First — what is managed WordPress hosting?
If you've ever had a WordPress site, you know it requires upkeep. WordPress itself releases updates. So do your theme and every plugin you have installed. Those updates need to be tested and applied carefully — skip them and your site becomes a security risk; apply them carelessly and something breaks. On top of that, backups need to run reliably, your SSL certificate needs renewing, your site speed needs attention, and if something goes wrong at 2am, someone needs to know about it.
Most small business owners don't have time to learn all of that, and they shouldn't have to. Managed WordPress hosting means I handle all of it for you. You focus on your business. I keep your website secure, fast, backed up, and running — and when something needs your attention, I tell you plainly what it is and what we're going to do about it.
I'm not a large hosting company. I'm Michael Perks, based in Duncan, BC — a one-person operation serving small businesses on Vancouver Island. That means when you contact me, you reach me directly. Not a helpdesk. Not a chatbot. Me.
The short version: You pay once a year, I take care of your WordPress site year-round. Updates, backups, security, performance, and support — all handled. You never have to think about it.
What I actually do behind the scenes
Before getting into the plans, it helps to understand what "managed" actually looks like in practice. Here's what happens on your site on a regular basis regardless of which plan you're on:
WordPress core, theme, and plugin updates
Every update is reviewed before it's applied. I check for known conflicts, apply updates in a controlled way, and verify your site still works correctly afterward. If an update causes a problem, I catch it — not your customers.
Daily offsite backups
A complete copy of your site — files and database — is backed up daily and stored offsite. "Offsite" matters: if the server itself has a problem, your backup is safe somewhere else entirely. If the worst happens, I can restore your site to a recent working state.
Uptime monitoring 24/7
Automated monitoring checks your site around the clock. If it goes down, I'm alerted immediately — often before you or any of your customers notice. Most issues get resolved before they become a problem for anyone visiting your site.
SSL certificate management
That padlock in your browser address bar is your SSL certificate. It needs renewing regularly. I handle that automatically so your site never shows the "not secure" warning that sends visitors away.
Performance optimisation
A slow website costs you customers. Google uses page speed as a ranking factor, and visitors leave if a page takes more than a few seconds to load. I configure caching, image optimisation, and other speed improvements so your site loads quickly on both desktop and mobile.
Security monitoring
WordPress is the most popular website platform in the world, which makes it a target. I keep your site hardened against common attacks — blocking malicious login attempts, monitoring for suspicious activity, and making sure your software is never running an outdated version with known vulnerabilities.
Free site migration
If your site is currently with another host, I move it for you at no extra charge. That means files, database, email (if applicable), and DNS. Your site stays live throughout the process. You don't touch a thing.
All of that is included in every plan. Where the plans differ is in the level of support, the speed of my response, and the additional services layered on top.
The Essential Plan — $199/year
Essential is the foundation. It covers everything described above — updates, backups, SSL, uptime monitoring, security, and performance. For a lot of small businesses, this is genuinely all they need.
Email support direct from Michael
Have a question about your site? Email me. You'll get a reply from me personally, not an automated response or a support ticket assigned to whoever is on shift. I aim to respond within one business day on the Essential plan.
Who this plan is for
A small business that has a working WordPress site, doesn't need to change it often, and just wants it kept safe, fast, and online without having to think about it. Tradespeople, retailers, local service businesses, restaurants — if your site is mostly informational and you update it a few times a year, Essential covers you well.
The Care Plan — $349/year
Care includes everything in Essential and adds a few things that make a real difference if you're actively growing your business or you simply want faster, more attentive service.
Staging environment
A staging environment is a private copy of your live website where changes can be tested before they go public. Want to try a new plugin, update your homepage, or test a new layout? We do it on staging first. Once everything looks right, we push it live. No surprises for your visitors.
Same-day email response (business hours)
On the Care plan, if you email me during business hours (Monday to Friday, Pacific time), you'll hear back from me the same day. For most questions and issues, that means you're not waiting overnight.
Annual site health & performance review
Once a year I do a thorough review of your site — checking page speed scores, looking at what plugins are installed and whether they're all still needed, reviewing your SEO basics, and flagging anything that could be improved. You get a plain-English summary of what I found and what I recommend.
1 local SEO consultation per year
Local SEO is how people in your area find your business on Google. Once a year, we go through your site together — page titles, meta descriptions, how your content is structured, which local keywords you should be targeting — and I give you specific recommendations for your Vancouver Island market. This isn't a generic report; it's advice based on what's actually working in your area.
Google Business Profile review
Your Google Business Profile is the listing that shows up on Google Maps and in local search results. It's one of the most important local SEO assets you have. I'll review your profile, check that everything is filled out correctly, and tell you what to add or fix to improve your visibility in local searches.
