You should be able to easily create and manage your server powered by Google Cloud in a matter of minutes. And, installing WordPress and setting up a site should also be a few clicks away. But is it that easy? Why should you choose Cloudways to host a WordPress site? Should you prefer the Google Cloud Platform for WordPress hosting? And, how can you do it? In this article, we try to answer all the above questions to help you decide before choosing a host for your WordPress website.
Why Should You Pick Google Cloud Platform for WordPress?
Google Cloud Platform provides a robust server infrastructure. It is the same platform that Google utilizes for its services. So, it is safe to bet on its reliability and performance, which it is known for. Google Cloud Platform is the perfect hosting option for a WordPress site with demanding requirements. In other words, it is one of the premium hosting platforms. If you have a website that deals with mission-critical information or a site with heavy traffic, Google Cloud Platform can be a fantastic solution.
Can You Directly Host Using Google Cloud Platform Without Cloudways?
Yes, and no. You will need some technical knowledge to create and manage your server with Google Cloud Platform. When it comes to WordPress, you can deploy it with a single click. But, you will need to optimize and manage every aspect of your Compute Engine. Even though Google makes it as easy as possible, it is not aimed at end-users but developers, system administrators, and similar users with the skills to manage a virtual machine. If there is an issue with your server, you are solely responsible for any configurations and troubleshooting. And, this is where Cloudways comes in.
How Does Cloudways Help in Using Google Cloud for WordPress?
As I mentioned, using the Google Cloud Platform can be inconvenient for most users. So, Cloudways lets you use the Google Cloud Platform without needing to manage everything on your own. Cloudways sets up all the essentials needed to run a WordPress site without any hiccups. And, anything else you want to do from your side (like adding a domain, installing SSL, etc.), Cloudways provides you an easy-to-use interface to do all that in a few clicks. You do not have to go through the Google Cloud documentation, and you have to focus on the Cloudways platform and some of the options to easily tweak the server or your WordPress application. In addition to that, they offer standard support for free, unlike Google Cloud Platform. You will also find premium support options if you need them.
Cloudways Features
While Cloudways aims to be a managed cloud hosting provider by simplifying things for the end-user, it gives you a lot of control. Let me highlight some of the key features that should help you efficiently manage a WordPress site on Cloudways:
Collaboration
With Cloudways, you can add multiple projects and add team members as required. You can choose to give them selective access that includes billing, support, or just console for technical staff. It is easy to add members and create new projects as well. You also get SSH and SFTP access that you can share with any of your team members to access files if required. Overall, features like these enhance the collaboration capability of managing your server and anything associated with the website directly using Cloudways.
Integrations and Addons
To add more functionalities as you go, Cloudways offers an API that lets you build your solutions. You can also add email servers, SMTP and opt for a premium DNS service as part of extra offerings. The use of such addons and integrations will help you stick to a single platform without relying on multiple platforms.
Performance
Considering Cloudways is a managed cloud hosting platform, they optimize the backend from the get-go. As you would expect, all the servers use SSDs and are pre-configured for the best possible performance when you install an application (like WordPress) on your server. It also offers Redis support, CloudwaysCDN, and advanced cache options for you to tweak the performance if needed.
Monitoring
For the basics, the CloudwaysBot proves to be incredibly useful by sending important notifications in real-time, whether your disk space is running out or anything else. You can even get the notifications delivered to your Slack channel or email. In addition to the smart assistant, you also get several insights from the console to help you keep an eye on the health of your server/application.
Security
It is best to use security plugins for your WordPress site, but Cloudways ensures that your backend remains secure. They handle OS updates on your server and enforce firewalls to keep attackers at bay. You also get the ability to install free SSL as required and enable two-factor authentication for your device.
Support
It is vital to get good support along with your hosting subscription. And, Cloudways has been providing 24×7 chat support for all of its customers. And, if you want priority support with advanced technical help, there are premium support options.
Other Essentials
As a managed cloud hosting provider, Cloudways offers a lot of features. Along with the key highlights mentioned above, some of the other essential features include:
Staging area support Git integration Cloudways WP Migrator plugin Application/Server cloning
Now that you have a good idea of what Cloudways offers, let us see how easy it is to get a WordPress site up and run using Google Cloud.
Steps to Use Google Cloud to Host WordPress Site on Cloudways
It would take a few clicks to set it up, but let me mention the steps one by one to guide you with the process. Step #1. After you sign up for an account, you can head to launch a server (as shown in the image).
Step #2. Next, you need to select the application (here, WordPress) that you want to be installed on your server and select the preferred cloud hosting provider.
For this article, we pick Google Cloud Platform as our host. Here’s how it looks like after selection:
As you can notice from the image, you need to fill up the details for your server (assuming we don’t have one already). So, add a name for your managed app, server, and select the project you would like it to be added to. Among the options available, you need to select the size of the server (as per the available resources). For instance, the medium-sized server comes with 3.75 GB RAM and 1 CPU.
Other options include server location, bandwidth, application storage, and database storage size.
Note that the choice of your server location will also affect the cost, among other things. And, the bandwidth is charged as it is used, so you do not have to set anything specific if you do not know the requirements for your website. Step #3. After setting things up, you can observe the estimated price and launch the server.
It will take about seven minutes to create your server and install WordPress. You can leave the webpage if you want; it does not affect the server creation.
Once it is done, you can click on the server to access your settings and server management options.
Or, you can head to the WordPress application settings to add a domain, install an SSL, and get started with your WordPress adventure!
Here’s the test WordPress site up and running:
Save Time With Cloudways Managed Hosting & Google Cloud
The point of choosing a managed hosting provider is to save precious time and avoid unnecessary technical setup from your end. And, Cloudways makes that incredibly impressive by giving you total control and managing all the essentials simultaneously. And, the cherry on top is choosing Google Cloud as your cloud provider for a reliable and fast experience! Overall, everything is just a click away, even the most advanced settings. So, if you are looking for a managed provider to use Google Cloud with WordPress, this should be an easy recommendation! You may also be interested in the Google Cloud Hosting Platform for WordPress or User Management Plugins For WordPress.
