When I first read the email, it felt like I was being fired. I also began to wonder if I had been cheated on. Choosing a partner in this day and age is not something to be taken lightly. We’re looking for more than just security, we want someone who is going to be around, be there day or night, especially when we need them to help out. Some of us have been hurt by bad break-ups already. Sometimes we do want to be analysed, but we always want to be updated. And for better or worse, we are willing to pay the price when we’re expecting them to perform at their best.
With so many of us looking for a reliable hosting partner for our WordPress sites, it’s not surprising that managed WordPress has become a hot new business, and the stakes are high. Last year I invested a considerable amount of time researching a number of providers that I could vouch for to my clients. While price is obviously a factor, I was looking at the value-added services that were provided with the package, not just the routine stuff, and I could exclude a number of the cheapest options. With the criteria set I developed, I narrowed the choice to Flywheel or WP Engine, two of the biggest players in the managed hosting game.
I had many questions on the client calls to each side and did my due diligence. While I liked that WP Engine had brought on board access to the Genesis themes through their acquisition of StudioPress, I was impressed by Flywheel’s Local application for developing sites on my laptop, and it’s ease of uploading to staging sites for clients. The other criteria were too close to call, but I did like the Flywheel people I spoke with. And Flywheel had a better price. I chose Flywheel.
Yesterday, I received an email informing me of WP Engine’s acquisition of Flywheel, and yes, it felt like being fired. Did they cheat on me? I don’t know, as I said managed WordPress hosting is a big business now, and this merger makes WP Engine one of the biggest kids on the block. If it means that I get to benefit from their economy of scale and they bring down their prices, that’ll be a win. Even better if I get to use Genesis themes included in the package now too!
#contentmarathon #wpmanagedhosting
The views expressed herein are personal and do not reflect the views of any of my clients or employers.