If you write a blog, there’s a good chance that it was built using the awesome WordPress platform, and for good reason.
WordPress is the most popular blogging platform in the word thanks to its unique combination of power and simplicity.
Virtually all major web hosting companies support WordPress, and several of them now offer WordPress-optimized hosting plans that make creating, running and maintaining a WordPress blog simple, fast and easy.
When I first created Ricks Daily Tips, I decided to host it on a VPS (Virtual Private Server) provided by the folks at inMotion Hosting, and I’m very happy with that decision.
As luck would have it, I have a lot of experience with WordPress and that allows me to keep my blog maintained and running smoothly on my own (with a bit of occasional guidance and help from the great techs at inMotion).
That being said, you might not have this type of experience, and the truth is you don’t really need it if all you want to do is write for your blog and let someone else handle the maintenance and upkeep of the site on your behalf.
That’s where WordPress-optimized hosting comes in.
There are several WordPress hosting options available, but in my opinion the best of the lot is WP Engine.
What sets WP-Engine apart from the rest of the WordPress hosting companies out there is the fact that they handle ALL of the technical details behind the scenes for you, allowing you to concentrate all of your efforts on your writing!
If you don’t already have a blog, WP Engine techs will help you build it from the ground up, making sure that speed and security are always the top concerns.
If you already have a WordPress blog that’s hosted somewhere else, WP Engine will move your blog to their servers, then optimize it to run as quickly and securely as possible. And all of this is included in their low monthly hosting fees!
All of WP-Engine’s WordPress hosting plans are fully managed. They will keep your WordPress installation itself updated to the latest version, and they’ll do the same for your themes and plugins. They also provide all of the following, and more:
- Daily redundant backups of your blog and all of its associated files and folders
- One-Click restores in case your blog ever needs to be restored from a backup for any reason
- Proactive scanning for malware and immediate removal of any threats that are found
- Firewall protection for keeping external threats from attacking your blog
- Proprietary caching technology to ensure that your blog loads quickly in your visitors’ web browsers
- All WP Engine hosting plans include a license to use the outstanding Genesis theme platform at no additional charge
- 24/7 technical support provided by U.S. based WordPress experts
As you can see, WP Engine takes all the hassle out of running your WordPress blog. All you have to do is write your blog posts and engage your visitors.
The experienced U.S. based techs at WP Engine will handle all the technical aspects of your blog and keep it running smoothly and efficiently without you having to lift a finger. And more importantly, they’ll keep it constantly backed up and secure.
Now for all of WP Engine’s advantages, there is one significant disadvantage I must mention: The price.
WP Engine’s most basic hosting plan starts at $35 per month, and that tier limits your blog’s visits to just 25,000 visits per month.
Once your blog starts to grow it’ll likely reach that number of visits fairly quickly, and once it does you’ll be required to pay overage charges or even upgrade to a higher-tier hosting plan.
The next highest tier starts at a whopping $115 per month, and that tier only allows for 100,000 visits per month.
That’s substantial increase, but a quickly growing blog could well blow past that amount of visitors in just a year or two. And once it does you’ll likely have to move up to the highest tier which starts at a mind-boggling $290 per month!
But the above being said, if you have a highly profitable blog and you want the best hosting service you can get for it, the premium price you’ll have to pay to host it at WP Engine just might be worth it.
Bottom line: If all you need is a personal blog for sharing your thoughts and photos with your family and close friends, most any blog hosting platform will do. In fact, a free blog over at WordPress.com or Blogger should do just fine.
But if you’re serious about your blogging (especially if you plan to earn money from it), you really need a high quality blog that’s maintained and secured by a team of WordPress professionals.
I honestly believe that WP Engine is the cream of the crop when it comes to WordPress hosting. Just be prepared to pay a hefty premium in exchange for WP Engine’s power and simplicity.
Click here to read more about WP Engine and the awesome services they provide.
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