How To Build A Hosting Business
Starting your own hosting business can be a great way to get away from the 9-5 grind and branch out on your own, however, this is not for everyone. We are often asked by our clients how do I build a hosting company or how do I get more customers, but the simple fact is there is no easy answer and success will take hard work.
In this article, we will take a look at how to build a hosting business, what you need to know and how you can succeed in the industry.
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Add Your Heading Text What is a hosting business?
A hosting business is where you offer web hosting services to businesses and individuals to host their websites on the internet. It is like an online shop but instead of selling tangible, physical products, you are selling web space from a server to your customers.
A web hosting business provides you with a lot of freedom when it comes to the products and services you choose to sell and also at what price point.
What do you need to know?
As with almost any subject nowadays there are many good resources online which will help you with the running of your web hosting business but to help make it a success, it is important you have a good understanding of at least the basics.
When you are looking to build a hosting business it is a good idea for you to know a little about the software you are going to use, how this software works and how to fix some common issues which may arise.
Basic knowledge of websites and previous web hosting experience, even if it is for your own website is a good starting point.
When you are just getting started with your web hosting business you do not need to know how to manage a server as in the beginning you will most likely use a Reseller Hosting service such as the one we provide here at Rokit Host.
Why should you build a hosting business?
Even though the web hosting industry is very competitive, more and more individuals and businesses are looking to create an online presence each and every day so web hosting is still a growing industry.
This means that you can position yourself and build a hosting business to take advantage of this growth. In addition to this, there are many other reasons why you should build a hosting business such as:
- Low start-up costs: By using reseller hosting, the start-up costs are low compared to having to buy your own server and additional software.
- Little knowledge required: A basic understanding of web hosting and websites is ideal, however, being a reseller means that the majority of work such as server management and maintenance is completed for you.
- Recurring income: Compared with traditional eCommerce stores, you are not just selling a product once. Your customers will pay for your service each and every month.
- Work from anywhere: A web hosting business, especially when you are just starting can be run from anywhere with an internet connection so there are no requirements for office space.
- Lower overheads: By signing up for a reseller hosting plan you are saving money in several areas such as server costs, software costs and licencing fees.
As you can see there are many advantages of starting your own web hosting business.
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Where to start?
When starting out you will want to look for reseller hosting. This is provided by several web hosting providers and here at rOKIT we are no different. We offer a range of reseller hosting plans to suit different budgets and requirements.
As we have mentioned above, by starting out using reseller hosting to build a hosting business you are removing much of the cost and risk from the venture. Your reseller hosting provider is responsible for maintaining the server you will be using to host your clients’ websites allowing you to focus more on running your business.
Before choosing a reseller hosting package, you will need to decide what services you are wanting to sell to your customers such as web hosting, reseller hosting, domain names and even SSL certificates. All of this is possible without the need to purchase your own hardware or software licences.
Once you have decided on what you would like to sell, you can then search for the plan or package which suits you best. remember, with Rokit Host reseller hosting you can always upgrade or downgrade at any time so there is no obligation to choose one plan and stick with it for the lifetime of your account.
How to attract customers?
This is the hard part. You can have the best website, with the best offers but it will count for nothing if no one knows about your website. There are many key aspects when it comes to attracting customers to your website, these include:
- Advertising
- Search Engine Optimisation
- Directories & Listings
- Marketplaces
- Referrals
You can achieve a lot without spending any money, especially with SEO and directory listings, however, to quickly build a hosting business, you will likely need some capital to spend on advertising to help bring in those customers to your website.
Even if you are prepared to spend on advertising, it is very important you do not neglect other areas, especially SEO as having a good search ranking for good keywords is vital to help bring in even more customers.
Conclusion
If you want to build a hosting business you need to remember it will not happen overnight. It will take time to build up your customer base, improve your search rankings and you will likely make some mistakes along the way.
You will need to be committed and most likely work long hours, especially in the beginning.