What do I look out for when

publishing your WordPress site

So far, I am quite happy with my little WordPress site.

I am learning new features every day. And, I even befriended Gutenberg - it took a while to
get used to. If you consider starting your own blogging career, you must make sure to go with
a top Hosting Company specialising in Wordpress

Look out for top support

For me, as a beginner and a “non-coder”, support from my hosting provider is absolutely vi-
tal.

If I get stuck or if I need of some advice, I hate waiting in queues – or being fobbed off by a
call centre operator. I love speaking to organ grinders – sorry, monkeys!

But It’s not only about waiting times or the technicians. It’s also about the method and range
of support.

Consider this when looking for excellent WordPress support:

- Do you have to write and submit a ticket and wait a long time for a response?
- Or can you have a live conversation, either by phone or a live chat - an actual con-
versation??
- Do you speak with a call centre agent or a technician?
- Do they provide support for WordPress and the most popular plug-ins?
- Do they provide 24/7 support?

I wanted a host where I speak straight to a technician, where I can communicate in real time
(either through phone or chat) that is available 24/7. And guess what, I found such a hosting
gem.

I found a small host in Slovenia who talks me through set-up, gives me tips on loading speed
and caching plug-ins. And I get a yearly subscription for the price of a Pub lunch and pint.

Make sure the servers of your host are configured for WordPress?

If you’re starting with a relatively simple WordPress site, you don’t need to worry about a
powerful VPS hosting pack, go with shared hosting - this is a perfect place to start.

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To make sure your WordPress site runs smoothly, check out that your hosting provider offers
the following features:

- Litespeed or Apache
- Database caching
- Free SSL certificate
- Support for PHP 7 and HTTP/2

As I said above, RAM, SSD space and bandwidth do not matter too much at this stage.

Don’t over do it with Plug-ins:

I have learnt that Too Many Plugins can mess up any WordPress Host

If you install too many WordPress plugins or just one dodgy one, you can slow down your
site. It can eat up all your resources, and some hosts even cancel your contract if you overdo
it.

So, which plugins should you install?

To give a bit of advice: install as few plugins as possible. If you ever have problems with your
web site such as loading speed, try deactivating as many plugins as possible and see if your
site loads better.

What about the SSL Certificate?

Ever since Google announced that websites without SSL certificate are deemed unsafe, it has
become a ranking factor and essential for you.

What is an SSL certificate?

This is an additional layer of security for your website. You recognise SSL by the prefix
“HTTPS” in your address bar.

Previously, you had to pay for your SSL certificate, but most hosting providers are now offer-
ing this service for free – well mine does. You should look out for this feature.

When Choosing your WordPress Host:

Here is a little checklist to help you choose the best WordPress host for you. Here are the
most important things to remember:

1. Unless your site is super big, you don’t need VPS. Stick with a shared hosting plan.
2. Go with a small and personal hosting company- avoid conglomerates like “EIG”.
3. Look for 24/7 support, ideally real time via telephone or live chat.

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4. WordPress, make sure your host is optimally configured for WordPress.
5. Only use WordPress plugins that are essential for the running of your site. They can other-
wise slow your site down.
6. Make sure to get a free SSL certificate and use it.