Hosting multiple websites in one account can be tidy if each site has clear boundaries. Without organisation, it becomes hard to maintain and risky to migrate.
Separate Document Roots
Each site should have its own document root. Do not place one live site inside another site's public folder.
Name Things Clearly
Use obvious names for databases, users, folders, and cron jobs. Future maintenance becomes much easier.
Keep Backups Separate
Know which backup belongs to which site. A restore should not accidentally overwrite the wrong project.
Review Access
If different developers work on different sites, avoid giving everyone access to everything.
Multiple sites are manageable when structure exists from the start.
Separate More Than the Folders
Give each site its own database and database user, and avoid reusing administrator passwords across applications. Where the control panel supports isolated website users or containers, use them. Isolation limits the damage if one old plugin or leaked credential is compromised and makes it clearer which site is consuming resources.
Keep a Site Register
Record each domain, document root, application, PHP version, database, owner, DNS provider, renewal date and responsible developer. Include external services such as SMTP, payment callbacks and scheduled jobs. A simple maintained register is more useful during an incident than clever folder names nobody remembers.
Plan Updates and Backups Per Site
Do not clear every cache, upgrade every plugin or restore the whole account when only one site needs work. Confirm that backups can restore an individual website and database. Stagger risky updates so one faulty release does not affect the entire portfolio at once.
Watch Shared Limits
Sites in one account may share storage, CPU, memory or process limits. Identify which site caused a spike before upgrading everything. Logs, per-site analytics and clearly named cron jobs help separate legitimate growth from a broken task or abusive traffic.
Know When to Split the Account
Move a site into its own account when it needs different ownership, stronger access separation, independent billing, unusual software or materially more resources. Client websites should not remain in a personal catch-all account merely because the original setup was convenient.
