Why We Recommend WP Engine

Would you rather get a cheeseburger at McDonald’s or LeMont?

There has been an ongoing “analogy/metaphor/simile” in our office of comparing the quality of getting a cheeseburger at McDonald’s vs getting a cheeseburger at LeMont (for you non-Pittsburgh clients, LeMont is a fancy-pants restaurant here in the ‘burgh).

We apply this same concept to hosting. How can we find a LeMont hosting solution that provides website security, speed and easy updates? This inspired us to begin looking for some alternative hosting solutions.

What did we find out? WP Engine is a juicy LeMont cheeseburger with all the toppings.

WP Engine is a hosting company that was specifically created to host WordPress websites. They do not offer any other services like email, domains or calendars, etc. They are specialized in dealing with the issues WordPress users have to deal with every day.

So let’s break down the benefits of WP Engine:

1. Security

• Issue: Websites getting hacked are a pain. You lose search engine ranking, you have to pay us to fix your website, you have a horrible message about Miley Cyrus’ nose job and the list goes on and on.
• Solution: Now, no hosting company can say they prevent 100% of all hacking, but WP Engine takes measures to try to prevent a hacker from getting in. They do this by creating patches for security holes that are found in WordPress.

2. Speed

• Issue: Clients complain to us that their site is running slow. Unfortunately, we have no control over site speed. Yes, we can do things to help speed it up but ultimately it is up to the hosting company.
• Solution: Every PiCon client who switched to WP Engine has seen increased website speed. WP Engine achieves this through technology called EverCache. This decreases load time and also eliminates the use of caching plugins which can cause issues to your site.

3. Support

• Issue: Some of our clients have had problems with the customer support from their hosting companies, i.e. long wait times, no one available after business hours, technical support not included, etc.
• Solution: WP Engine support is available 24/7 with online chat and email support. Their reps are polite, professional and friendly. The best part is that this support is FREE with your hosting package. You will never get the “your plan does not include technical support” line.

4. Backups and Updates

• Issue: WordPress is the most popular CMS platform. This also means it is a HUGE target for hackers.
• Solution: WP Engine has automatic daily backups. This means we can easily go back just 24 hours to restore content. WP Engine will notify you if you have an outdated WordPress version or plugin and the security threat that is associated with it. All of this helps us sleep better at night knowing your site is in good hands!

5. Staging

• Issue: Updating plugins, themes or changing content can result in unwanted and unexpected changes to your site.
• Solution: WP Engine provides a staging environment for us to test updates before making them live.  We can make changes in this area, get your approval, and then switch everything over to your live site with a simple click of a button.

You may ask, “But what is the price difference? Is it really worth it?” Most of our clients who have not yet converted to WP Engine are currently paying about $6-$10 a month in hosting. Do you really want your livelihood to rely on a product that costs less per month than your morning coffee and donut? We didn’t think so.

So now back to our cheeseburger analogy (are you hungry yet?). If you buy a cheeseburger from McDonald’s for $1, you are going to get a $1 burger. But if you buy a cheeseburger from LeMont for $30, you get a burger that you can savor every bite, and all the toppings.

What now?

WP Engine costs $29.99/month for QUALITY hosting. For most businesses, this is affordable and well worth the cost considering what you get in return. View Plans »

Hopefully, we have made our point — You get what you pay for. We cannot control the internet, but we can respect you and your business by recommending the best hosting available. WP Engine gives us piece of mind that your beautiful site will be well taken care of. We want your site to be a juicy cheeseburger as well!

If you have any questions, please contact us to help get your website set up with the best hosting available.