WordPress powers approximately 19% of the web. It’s important for those who run WordPress sites to optimize with better hosting, themes, and plugins. However, with the wide range of options available, it can be difficult to make the right choices. Refer to this guide to learn what hosting providers, themes, and plugins stand out from the crowd and will allow you to make the most out of your WordPress site.
Top 5 Hosting Providers
1. Bluehost. Bluehost is a great choice for an inexpensive and reliable WordPress hosting provider. They are officially recommended by WordPress, and provide easy setup with an auto-installer and ensure that you have access to all WordPress updates within 24 hours for maximum security. They are currently in beta for their Managed WordPress Hosting platform.
2. HostGator. HostGator is another provider that offers inexpensive WordPress hosting with simplified installation. There is fast resolution for downtime and responsive customer service, which includes live chat. Other features include an easy-to-navigate admin panel and enhanced security with PHP running as suPHP.
3. WP Engine. While WP Engine hasn’t been around as long as some other providers, it offers the benefit of specializing exclusively in WordPress hosting. The managed service is both fast and secure. It also includes add-ons that are specific to the WordPress platform and provide the options and features your website needs.
4. iPage. iPage is a recently launched managed WordPress hosting solution. It offers 1-click installation and extremely responsive customer service. WP Essential offers faster site speeds in addition to dedicated WordPress experts, integrated themes and plugins, and automatic detection and removal of malware.
5. A Small Orange. A Small Orange provides inexpensive web hosting and reliable service, with a support team available 24/7. Features include 1-click installation and a range of hosting options, including shared, business, and cloud VPS.
Top 5 Themes
1. The X Theme. Many are referring to the X Theme as the theme of 2014. This multipurpose theme is useful for business websites, ecommerce, and portfolios. It combines functionality with premium design, and has received positive reviews from a range of top internet marketers. It also allows you to create an unlimited number of websites that all utilize the same theme.
2. Karma. Karma is a fully responsive WordPress theme that is parallax enabled. This is great for both business and creative websites. It offers features such as an Isotope Gallery with Fancybox, which enables easier sharing of video and images.
3. Natural. Natural is another multipurpose theme that can be used for portfolios, ecommerce, and business websites. While there are many different multipurpose themes on the WordPress circuit, Natural stands out with a wide range of features, including customizable templates and flexibility in terms of colors and other visuals.
4. vFlex. Designed with the needs of bloggers and designers in mind, vFlex is a responsive theme that is most popular for blogs and portfolios. It offers a FlexSlider for featuring certain images, as well as a VibeOptions panel that provides support for import and export settings, logo uploading – not to mention a range of other features.
5. Flozo. This free theme is fully responsive and perfect for business websites. It was specifically designed with the needs of startups and small businesses in mind, allowing them to easily launch professional websites on the WordPress platform.
Top 5 Plugins
1. All in One SEO Pack. The All in One SEO Pack, designed by Michael Torbet, is considered an essential plugin for WordPress sites. It can help optimize your website for search engines by identifying the best titles, homepage descriptions, and keywords for your topic.
2. Broken Link Checker. Broken Link Checker is an essential plugin for WordPress sites. It can monitor the website and notify you, either through email or the WordPress dashboard, if it discovers either broken links or missing images. It also allows for easy replacement of broken links.
3. W3 Total Cache. With W3 Total Cache, you can cover all caching bases. It not only allows for basic page caching, but also minifies your CSS, JavaScript, and HTML files. Furthermore, this plugin handles uploads to your CDN.
4. Disqus Commenting. To add enhanced commenting features, Disqus is by far the best option. It integrates with the standard comment system on WordPress to make commenting more interactive, allowing for features such as threaded comments and replies, moderator approval and deletion of comments, social sharing, and spam protection.
5. Digg Digg. Social sharing is a key component to ensuring your WordPress website is found across the web. Digg Digg is a critical WordPress plugin because it allows you to add a full set of social sharing buttons – in a range of styles – to your website.
Are there any specific hosting providers, WordPress themes, or plugins that you can’t live without? Let us know in the comments below.
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