WordPress Multisite: manage multiple websites from a single installation

Thanks to WordPress, making a website nowadays is within reach even for those without specific technical skills.

The features and resources the platform offers are countless. Among them, adding a network of websites in a single installation, a condition possible by taking advantage of WordPress Multisite.

Table of Contents:
What is WordPress Multisite?
Features of WordPress Multisite
Use case.
The advantages and disadvantages of WordPress Multisite
When to use WordPress Multisite?
Choose the Right WordPress Hosting
What is WordPress Multisite?
WordPress Multisite is a configuration that enables the management of multiple websites on the same installation. Because sites in a multisite network share master files and databases, network administrators can effectively manage all web projects from one WordPress user account.

In fact, the latter employs this feature as if it were a network, providing an interface where desired websites can be administered simultaneously. The feature is quite advantageous for those government and university organizations that have a hierarchical structure.

Features of WordPress Multisite
Like any feature, Multisite is identified with specific characteristics, determining what are the strengths and weaknesses. The specifications that most emphasize the capabilities of WordPress Multisite are: dashboard, sharing, user role management, and updates.

Dashboard. Installing WordPress Multisite is equivalent to managing multiple websites from a single dashboard, allowing you to optimize your work time.

Sharing. The same network shares a file system, database, and generally are variations of the same domain. There are two types of multisites: subdomain (site.domain.com) and subdirectory (domain.com/site). Code and configuration are shared, so developers do not have to worry about coding different sites individually if there are updates or other changes that can be made throughout the network.

Plugins and themes. If you need to change the theme or install a plugin, with WordPress Multisite you can do the operations in one step.

Role management. Multisite introduces a new user role that will have complete control over websites: the network administrator. Only the latter can assign user roles to others, based on preferences, and has the power to install plugins and themes; in this case, the administrator user will only be able to activate them on his or her website.
When administrators create a multisite installation, they become network administrators and have access to a slightly different dashboard in which they can manage all web sti.

Updates. By using a feature that allows you to manage a network of websites, you will also be able to launch updates at the same time.

Use case.
If you use Amazon in the United States, the experience will be appropriate for American consumers in general. When you browse Amazon Japan, you will find prices in yen, and the view of products on the marketplace will also follow the preferences of Indian consumers. This is to highlight that there is a reason why websites and apps change by country.

For companies that want to expand business, Multisite functionality could therefore be a card to play.

The advantages and disadvantages of WordPress Multisite
First and foremost, installing WordPress Multisite means saving the amount of time that “individual” management would require. Networks also consume less server space than separate installations. And, of course, sharing resources, including plugins and themes, is easier with multisite functionality.

Because the code is shared among all the sites in a network, you will have to weigh carefully your choice of plugins and themes to use. This comes from the fact that these are installed on the entire network and not individually, extending the functionality of a single plugin over the entire network. Conversely, then, if one plugin caused a security flaw it would expose all websites part of the WordPress instance to vulnerability.

With Multisite you can install the multilingual plugin and choose the language to be set in each website. In general, pay attention to the resources you decide to integrate: not all plugins guarantee Multisite compatibility.

Using a single database allows you to store data in a single backup, without having to individually copy the data of each site. When it comes to security, it is worth noting that breaches affecting one network website can also affect the others in the WordPress instance.

Finally, since all projects in the network share the same database, a large amount of traffic on one site could also affect the performance of other web pages.

When to use WordPress Multisite?
If the idea of centrally managing multiple websites tickles your fancy but doesn’t fully convince you, let’s try to dispel your doubts with a few suggestions:

• Multisite functionality can be used to power business and reach different markets;
• If you plan to administer no more than 3 web projects, we recommend you maintain single management.
• To use Multisite installation, you need to have some familiarity with WordPress.
  Managing a network of websites also requires security skills; make sure you have the right knowledge or contacts to resolve any issues.
• If you do not wish to share space and databases or if you prefer to manage themes and plugins yourself, it is clear that WordPress Multisite may not be right for you.

Choose the Right WordPress Hosting
If you are planning to launch your web project and would like to rely on WordPress, you might choose one of Shellrent’s Hosting plans that offer maximum compatibility with the most widely used CMS.

We advance different solutions to meet all needs. It means that if you need to create a blog or a showcase site, you could evaluate the features and resources that provide for the Basic and Standard plans; for a more structured online project, on the other hand, you will have the possibility to choose the Business or Enterprise plans, i.e., the solutions that are more adherent to websites that require high performance.