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If you want to start a web hosting company, your timing couldn’t be better. As the world becomes more comfortable using the Internet for more and more tasks, the need for businesses and individuals alike to create websites has exploded. This means the market is wide open now for starting a web hosting business.
However, there are some things to consider before you choose web hosting as your next entrepreneurial project.
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How Will You Market Your Web Hosting Business?
The first thing to think about is branding. There are so many web hosting companies out there already, many of them with established reputations. So the way you choose to market your company is going to define how successful it is. And this holds true regardless of the quality of service.
So first, consider your target audience. What kinds of people and/or websites do you want to host? Targeting your company to a niche audience, at least at the beginning, might seem like it’s narrowing down your potential customer base. However, it’s actually doing the opposite.
There are many industries that could benefit from a web hosting service tailored to their individual needs. Therefore, you would be attracting new customers in the beginning. Then, once your reputation has been established, you might even be able to convince others to switch over from the web hosting service they’re currently on.
What Will Your Web Hosting Business Offer?
The next thing to consider is what kind of hosting service (or services) you’re going to offer. Shared hosting, reseller, hosting, VPS hosting, and dedicated servers are the most common types of web hosting services.
In the beginning, it’s usually best to choose one option. Then if you want to expand your offerings further down the line, you can.
Find a Dedicated Server Partner
Before you launch your web hosting business, you will also need to find a reliable dedicated server partner. Causing your clients’ data to migrate by choosing the wrong data center can be disastrous for your reputation. That could kill your business before it’s even begun.
So don’t just settle for the cheapest option. Do your research and find a partner that will provide you support around the clock every day of the year. Above all, choose a partner with a good reputation.
Design a Website
Once you have secured a partner and have dedicated servers ready for clients to use, you’ll need to design a website to advertise your web hosting business. You can do this easily with a website platform like WordPress. But if you’re planning to become a web host, you’ll also need to set yourself up with website hosting control panel software.
One of the most popular options on this front is cPanel/WHM. This is because of its smooth integration with CloudLinux, which can help you to isolate individual customers.
You’ll also need a way to bill and manage your clients. Again, there are a variety of options out there. However, WHMCS is probably the most popular (especially with people using cPanel/WHM). This is because it also has a built-in support desk for general client questions or concerns.
Eventually, you will probably need to consider using some kind of help desk software to efficiently manage customer concerns. However, if you are on a budget, you can begin by simply offering customer support via e-mail. As your web hosting business grows, you can branch out to more sophisticated customer support options when it becomes necessary.
Market Your Web Hosting Business
Once you have set up your service and outlined your business model, it all comes back to marketing. Simply put, in order for your business to be successful, you’re going to need clients.
Don’t be afraid to talk about your business in person, of course. But you’re going to need more than word-of-mouth marketing if you want your business to take off.
Some popular avenues for advertising are Google AdWords and print ads in magazines or newspapers. Additionally, you could run ad banners on websites that you think will reach your target audience. However, all of these methods typically require you to pay for ad space in one way or another. Therefore, this is an important step to factor into your budget. This will be critical in the beginning, when good advertising is most important.
Watch Your Web Hosting Company Grow
The initial set-up of a website hosting service can take time, money, and a lot of hard work. However, especially in today’s world, the payoff can be immense. If you are patient and careful in the beginning, your business will start to grow seemingly on its own.
