What is WordPress Multisite?
WordPress Multisite is a special feature of WordPress that allows you to run a connected network of websites with minimal fuss. Websites using a WordPress Multisite setup all use one single WordPress installation to function.
Similarly, all sites on the Multisite network will share the same theme, and plugin installations too. Install a plugin onto the network and all sites will be able to use it. Updates to WordPress core, any installed plugin, or the theme, will affect all the sites on the same network.
This can be a very powerful tool for specific use cases, minimising admin and maintenance time. It also means WordPress Multisite comes with several deal breakers making it a less than ideal solution for most users.
Ultimately you’re going to need to speak to your website host, who might need to configure things to work as you intend. Speaking of which…
Installing and using WordPress Multisite
It’s always wise to get in touch with your website hosting provider if you intend to explore Multisite. If you’re a customer of 34SP.com for example, we need to check if your use case first makes sense for Multisite; plus we need to make some quick configuration updates to your plan as well. It’s worth noting that not all web hosts support Multisite.
Want to find out more about enabling and managing Multisite on 34SP.com? Head to our Knowledge Base.
When should I use WordPress Multisite?
WordPress Multisite is great for running a network of sites that share a connection with one another. For example, a website that needs to be presented in different languages. A different version of the site can be created for each language the site needs to use. If the design ever changes, it’s as simple as making one change, the update then filters down to each of the different versions of the Multisite.
Another example is in an academic setting. For example, a university might want to deploy multiple sites for a variety of students, all using a cohesive set of controlled plugins. E.g.
- school.com/student_a
- school.com/student_b
- school.com/student_c
Subdomains, folders, and mapped domains
This leads us neatly to the URL structure of Multisite websites. There are several ways to proceed depending on your use case. Many applications will see the end user setting up sites on their network as subdomains for example:
- https://website1.34sp.com
- https://website2.34sp.com
- https://website3.34sp.com
Some users prefer the subfolder approach like this:
- https://34sp.com/website1
- https://34sp.com/website2
- https://34sp.com/website3
Of course, it’s also possible to map subdomains and folders to more standalone domain names. For example, you might choose to map subfolders to domains like this:
- https://34sp.com/website1 > https://otherdomain1.com
- https://34sp.com/website2 > https://otherdomain2.com
- https://34sp.com/website3 > https://otherdomain3.com
SEO Considerations for WordPress Multisite
When setting up a WordPress Multisite, there are several important SEO factors to keep in mind to ensure your site network is optimised and avoids common issues.
One key concern is managing duplicate content. With multiple sites in a network, it is easy to unintentionally create overlapping or redundant pages, which search engines may penalise.
Canonical tags are critical for managing duplicate content across your network. These tags guide search engines to the preferred version of a page, consolidating authority and preventing confusion, which can improve overall SEO performance.
Similarly, be cautious of doorway pages, a page created to rank for specific (most often long-tail) keywords while sending visitors to a different page, as these can harm your network’s credibility and keyword rankings.
For multilingual or regionally targeted networks, language localisation presents both challenges and opportunities. While automated translation tools can save time, they often lack quality and may fail to reflect cultural or regional nuances. Implementing hreflang tags correctly is essential for signalling language and regional targeting to search engines, ensuring users are directed to the correct version of your content.
Although not strictly an SEO consideration, tracking performance across a Multisite network is vital for monitoring and improving results. Google Analytics 4 offers a useful solution by allowing you to set up separate data streams for each site within the network. This enables more detailed insights and makes it easier to assess the performance of individual sites while maintaining a view of the network as a whole.
Examples of using WordPress Multisite
If you still need some food for thought, here are some examples of how WordPress Multisite is being used:
When shouldn’t I use WordPress Multisite?
Any time you need to run multiple websites or sites that require distinct plugins, themes, and configurations – Multisite is not a good choice.
For example, let’s say you operate your own business website, a separate personal blog and a couple of different websites for your own clients – each of these websites would need a different design and more than likely a different set of plugins and configurations.
In this example, each website would require its own separate WordPress hosting. Hosting all four of these sites using multisite would mean every change you make, would affect every website using the multisite. Your client’s sites would have the same design, layout, and styling as your personal blog.
Pros and cons of Multisite
Pro
- Manage multiple sites from a single interface
- Manage plugins and themes cohesively
- Potential lower hosting and infrastructure costs
- Centralise backup processes and security
- Improve consistency across multiple websites (ideal for single brands managing multiple sites)
Con
- Not all plugins support Multisite
- Not supported by some hosting platforms
- Security concerns if one site is hacked
- May not be able to give site managers independence to make changes/updates on individual sites
- A break on one site affects all sites
- High traffic on one website can slow down the entire network