What is more attractive about WordPress, its versatility or free availability? Just imagine whether you would have chosen it only for its capabilities, had it not been free and you get the answer. Yes, free is the word of choice that accompanies every description of WordPress and for valid reasons. Indeed, you need not spend a penny to use WordPress. You can access the files needed to install WordPress on any server and run it without spending anything. If content production is your hobby and you do it casually just to derive pleasure, then you could not only create a free WordPress website but also host it on wordpress.com free and keep going with it provided you are content with its limited features.
WordPress is a very potent tool for earning revenue from the web and the reason why from large Corporations to the smallest businesses, everyone is so much attracted to it. In these cases, the attraction of getting it free does not hold much water as the revenue earning powers of the WordPress is a more significant attraction for which none would not be hesitant to spend on it if need be. But, does WordPress really entail any spending for its users? In this article, we will try to find an answer to this question.
The true cost of WordPress
Although WordPress is free, it does not mean that there are no costs whatsoever associated with using the CMS. While it is true that WordPress does not charge you any fees, you have to spend on many other accounts to make proper use of WordPress websites for business. Since such spending happens only to upload the WordPress website and make it perform for making business gains, the costs would naturally link to the cost of acquiring WordPress. Therefore, there is some cost involved in making WordPress websites up and running which we cannot see unless we dig deep and look beyond the WordPress platform.
The experts at https://primaldragon.com/ admit that you have to spend money to earn revenue from WordPress websites that you set up for business. In this article, we will examine the ways that you could keep such costs at the minimum level.
The total ownership cost of WordPress
How you perceive a tool determines its worth to you. For amateur and casual bloggers, WordPress is excellent free blogging software, but for business owners keen to use WordPress for business needs it is primarily a tool for business acquisition with legal sanctions. For businesses, WordPress comes for a price that you can work out by analyzing every cost related to it that contribute in determining the total cost of acquisition, better known a TCO in the IT industry parlance.
Analyze the real costs
There is a host of actual costs that you have a bear to use WordPress. From domain registration cost to hosting cost and from paying for premium themes and plugins there are many more spending that you have to do. You have to pay developer fees, security services would add to the cost in addition to the cost involved in arranging for storage backups. Then there is more to it if you assign a cost for the time you devote and peace of mind. Overall, the tiny bits of spending could add up to a decent sum that you have to bear to see your WordPress website doing wonders for your business.
To keep the costs under control, it requires an understanding of every real cost and what is the impact of WordPress management strategies on it. This would help in maximizing the potential of WordPress with the least spending. Let us now look at the measures you can take to minimize costs.
Hosting your website on wordpress.com
It is true that you pay nothing to host your site on wordpress.com but remember that nothing is free in this world and everything comes for a price. The free hosting gives access to limited WordPress features, which would be far less than what you need for hosting your business online. If you want to have your own domain and also want a premium theme, you may have to spend anything between $73and $91 depending on whether you already own a domain or buy it new. Another option is to select WordPress to step up plans, Business or Premium where the cost could be between $99and $299 annually.
Self-hosting
The least that you have to spend on hosting your site on your own through shared generic hosting service provider is $4.86 per month. Despite no assurance of satisfactory performance, the site would be up and running, and you could have unlimited theme options. The choice is to use free themes, develop your own themes or buy premium themes. For all practical purposes, premium WordPress themes are an excellent choice for spending around $100 on an average. Also, for ensuring proper security of your website, you must be ready to spend some money that could give you peace of mind. The total price of hosting with security and backup arrangements could cost you about $425 a year.
Managed WordPress hosting – Regular
In self-hosting, you could opt for a managed hosting provider. Spending $29 a month could help you to get a WordPress optimized managed plan but on shared hosting. To choose a dedicated server, be ready to pay anything between $99 and $249 every month. If you want to have designer themes for your website add another approximately $100 to arrive at the total cost. Depending upon your budget and need the average spend could vary from $448 to $ 3088 in a year.
Managed WordPress hosting – Premium
This is the jewel in the crown among self-hosting services, and the ROI is quite satisfying. With a WordPress premium host, you could avail the top of the line services in security, storage, support, and enjoy the endless flexibility to enhance the functionality of your website. Depending on the plan the spending could vary between $668 and $1864 annually.
The key to WordPress acquisition saving cost is to correctly asses your optimal needs and match it with your budget.
About the author: Simon O’Donnell is a specialist in WordPress and looks after every aspect of website development to hosting. He had been an adviser to some SEO companies including Primal Dragon; a Miami based SEO Company that you would find at https://primaldragon.com. Simon is an adventurer at heart and embarks on trekking trips often.
