There are a lot of factors to consider when you’re choosing the right host for your business, website, or project. A lot.

I can’t pick the best web host for you, but I can help you ask the right questions, and I can tell you why I love my host – SiteGround – so very, very much.

Questions to ask before picking your WordPress host:

1. Do I need a dedicated server, or a VPS, or will a simple shared hosting account do?
2. Does this host understand WordPress, or is it just another piece of software to them?
3. Does this host care about the WordPress community?
4. Are they connected enough to understand my particular needs?
5. Bonus questions:
   1. Does this host provide 1-click staging environments?
   2. Does this host provide command-line access via SSH?
   3. Does this host support WP-CLI?
   4. Does this host support git access?
   5. Does this host provide any type of automated backups?
   6. Does this host offer any advanced server-side caching?
   7. Will this host restrict the types of web software I can run?

How do you choose?

Many different hosts can answer most of the above questions positively, and help guide you to the plan that is best for your needs. Several hosts can answer all of the above questions positively, especially if that’s what you want to hear.

Very few hosts can answer all of the above questions positively, and really mean it. Because of this, I encourage you to do your research first before signing with any host.

Don’t just read the testimonials and content they’re sharing, look out at the web and see what other real people are saying.

What’s so great about SiteGround, anyway?

Let me begin by being very clear: SiteGround is not paying me to endorse them. I really do love their service and quality. As a result I signed up for an affiliate account so that, if you find value in what I’m sharing, you might just use my affiliate link to compensate me for the favor of turning you on to such a great host. If you’d rather browse their wares without sending me a kick-back, well, just navigate your browser to SiteGround.com. They’re still awesome, and I hope you give them an honest consideration.

SiteGround responds, fast!

WPSessions.com runs on SiteGround hosting, and it’s amazing. I’ve emailed their staff a couple different times to ask a couple different questions and I was provided prompt replies that actually fully answered my queries. I also interacted with their live chat just prior to joining, and again just after joining, and my experience there was equally stellar.

SiteGround cares about developers.

I signed up for the GoGeek account, which gives me access to the server via SSH with git and wp-cli preloaded. It also grants me access to one-click staging environments and a ton of other useful features.

All of WPSessions is stored in a git repo, and I can easily push changes directly into production. The WP-CLI integration gives me the ability to manage the entirety of the site via command line, if I wanted. If you’re curious about WP-CLI, we have a free session that deals with using it specifically: Performance Driven Development.

SiteGround cares about your site’s performance.

One of the times I contacted SG was to ask for advice on configuring some caching plugins with their servers. Instead, they configured for me a “SuperCacher” WordPress plugin that they built specifically to support several helpful and advanced caching solutions that are configured at the server level. All I had to say is that my site is running WooCommerce and to not cache the cart, checkout, nor account pages.

Here’s the crazy thing with that, though. This caching was just a precaution for a large spike in traffic I was expecting (more on that in a later post). Even without this extra varnish layer my site was already running faster than my experiences with most other hosts. Let me underscore once more that this is just a standard shared hosting account – not a VPS, not a dedicated server – and it’s lickity-split quick!

SiteGround cares about WordPress.

A year ago I had no idea that SiteGround even existed. Then I saw them as a sponsor at a WordCamp. Then another. Then another. Since then I’ve seen their presence rippling all throughout the WordPress community. I’ve found helpful articles written by their staff published all over the web, too. SiteGround has invested in the WordPress community because they understand its magnitude and significance.

As a matter of fact, one of the experts presenting in the Security for Site Owners session, Daniel Kanchev, is a SiteGround employee. That happened because they reached out to me, after seeing the resource I’m trying to build, and asked me to tell them if I ever needed a presenter. I knew they knew their stuff, asked if one of their expert staff could present in May, and here we are. Again, they are invested in our community.

Is SiteGround right for you?

I honestly don’t know. Your needs could be completely different from mine, and so you might need a different level of service from your web host. I can tell you, though, that my experience with SiteGround has been nothing short of amazing. Don’t just take my word for it, though, exercise your Google muscles!

If you liked this article, you might also like the article Brian Krogsgard wrote on PostStatus about The Cost of Running a WordPress Website (bonus: PostStatus also runs on SiteGround hosting).

Maybe a 60% discount would help you choose?

I don’t advocate for buying something just because it’s offered at a special price, and I certainly don’t think it’s wise to make your decision based on which option is least expensive. But, I do believe that a little economic incentive is sometimes the right way to encourage people to make a decision that is ultimately best for them. In fact, that’s the only reason I gave SiteGround a shot after I first learned about them.

So, as a special thank-you to WPS subscribers, and to help you come to the same realization that I’ve made, I’ve worked out a special deal with SiteGround so you can get a steep discount on any hosting plan. Just use the link below, and enjoy. Also, you’re welcome!

See SiteGround Plans and save 60%