So, can you manage your own WordPress hosting and maintenance?
Yes (If you have a lot of time on your hands to learn how to do it).
Do we recommend it?
No. Like so much in life, leaving the job to a professional is always the better choice.
However if you’re interested to know what’s involved then read on.
Hosting
What kind of hosting do you need?
Using a company like Hive and Host we’ll be able to advise you on what type of hosting is best suited to your site.
Most WordPress websites will run very well on a shared or cloud platform while others might need a shared or dedicated VPS (Virtual Private Server) depending on your anticipated resource requirements.
If you use a high street host it’s down to you to know what hosting you need.
It’s highly likely you’ll end up paying for add-ons, higher renewal fees and upgrades you don’t really need either.
Maintenance
There’s a lot of work involved in the management of a hosted WordPress website, domain name and email.
Here’s some of the tasks you’ll be expected to carry out.
Daily Tasks
- Uptime Monitoring
Here’s how you can setup monitoring so you know when your site or host has an issue.
https://www.wpbeginner.com/plugins/how-to-monitor-server-uptime-in-wordpress/
- Security Monitoring
You’ll need security on your website to protect you from hacks and attacks, you’ll also need to respond to the generated email alerts when issues arise.
https://www.wpbeginner.com/plugins/how-to-install-and-setup-wordfence-security-in-wordpress/
- Website & Database Backups
You’ll need backups taken to protect you from any issues that occur on the site so you can recover your site quickly.
https://www.wpbeginner.com/plugins/how-to-backup-restore-your-wordpress-site-with-updraftplus/
Weekly Tasks
- WordPress Core Updates
Keep your WP Core for the fixes, patches, new features and performance updates.
https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/should-i-update-wordpress-or-plugins-first-proper-update-order/
- Plugin Updates
Plugins updates are crucial for the security and maintenance of your site, it’s where the majority of security breaches are found.
https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/how-to-properly-update-wordpress-plugins-step-by-step/
- Theme Updates
The update process varies from Theme to Theme. Your theme provider will have instructions.
https://www.wpbeginner.com/wp-themes/how-to-update-a-wordpress-theme-without-losing-customization/
Monthly Tasks
- Clean Database
Cleaning your database every month is great for housekeeping, speed and keeping things running smoothly.
https://www.wpbeginner.com/plugins/how-to-clean-up-your-wordpress-database-for-improved-performance/
Annual Tasks
- Renew Hosting, Domain, & Licenses
Ensure you keep on top your hosting/domain name renewals and licenses for any themes or plugins to ensure smooth running of your site.
- Check PHP versions
PHP is the website engine as needs updating every now and then. Using the lastest version has the latest security patches, fixes and performance optimisations.
https://www.wpbeginner.com/wp-tutorials/how-to-update-your-php-version-in-wordpress-the-right-way/
Troubleshooting
Things will go wrong on your website. It’s not a case of IF but WHEN. There are so many moving parts to a website it’s inevitable (and accepted) that sometimes one of those moving parts will get stuck and need some attention.
In the vast majority of cases a standard high street web host will not trouble shoot your website problems. In a lot of cases they won’t offer much more support than offering to restore your site to an earlier date which could result in lost data.
You’re going to need web developer to help here. You might engage your original developer or you might need to find a developer to help you if your developer isn’t around.
Your developer won’t be best pleased if they are asked to make changes to the website and your theme or plugins haven’t been regularly updated. This type of management isn’t the role of a web designer or developer. Their job is to design and build. Our job is to manage all the essential updates, security and 247 monitoring.
You can of course have a go yourself at troubleshooting.
- 50 of the most common WordPress errors and how to fix them
https://www.wpbeginner.com/common-wordpress-errors-and-how-to-fix-them/
- Beginners guide to troubleshooting WordPress
The easy way
With Hive and Host all your hosting and management problems are solved.
Everything you need will be handle by us and you can read more here on exactly what you’ll be getting from our managed WordPress hosting service
You’ll save time and money by letting us handle everything for you.
You’ll know it’s done properly by professionals.