Outlaw Design Blog

As a web designer, you are probably always looking for ways to increase your bottom line and make a little extra money. One incredibly easy way to do this is by reselling web hosting plans to existing customers - as well as new ones. Most likely, the customers that you currently develop websites for go on to hire another agency to host those sites - why shouldn’t you be able to do that for them? Since they’re already working with you, they are quite likely to be amenable to such an arrangement. If you’re sold on the idea of reselling hosting, read on to learn the basics on how to do so successfully.

Getting Started With Reseller Web Hosting

Like anything else online, getting started with reselling hosting requires a bit of shopping around. You will need to find a web hosting company that works with developers like you who wish to resell hosting to clients. Fortunately, there are many such companies available; unfortunately, wading through them all can be downright confusing. To begin with, it helps to have a basic understanding of what web hosting actually is.

Web Hosting In A Nutshell

Basically, a web hosting service is one that allows people or organizations the ability to make a web site accessible on the Internet - to make a website go “live,” so to speak. Web sites require space on computer servers in order to exist; web hosting service companies lease out space on their own servers so that people can run their website in an affordable way. Web hosting services come in a variety of sizes and with a broad array of different options; the most basic ones offer a simple web page and limited file transferring capabilities, while more extensive hosting plans include database support and the platforms required for application development.

How Reselling Web Hosting Works

When you resell web hosting, you purchase a certain number of space on a web hosting service’s servers and pay a monthly or annual fee; in this case, let’s say that fee is $100 per year. You then break that space up into lots and lease them out individually to your clients. If you broke that space up into ten lots and leased it out for $20 per year, you would make a $100 annual profit. Those numbers are strictly for example, though; you can stand to make a bit more, depending on what you plan to offer.

What To Look For In A Reseller Web Hosting Provider

Since reselling hosting has become such a popular option, many web hosting service providers offer plans specifically for this purpose. These are the plans that you should shop around for, since you won’t need any extensive knowledge of web hosting - or have to deal with issues like hardware, software, connectivity problems or other issues. Those types of problems are forwarded directly to the service provider, and completely circumvent you.

So, what should you look for when shopping around for a reseller web hosting provider? We’ve highlighted a few of the most important things to find out below:

• What is the fee? Is it charged monthly or annually?
• How much space do you get?
• How many clients can you serve at one time?
• Is the plan upgradeable - i.e., can you add space for additional clients if necessary?
• Is a user-friendly control panel included with the service?
• What kind of customer support is provided?
• What kinds of maintenance tools does the service include?

There may be other details to consider, depending on what kind of hosting plans you intend to offer. The point is, though, that you need to shop around and compile as many different quotes and comparisons as possible. You’ll discover that pricing and features vary greatly from provider to provider; by shopping around, you’ll be able to find the best deal that you can make the greatest profit from - and that won’t consume all of your free time.

Suggested Hosting Companies

The majority of big name hosting companies out there all tend to have some sort of reseller program. Just because they offer it, doesn’t mean it is a good one or easy to use. If you know very little about the whole hosting reseller process, you should go with one of the larger hosting companies that are known for easy reseller options. These hosts will be much more apt to walk you through the whole process and offer more support than those who just offer reseller programs on the side. Here are some of the most popular hosts with reseller options:

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  1. Host Nine

  Get up and running for under $20 with our complete solution, which includes a merchant account/domain reseller account, FREE WHMCS billing software and FREE cPanel control panel.

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  2. Host Gator

  You would be amazed how easy, lucrative, and cheap it is to become your very own web hosting company! We give you all the tools and support needed to have you up and running in just a few minutes time.

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  3. Eleven 2

  You would be amazed how easy, lucrative, and cheap it is to become your very own web hosting company! We give you all the tools and support needed to have you up and running in just a few minutes time.

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  4. Site 5

  Starting your own web hosting business has never been easier. We now offer 3 diverse reseller plans which all enable you to literally become your own host, and to start offering high-end hosting services to your friends, family, and other potential customers within a matter of hours!

Advertising Your Service

Once you’ve signed up with a suitable reseller web hosting provider, the ball really is in your court in terms of getting things going. While extensive knowledge of web hosting is not required to resell hosting, advertising and marketing know-how definitely is. You need to get the word out about your reseller hosting plans - and make them competitively priced enough that people actually want to use them.

Market To Your Existing Customers

The first thing you should do is let your existing clients know about your new service. You may be surprised to find out how many of them are interested in it. Place prominent advertisements about your hosting packages on your website and through the various social networking websites you use. Mention the new service in emails you exchange with your existing clients - get the word out wherever possible.

Advertise To New People

Since you will now be providing web hosting, you can expand your advertising to target entirely new people. This is a great opportunity to engage in a new advertising campaign revolving around your hosting services. Make sure to expand your promotional efforts beyond your existing circle of clients.

Bundle It Up

The absolute best way to market your hosting plans is by bundling them with the other services that you provide. This is not only smart marketing, but it can give you an edge on the competition. Whether you offer web design, search engine optimization and other Internet marketing tools, SSL certificates, domain names - or a combination of all of those and other services - adding web hosting to the mix can only improve your success.

By becoming a one-stop shop for all of your clients’ web-based needs, you can really broaden your customer base. Reselling hosting doesn’t have to be difficult; the most important factors are finding a web hosting services provider who is easy to work with - and advertising your services effectively. As long as you do both, everything else will fall into place and you’ll have an additional income stream.