Choosing the right WordPress hosting in South Africa can be overwhelming, especially for beginners. However, by considering a few essential factors, you can narrow down your choices and choose the best hosting provider for your website. Here are some of the things you should consider when looking for WordPress hosting in South Africa:
Are you looking to build a website with WordPress? If so, you’re in the right place. Choosing the right hosting for your site is important, as it affects the site’s speed, security, and overall performance. In this article, we’ll discuss how to choose the right WordPress hosting in South Africa.
Table of Contents
What Is WordPress?
WordPress is the world’s most popular open-source content management system (CMS) that powers over 43% of all websites on the internet. According to W3Techs in 2022, there has been an average annual increase of 12% in the usage of WordPress since 2011. It is user-friendly, flexible, and allows for easy customisation. Having a WordPress website for your business can help you establish an online presence and reach a wider audience.
What Is WordPress (WP) Hosting?
WordPress (WP) hosting refers to a type of web hosting specifically designed to host websites built with WordPress. This hosting is customised for the WordPress platform, ensuring that your website remains fast, secure and stable. WordPress-specific hosting servers have been specifically designed to meet the demands of WordPress, making them a more efficient choice than generic web servers.
Why Choose WordPress Hosting?
WordPress servers have been customised to work with the WordPress platform, providing faster page loads, improved security, and better overall performance compared to regular web servers.
WordPress servers have been customised to work with the WordPress platform, providing faster page loads, improved security, and better overall performance compared to regular web servers.
Using WordPress hosting provides several benefits, such as:
- Faster Loading Time: WordPress hosting servers are optimised for WordPress, providing faster page loading speeds for your website, which improves user experience search engine optimisation (SEO).
- Better Security: WordPress hosting plans include enhanced security features such as web application firewalls, secure WordPress core updates, and regular backups to ensure that your site is always secure.
- Automatic Updates: WP hosting services often offer automatic updates to your WordPress installation, including plugins and themes, to ensure that your site is always up-to-date.
- Expert Support: WP hosting providers often have WordPress experts on staff to assist with any issues that may arise.
How To Choose the Optimal WordPress Hosting in South Africa?
When it comes to choosing reliable WordPress hosting in South Africa, there are several factors to consider. Here are some tips to help you find the best hosting provider for your WordPress site.
Consider Your Website’s Needs
Before choosing a hosting provider, you need to consider your website’s needs. For example, how much traffic does your website receive? How much storage space do you need? By answering these questions, you can determine the kind of hosting solution that suits your needs.
Check the Server Uptime and Speed
Server stability and speed are crucial factors when choosing a hosting provider. The uptime refers to the amount of time the server is up and running without any interruptions, while speed refers to the time it takes for your website to load. A slow-loading website can drive away visitors and negatively impact your search engine rankings. Look for a host that offers an uptime of 99%, like MCloud9, ensuring that your website is always available to your visitors.Â
Look for a Hosting Plan With SSD Storage
Solid-state drives (SSDs) offer faster read and write speeds than traditional hard disk drives (HDDs). This translates into faster website performance and improved user experience. SSD servers also have better reliability and durability. Therefore, hosting providers that use SSD storage can significantly improve your website’s performance.Â
Check for Free SSL and Backup Services
Up to 84% of online users will abandon a purchase if they realise the website is insecure. An SSL certificate encrypts the data that is transmitted between your website and its visitors, ensuring that the information is secure. Additionally, regular or daily backups are crucial for protecting your website’s data in case of any unexpected issues. Many hosting providers offer free SSL certificates with their hosting. SSL certificates increase trust among visitors and improve search engine optimisation (SEO) – Google has stated that SSL is a ranking factor.
Consider the Control Panel (cPanel) Features
A control panel, such as cPanel, allows you to manage your hosting account and website easily. Therefore, it’s recommended to choose a hosting provider that offers an easy-to-use control panel with features that meet your website’s needs. The cPanel is one of the easiest and most powerful control panels on the market, giving you access to essential and advanced features such as email management, file management, DNS management, and website statistics.
Check for WordPress Installation and Staging Options
Installing WordPress can be challenging, especially for beginners. Therefore, it’s useful to choose a hosting provider that offers a one-click WordPress installation option. Additionally, a staging environment allows you to test changes to your website before going live, ensuring that your website remains secure and free of errors.
Look for the Best WordPress Hosting Packages
When looking for the right WordPress hosting in South Africa, it’s essential to consider the hosting options that are available. These packages include shared and managed WordPress hosting.
Regular shared hosting (also referred to simply as web hosting) is an affordable option for those who are just starting and have a limited budget; these plans provide all the basic features that a WordPress website needs, but they may not be specifically customised for WordPress. On the other hand, WP Hosting is customised for WordPress, providing faster page loading, improved security, and better overall performance. WP hosting is ideal for those who want to focus on their business without worrying about the technical aspects of managing their website.
It is recommended to choose a hosting product that is optimised for WordPress. This type of plan provides affordable pricing and is suitable for most small to medium-sized websites.
Consider the Domain Name Registration Options
A domain name is your website’s online address, and it’s a good idea to choose a hosting provider that offers domain registration services. Make sure to find a hosting provider that offers the type of domain extension you’re looking for (e.g. .co.za, .com, .net, .org).
Choose a Theme for Your WordPress Website
Choosing the right theme for your WordPress site is crucial as it sets the tone and establishes your brand’s identity. As WordPress is the most popular CMS on the market, there are plenty of free and paid themes available to choose from.Â
FAQ for Choosing WordPress Hosting
How do I install WordPress on my hosting account?
Most hosting providers offer a one-click WordPress install feature that simplifies the installation process. Simply navigate to your hosting control panel and look for the WordPress install option.
Are there any free domain options available with WordPress hosting plans?
Yes, some hosting providers offer a free co.za domain registration with their WordPress hosting. However, it’s important to check the terms and conditions to ensure that the domain registration is truly free and not just discounted. MCloud9 offers a free .co.za domain for one year when ordering an annual plan.
Do I need to have previous WordPress experience to use WordPress hosting?
No, WP Hosting is designed to be user-friendly and easy to use for both beginners and experienced users. Most providers offer a variety of helpful resources and support options to help you get started.
What plugins are recommended for use with WordPress hosting?
There are many useful plugins available for WordPress, but some of the most recommended ones are W3 Total Cache, or the LiteSpeed Cache plugin, for caching (to increase website speed), Wordfence for security, and UpdraftPlus for backing up your website regularly.
In Conclusion
When it comes to choosing WordPress hosting in South Africa, you need to consider several factors that are essential for your website. These factors include server stability and speed, the availability of SSD storage, free SSL certificate, and backup services, and control panel features. Additionally, it’s important to look for hosting providers that offer WordPress installation and staging options, and domain registration. By keeping these factors in mind, you can find the right hosting provider that meets your needs.
MCloud9 is an excellent choice for domain registration and WordPress hosting in South Africa, as they offer reliable hosting services, a range of hosting packages, and excellent customer support that will help you manage your WordPress website with ease. Additionally, MCloud9 uses LiteSpeed servers to help provide the fastest WordPress hosting.
By following the tips outlined in this article, you’ll be able to find the best hosting solution and create a WordPress website that’s fast, secure, and optimised for success.
