WordPress Multisite – Removing The Misconceptions

Some time ago we shared our post on WordPress Myths. It was very popular, so we decided that WordPress Multisite deserved the same treatment.

As Multisite specialists, we encounter all kinds of myths and misconceptions about this incredibly useful tool for businesses that manage multiple websites.

Whilst it may not suit all companies WordPress Multisite can be a perfect solution for companies with numerous websites under their control. For group or global businesses it can simplify things greatly, as all websites can be managed centrally and securely, whilst providing the level of individuality required.

I won’t go into too much detail as to what Multisite actually is here, as we’ve covered that our post ‘What Is WordPress Multisite‘.

So let’s dive in and address the most common misconceptions that we encounter.

Misconception 1 – All Your Websites Have To Look Alike

The Misconception

This one is still quite prevalent.

Many people still believe that all websites within a Multisite network have to look the same, as clones of the parent site.

For group companies with sub brands that have very individual branding, this misconception can be a big turn off when considering Multisite as a solution.

One recent example was a company who came to us and had been told by other agencies that they’d approached, that Multisite would mean that all of their websites would need to look alike and share the same branding.

The Facts

This is untrue and luckily we were able to provide the company above with examples to the contrary.

Whilst each child site in a Multisite can be an identical clone of the parent site, they can also be entirely unique, or anywhere in between.

A company may wish the child sites to use the same styling and layout, but different colours for their sub brands. Or if their sub brands have their own very unique branding which differs from that of the group company, the child sites can all be entirely different in design, layout and structure.

Examples

Multisite can be ideal for Group companies, where there is a Group structure with a number of sub brands that sit under it. It is also perfect for global businesses with localised country websites for the markets they operate in.

As already discussed, the websites for the sub brands or country sites can either be clones of the parent site, use the same design with different colours etc, or be entirely unique.

MBH PLC

Michelmersh Brick Holdings came to us to migrate their portfolio of websites to WordPress Multisite. This was to provide them with greater control over these sites, and allow for the expedited creation of new sites whenever they add new brands under their group umbrella.

Below you can see their Group parent site:

Their BIM Bricks and Sustainable Brick child sites are pictured below. Michelmersh wanted to maintain a consistent style and design across their brand websites, whilst using the appropriate brand colours for each of their sub brands.

This is a common choice for B2B group companies. Opting for overall brand consistency and recognition, with individuality created with through the use of colour to differentiate sub brands.

Bakels Group

Bakels Group has a large portfolio of websites that we migrated to a Multisite network. We designed and built their Group parent site and what is now nearly 30 individual country child sites. These websites share a similar look and feel.

But Bakels also has additional brand specific websites which are completely unique in design.

Below you can see the Bakels Group parent site:

Here is one of their country sites. Their country sites are in the appropriate local language and many are also multilingual:

This is the Multiseed Bread brand website we built, with an animated hero, recipe portal and stockist locator:

Here is the Bakels Homebaking website promoting their gluten free range:

As you can see, these final two examples are not only completely unique in design from the main suite of Bakels websites, but also completely different from each other, despite being a part of the same multisite.

Misconception 2 – Your Child Sites Can’t Have Different Plugins & Functionality

The Misconception

Similar to misconception 1, some people believe that the child sites in a network can only have the same plugins and functionality as the parent site.

So the belief is that a child site couldn’t have eCommerce functionality if the parent site didn’t, or a plugin that isn’t also used on the parent site.

The Facts

Again, this is not true. Child sites can absolutely have functionality and plugins that are unique from the parent site in a multisite, and can also share plugins and functionality across all sites. This is what make Multisite so flexible.

• The child sites can be a mix of eCommerce and non-eCommerce, whether the parent site is or isn’t.
• Child sites can have a plugin or unique functionality that isn’t used on the parent site.
• A plugin or feature can be shared across all or just some of the sites in the network.

Misconception 3 – Sub Sites Can’t Be In Different Languages Or Multilingual

The Misconception

Some still believe that the various sites in a multisite have to share the same language.

The Facts

Multisite is a great solution for businesses with localised country sites for the areas of the globe they operate in. The various sites can have be in different languages, or offer multilingual functionality.

Examples

Bakels Group

We migrated Bakels Group’s 25 websites to WordPress Multisite, and have since added additional sites for new locations.

The Group website is in English.

Whilst the child sites, which are local market/country sites, are either in the local language or multilingual, for markets where more than one language is spoken.

Here is the Bakels Netherlands child site:

Here is the Bakels Switzerland child site which is multilingual, with a drop down to switch between German and French:

So as you can see, language localisation and multilingual functionality are not an issue for WordPress Multisite.

If you’d like to know more about Multisite and if it could be a beneficial solution for your business, get in touch with the team today.