Hi guys,
I need your cynical minds to help me find the right option on a host.
Plan
I want to start a WordPress Multi-site, where I can host more that one site with different domains.
I want to start a couple of blogs of my own, and
Build a couple demo sites for potential clients, and
host them on my multi-site installation if they wish to do so.
Questions
Is cloud hosting the right option?
Who do I host with? - At this moment Afrihost seems to be the best option, but their sales pages doesn't give a lot of information.
Managed or self managed?
This question might be best left to the service provider but... How would I manage my clients' domain specific email addresses?
Answer all, or answer some. All information and opinions are welcome.
Thanks!
I have used WPMU extensively in the past. Mainly building publishing platforms (segment large content sites into smaller sub-sites).
I’m going to be brief and fleetingly touch on some issues (you can PM me if you want more info as I’m not a lot around here)
Here is my opinion:
When not to use WPMU:
1. It is almost always a bad idea to host different kinds of WordPress sites on one WPMU install. When I mean “kinds” I mean plugins that add functionality. Mixing classifieds, job-boards on one network etc.
1b. It is almost always a bad idea to host client websites on WPMU unless it does something very specific like a wedding registry. And you are giving each couple their own child site. Example: weddingregistry.co.za/jacobanddudu (sub folder) or jacobanddudu.weddingregistry.co.za (sub-domain). Jacob and Dudu can then log in to their own site and edit it. You can then have a premium add-on for a custom domain for Jacob & Dudu’s big day like jacobanddudu.co.za. But each site on the network must do something specific. Whether its restaurant menus of your local eateries, or event listings etc. You have a hundred sites doing a hundred different things and you asking for trouble.
Remember: WPMU is one WordPress install with one database. Yes, you get your own dashboard, menu, widgets and themes between sites. But you need to know what WPMU does and doesn’t do before you even consider it.
When to use WPMU.
1. You are setting up a “blog network”. Each person can have their own blog. On the site they do nothing but blog. Minimal plugins that just adds basic functions (anti-spam etc.). When you allow strangers you know nothing about to post on your blog you always use sub-domains. As they could post content to get your main domain penalized. Sub-domains insulates you. I hate open-for-all blog networks. I always stick to a niche. Edublogs is probably the quintessential example of using WPMU.
2. You start a large content website and you want to write about a lot of different niches. Lets say businessinsa.co.za, now you can have a “separate” site for businessinsa.co.za/mining, businessinsa.co.za/logistics. You can now easily segment each child site. You can easily quote traffic numbers and easily sell advertising only against that sector (child site). If DHL wants to purchase 10 000 impressions it is easily to just put code in a widget on the /logistics site.
2b. Just a warning about the above If you are the only person working this site you could be in for some time consuming tasks once your website exceeds ten child sites.
To answer your hosting question: Multisite is one WordPress install with one database. And unless you are getting a lot of traffic I don’t advise to scale out your hosting any more than you would for a single WordPress install with a few authors and some traffic. That being said I like to start out with a base VPS which can easily scale. I’m not going to offer any hosting advice because I prefer to host overseas and I also do business with EIG subsidiaries which seems to go against the grain over here.
It would be a cheaper option to start with, even at R140. But wouldn't it make the management of the sites more difficult?
I’m not sure what you are talking about making management more difficult as it’s just a WordPress install. You get a main site and a super admin. The main site is basically the first website you see when you type in the domain name. A super admin can add more sites to the network. Each site on the network is called a child site. Many child sites can have a single admin and can also be edited by the super admin. But it’s just WordPress and it will work the same whether on a shared host or on a dedicated. The only issue with shared hosts is that some (very few) shared hosts do not allow wildcard domains (needed for sub-domains).
The fact that you are asking about client domains (and Emails) is clear to me you have not thought this or researched it through at all and probably should not use WPMU for your client sites.
My advice: for different clients, each its own WordPress install on a reseller account. The majority of client (small business) sites will never warrant a VPS. Maybe if you have a lot you can put it on a VPS (and easily scale it up as your clients grow). If you go that route I would advise you to get a managed VPS based on your questions alone.
NH
's about Afrihost I retract my statement of it being the best option
