Introduction
Reseller Hosting is a business model that allows you to sell hosting services to your clients. However, it's not a one-click business, and some technical experience or background is essential when starting your own hosting business. This guide will outline several considerations you need to keep in mind when starting your hosting business.
Main Website vs WHMCS / Client Area
When setting up your hosting business, you'll need to consider two main components: your main website and your WHMCS/Client Area.
Your main website serves as the 'shop window' to your business. It's where you advertise and market your hosting products and/or additional services. This website then links to your client area/checkout, which is powered by WHMCS.
WHMCS, on the other hand, provides the functionality required to manage clients, such as a client area, billing, and reporting. It allows your clients to manage their hosting accounts and billing, and it takes care of provisioning those hosting accounts and sending the welcome emails to your clients.
Technical Support
As a hosting provider, you'll be responsible for providing your clients with support. While this might seem daunting, you're not alone. Your hosting provider's support team is available 24/7, including bank holidays. As your business grows, you might want to consider outsourcing your technical support or hiring staff to help.
Marketing and Advertising
Hosting is a competitive industry, so in order to sell your product, you need to be found. That's where marketing comes in! If you're a design or development agency, you have the advantage of upsell opportunities with your current clients. If you're just starting out, there are some fantastic forums specifically for the hosting industry where people may give some advice as to the best advertising and marketing methods.
The 'Learning Curve'
Running a hosting business requires some knowledge of the tools and features you're providing to your clients. It helps significantly to do some research both before and during the earlier phases of running your business. The providers themselves have outstanding training documentation. For example, cPanel has their 'cPanel University' which gives you the opportunity to learn cPanel extensively and to receive certifications on completion of those courses.
Conclusion
Starting a reseller hosting business requires a combination of technical knowledge, customer service skills, and marketing efforts. It's important to understand the responsibilities and considerations involved in running a hosting business. This guide is designed to be a comprehensive resource for understanding the responsibilities and considerations of reseller hosting. However, if you have any further questions or need additional assistance, please don't hesitate to reach out to our support team.