Who this plan is for
A business that's actively trying to grow its online presence and wants someone paying closer attention. If you're updating your site a few times a month, you care about appearing in local Google searches, and you want faster replies when something comes up — Care is the right fit. It's the most popular plan for a reason.
The Priority Plan — $549/year
Priority is for businesses where the website is critical to daily operations and downtime or slow response would have a real impact. You get everything in Care, with a significant step up in availability and SEO support.
Direct phone & text access to Michael
On the Priority plan, you get my direct number. If something urgent comes up, you can call or text me directly. You're not waiting for an email reply — you're reaching me directly, like calling a colleague.
2-hour response during business hours
Any email or message you send me during business hours will have a response within two hours. For urgent issues, that's typically much faster. You're at the front of the queue.
Quarterly local SEO check-ins
Instead of one SEO consultation per year, Priority clients get four — one each quarter. Local search rankings shift over time as competitors adjust their sites and Google updates its algorithm. Checking in quarterly means we catch changes early and keep your site competitive in local search results throughout the year.
Minor content & layout fixes included
Need to swap out a photo, update your hours, add a new service to a page, or tweak some text? On Priority, small content and layout changes are included as part of the plan — just send me a message and I'll take care of it. This isn't unlimited web development, but for the small updates that come up regularly, you don't need to ask twice.
Priority queue for all requests
Every request, question, or fix goes to the front of the line. If I'm working on something for another client and your request comes in, yours gets handled first.
Who this plan is for
A business that depends on its website daily — bookings, enquiries, online reputation. If your site being slow or broken for even a few hours costs you money or customers, Priority gives you the fastest possible response and the most direct access to me. Also a strong fit if you're actively pushing local SEO and want consistent quarterly attention.
Side-by-side comparison
Here's a quick reference of what's different across the three plans.
| Feature |
Essential
$199/yr |
Care
$349/yr |
Priority
$549/yr |
| Managed updates (core, themes, plugins) |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
| Daily offsite backups |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
| SSL & uptime monitoring 24/7 |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
| Performance optimisation |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
| Free site migration |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
| Email support from Michael |
1 business day |
Same day |
2 hours |
| Phone & text access |
— |
— |
✓ |
| Staging environment |
— |
✓ |
✓ |
| Annual site health review |
— |
✓ |
✓ |
| Google Business Profile review |
— |
✓ |
✓ |
| Local SEO consultations |
— |
1 per year |
4 per year |
| Minor content & layout fixes |
— |
— |
✓ |
| Priority queue |
— |
— |
✓ |
Not sure which one to pick?
Here's how I'd think about it:
Choose Essential if your site is mostly static — you update it a handful of times a year, you don't rely on it for daily enquiries, and you just need it to stay safe and online. It covers all the technical maintenance so you don't have to.
Choose Care if your website is an active part of your business — people find you through it, you update it regularly, and you care about being visible in local Google searches. The staging environment alone is worth the difference if you ever make changes to your site, and the SEO consultation gives you a clear picture of what to improve each year.
Choose Priority if your website is business-critical, you want the fastest possible response when something comes up, and you're serious about improving your local search rankings over time. Four SEO check-ins a year means we're actively working on your visibility, not just checking in once and forgetting about it.
If you're still not sure — just ask me. Send me a message, tell me a bit about your business and your website, and I'll tell you honestly which plan makes sense for your situation. There's no hard sell here.
What's not included — and why
I'd rather be upfront about the limits of what I offer than have you find out later.
One website per plan. Each plan covers a single WordPress site. If you have two separate sites, they'd need two separate plans. This lets me give each site the proper attention it deserves.
No WAF (Web Application Firewall). A WAF is a specialised security layer that filters web traffic before it reaches your server. I don't currently offer this as part of my plans. For most small business WordPress sites it's not a requirement, but if your site is a frequent target for attacks I'll let you know and we can discuss options.
No custom theme or plugin development. I maintain and update your existing WordPress setup. Building new themes, custom plugins, or major redesigns is outside the scope of these plans. If you need that kind of work, I can point you to someone who does it well.
No monthly billing. All plans are annual. This is a deliberate choice — it means I can invest properly in your site from day one, and you get a better rate than you would month-to-month.
No eCommerce specialist support. If you're running a full WooCommerce store with complex product configurations, custom payment flows, or high transaction volumes, that's a specialised area that goes beyond what these plans cover. A basic WooCommerce setup is fine, but complex eCommerce needs a specialist.
Ready to get started?
Get in touch with Michael
Tell me about your business and your site. I'll help you pick the right plan — or let you know honestly if you don't need one.