WordPress Multisite – Understanding the Ins and Outs

Need to learn more about WordPress Multisite?

With WordPress 3.0, we are introduced to an entirely new breed called “WordPress multisite”. This is a technique that allows you to divide your WordPress network into individual websites using a single installation.

For example- you own a WordPress site that deals with movie reviews, but then you create another website that focuses on travel and leisure, and then long after you create another one that deal in tech and education. Have you noticed anything? We are adding websites without changing the domain.

WordPress multisite is a great feature that lets you create and manage a number of WordPress sites without altering the user name and password.

You can also allow other users to sign in and organize their content effectively. You don’t need to create an independent network for each website as your websites can easily share settings, options, plugins, content, code, etc.

The Significance of WordPress Multisite

Multisite can be a great choice for businesses and organizations who own several websites. In fact, those who work as freelancers and provide host or maintenance services to a number of organizations, including colleges, universities, schools, etc. can make the most out of this technology.

Using a technique like WordPress multisite, you can instantly update the code, themes, and plugins for the entire network in the quickest possible manner. The network will make use of common features and functionalities along with some designing elements.

Benefits of WordPress Multisite

Multisite is a promising feature that can be used by any kind of website- small, medium, or large. Using this feature, one can easily come up with a number of virtual websites using a common WordPress installation.

Using multisite, you enjoy a complete control and access over all network websites directly via the WordPress dashboard.

However, one thing you need to keep in mind is that, these sites can be located at one domain or on subdomains of the main domain. You are not allowed to use different domain names for networked websites.

Users can login and access multiple websites. There is no defined limit to how many websites a user can have. As an administrator, you are free to give as many websites as you like to a specific user. Multisite also allows your users to create and run their own websites efficiently.

Multisite network also makes it easy to manage updates. All you need is just update your WordPress plugin, or theme, and you are ready to go.

With multisite, accessing a variety of blogs becomes very easier. You can manage blogs efficiently from one control panel to another.

Multisite is extremely advantageous in the sense that it gives you a peace of mind simply because you don’t need to upload new installation for each website you create.

If you are an administrator then it becomes easy for you to update one area of a website and it will be applicable on other areas and functions.

On the other hand, the administrator of a standalone WordPress site has to maintain each and every site separately. And updating such kind of websites is also very time consuming process.

Also, due to its single SQL database, it becomes easier to create and maintain backups on a multisite. There is only one common backup that you need to maintain and you don’t need to a keep a backup for all websites.

When compared to standalone websites, WordPress multisites load faster and perform better. The reason being- multisites make use of only a single installation to handle all the processes required to manage a website.

A standalone website makes use of a number of resources on the server, resulting in a website that responds in a rag tag manner.

Basically, having a website with separate installations, means you are using tons of bandwidth and server resources, which ultimately make a website respond slowly.

Pivotal Tips to Consider Before Opting for Multisite

There are some factors one need to keep in mind before opting for WordPress multisite. First of all, you need a hire a professional developer who will help your multisite get up and running. Moreover, not all plugins work appropriately on multisite installation.

In fact, there are some plugins which aren’t compatible to perform in multisite environment.

In addition, loading themes and plugins in multisite is easy but not as easy as in a standalone website. The process is time consuming as well because first you load the plugin to the directory and then activate them in the child theme.

Lastly, you need to decide on who will act as a super administrator with all the power to update the entire website.

There have been cases, where people by mistake start modifying the wrong website because of their root in the common server and dashboard.

To Conclude

Having a WordPress multisite is a crucial decision, however, you need to keep in mind some facts before giving it a final shot.