How WordPress Multisite Networks Can Power Enterprise Digital Solutions

January 7, 2022

One of the keys to enterprise-level business success is operating multiple brands or services effectively. A considerable portion of the operation of any massive organization depends on the ability to efficiently distribute content and resources across different channels. This can be an expensive and time-consuming task for teams that rely on multiple content management platforms.

WordPress Multisite enables the management of multiple websites from a simple control panel, creating a network. Once the multisite is properly set up, it is possible to add as many websites as desired to the network. Like the operational chain of a large-scale business, the WordPress Multisite solution has several interconnected components, each equally critical to the whole.

• With WordPress Multisite, each new website incorporated into the network is entirely independent in terms of content, even though the installations share the same database.

• All of the sites can be accessed from a single control panel, allowing a single set of credentials per user. Users can be added to one or multiple sites within the network.

• Themes and plugins are shared throughout the network. Plugins can be activated network wide or only sites that require them. Updating a plugin once updates it through the entire network.

How Can a Multisite Installation Benefit Your Business?

The advantages go beyond operational resources. Strategically speaking, when you have the opportunity to create and manage different sites within the same instance, your editorial possibilities multiply. The same works for business opportunities as it is possible to host a corporate website, an eCommerce store, and individual brand websites all within the same network. 

One of the main reasons to opt for a multisite solution is to become more efficient by saving time with development and content creation. Building one theme that can be shared across the network, or extended through a child theme will save time and development costs.

For an even more time-efficient solution, it is possible to clone a site within the network. This is beneficial when you have other brands or sub-brands that require their own site with the same pages and content. It is also possible to syndicate content across your multisite network. A post can be created on one site and then distributed to other sites within the same network.

Multisite networks are the preferred setup for businesses that own multiple brands, have different sites per language, and media companies that operate multiple publications.

Improved Deployment Workflows

As WordPress Multisites rely on a single codebase, maintaining themes and plugins becomes much more efficient. Through Continuous integration (CI) your deployment pipeline is streamlined as code updates are applied to all sites within the network. Connecting to multiple servers and maintaining multiple GitHub repositories is no longer needed with this type of architecture.

Security Matters

Because all sites within the network are using the same WordPress installation, whenever a security release or major version update to WordPress is available the update will be applied to all sites with a single click. This has a clear advantage over having to perform these updates on individual sites.

The same principle applies to plugins, where security patches and updates to plugins will be applied to the network. If there is a vulnerability present in a plugin, having to patch the plugin once versus dozens of sites, mitigates the risk significantly.

Examples Worth Sharing

D4C Dental Brands has the mission to support high-quality patient care and the commitment to raising the standard of children’s oral health. This is guaranteed by partnering with pediatric and orthodontic offices committed to providing specialized care to their patients. 

As the largest and fastest network of pediatric dental and orthodontic specialties in the United States, D4C Dental Brands turned to Trew Knowledge intending to extend all this care to its vast network of partners. Happy to help, we were able to establish a platform that allows site admins to rapidly deploy sites as quickly as new dental practices and partners are acquired. Built on WordPress VIP, we developed a robust theme that can be fully customized to match the practice’s brand, all within the same multisite network. There are now over 100 sites sharing the same installation.

Recently launched, the brand new Havergal College website has its architecture entirely designed and developed by Trew Knowledge to support future additions within the multisite network as needed. Future plans include the expansion for eCommerce.

The same solution was provided to HW Media, the U.S.’ most influential source of real state news. HW Media operates several brands such as HousingWire, RealTrends, and FinLedger. Each site within the HW Media multisite installation takes advantage of a parent and child theme relationship. Creating new sites in this structure allows the HW team to rapidly deploy new media properties in a short period of time.

In addition to the publication sites within the network, Engage Events by HW Media is built on a child theme of HousingWire.com and offers the ability to sell tickets to premium events. Powered by WooCommerce, the entire eCommerce experience is all managed within the same platform.

Let WordPress VIP Level Up Your Multisite Network

WordPress VIP is a managed hosting, support and maintenance service provided by the world’s best WordPress engineers for large-scale and enterprise websites. It is widely known to be the fastest, most secure and hassle-free WordPress hosting service.

With its global infrastructure of data centers placed in 21 locations worldwide, WordPress VIP hosts and supports pages of giants like CNN, Time and Facebook.

WordPress VIP has very strict coding standards and processes. It offers automated hourly backups, proactive security protocols, automatic WordPress updates, code review for third-party plugins, uptime and performance monitoring, automatic scaling to handle traffic spikes, in addition to a team of experts to provide customers with dedicated support. It is a safe and cutting-edge solution for websites that need to deal with high volumes of traffic and content daily.

As the only Canadian-based WordPress VIP Gold Agency Partner, Trew Knowledge delivers enterprise digital solutions using the world’s most trusted platform. If you are ready to power your digital capabilities to keep pace, we should talk.