, it can get complex. A local agency can help you navigate these technical aspects.
Common Mistakes When Choosing Hosting
It’s understandable to seek the cheapest option when starting. If you’re in the very early stages of conceptualizing your business (first year or two), a low-cost hosting solution might be appropriate to quickly visualize your ideas. The faster you can test and refine your concept, the better.
However, once your business starts growing, especially if you’re processing payments, capturing leads, or relying on reliable email notifications from your website, then the “cheapest” option might become your most expensive. Ask yourself: is it worth losing a potential customer or sale because of a missed notification or a slow website? Every new customer is vital in the early growth stages, so consider if a better, faster, and more secure hosting solution is a worthwhile investment.
The Advantage of a Local Web Design Agency
A local web design agency like Shepherd’s Loft offers significant benefits, particularly as your business evolves:
- Local Availability & Responsiveness: Having a local team means easier communication and often more responsive support.
- Managed Updates & Prevention: We handle daily updates for plugins and strategically time core and PHP updates, reducing security risks and conflicts that can arise from automated updates.
- Automated Backups: Your website backups are fully automated and can be easily restored if needed.
- Staging Environments: We can clone your website for testing, allowing us to safely implement new features or major changes without affecting your live site.
- Proactive Security: Instead of just scanning for problems, we implement preventive measures to keep your site secure from the start.
- No Middleware (Like CPanel/WHM): We run a streamlined operation directly on the server, avoiding outdated control software layers. This results in a more secure, reliable, and faster website.
- Bill Consolidation: As you grow, you might accumulate separate bills for email, DNS, plugins, and themes. A web design agency can consolidate these costs, often providing more features for less money through bulk licenses. You pay a premium for single licenses; agencies can leverage their resources to offer better value.
- Scalability: We help you scale your hosting plan as your business grows, advising on features you’ll need and ensuring your online presence keeps pace.
- Time Savings: For businesses where you’re on-site daily (like landscaping or construction), managing your website can be a huge time sink. Partnering with an agency allows you to focus on running your business, knowing your website is professionally handled.
Shepherd’s Loft: Your Partner in Online Success
At Shepherd’s Loft, our goal is to help businesses grow and succeed by providing practical, effective web solutions.
- Proven Results: Our average web design grade across all customers is 89, reflecting high quality in design, security, SEO, performance, and mobile view.
- SEO Expertise: For customers on our Business, Enterprise, or Platinum plans, we offer SEO services, achieving an average SEO score of 90.3.
- Performance Focus: We strive for an average website speed of 3 seconds or less. For performance plans, we proactively optimize your site’s speed throughout the year.
- Rural Workforce: We are a local web design agency that employs rural workers, offering affordable, high-quality services.
- Experience You Can Trust: In business since 2000, we bring 25 years of experience to the table.
- Premium Plugins & Solutions: We work with a variety of premium plugins, from advanced contact forms to e-commerce solutions for businesses like cabin rentals, providing tailored features for your needs.
Ready to Evaluate Your WordPress Hosting?
Choosing the right WordPress hosting is a continuous evaluation of your business’s growth and evolving needs. Don’t let your online presence hinder your success.
Contact us today for a free WordPress hosting evaluation and budget review! You can also get a web design instant quote to see our recommended hosting plan for your business.
We look forward to helping you succeed in your online marketing endeavors. See you next week!