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Managed Website Hosting for Small Business: What You Get for $20 a Month
Managed website hosting for small business means backups, updates, security and fixes handled for you. Here is what my $20 a month plan includes and why it matters.
Cheap hosting is everywhere. The catch is what happens when something breaks at 9 PM on a Friday: you're on hold with a support line that tells you the server is fine and the problem is your site. Managed website hosting for small business means someone who knows your site is watching it, and fixes it when it breaks.
My plan is $20 a month. Here's what that covers.
Your own private server space
Your site doesn't share a crowded box with thousands of strangers. It runs on a server I set up and manage, tuned for the kind of site you have, with a free SSL certificate so visitors see the padlock.
Daily backups you can actually use
Every day, the files and the database are backed up. A backup only counts if you can restore it, so restores are part of the job: if an update goes wrong or a page gets deleted, I put it back.
Updates, done carefully
WordPress, plugins and themes need regular updates for security. Done blindly, updates can break a site. I update, check the site, and roll back if something's wrong.
Security watched
The server blocks common attacks, logins are protected, and I watch for anything odd. If a site ever does get hit, it gets cleaned up and locked down.
Fixes when something breaks
This is the part that matters most. If a form stops sending, a page errors, or the site goes down, you tell me and I fix it. No ticket queue, no "that's a plugin issue, not ours."
What's not included
Hosting covers keeping your site running, safe and backed up. New pages, new features and redesigns are separate projects, and I'll tell you before any work that would cost extra.
Should you host with your web designer?
There are good reasons to: one person knows the whole site, problems get fixed faster, and nobody blames the other party. There are also good reasons not to, and your site is yours either way. You own the domain, the files and the content, and you can move whenever you want. I'll help you move.
Questions people ask
What is managed WordPress hosting?
Hosting where the provider handles backups, updates, security and fixes for you, instead of just renting you server space.
Is $20 a month enough for good hosting?
For most small business sites, yes, when the server is set up well and someone is watching it. Busy stores and apps may need more, and I'll say so.
Do I own my website if you host it?
Yes. The domain, files and content are yours, and you can move them any time.
Can you move my existing site to your hosting?
Yes. See the hosting page, or start a project.