All web hosting accounts are not created equally. Traditional shared web hosting accounts include a set amount of space and bandwidth with which you're allowed to host a single domain name. Reseller hosting accounts are larger, offering more space and bandwidth per account, and allow for multiple domains to be hosted across one account.
As we've discussed before, reseller accounts can be purchased by anyone, but the usual buyers are those who wish to start their own web hosting company. Because reseller accounts are fully managed by another hosting company, even beginners can start their own small web hosting company by purchasing a reseller hosting account.
What do you need to know before investing in a reseller account? Here are a few things to keep in mind if you want to find the best reseller hosting company.
Reliability is key
When you're on a shared hosting account, of course you want your website to be reliable and always online, but it's even more crucial when others are depending on you to keep their websites online, too. Imagine having ten or more clients who count on you daily for their business. That's a lot of pressure, and this is why it is imperative that you seek out the most reliable web hosting company your money can buy. Spend time reading quality web hosting reviews where others have shared their firsthand experience with various companies.
Choose scalability
When you first start up a web hosting business of your own, you'll likely choose the smallest reseller web hosting plan available, as you should. Why spend money on space and bandwidth each month that you don't need? With time, your business will grow and you'll need to upsize your account to make room for additional clients. Look for a web hosting company that gives you room to grow or even downsize, if need be. You should aim for finding a company that will allow you to increase or decrease the size of your hosting plan free of charge.
Understand the difference between value and price
A good price is when you find a web hosting plan that's on sale or marked at a lower cost than what you were expecting to pay. A good value is when that hosting plan also comes with a free domain and software, allows for free upgrades and provides top level support services 24 hours a day. In the end, the good value is actually cheaper than the low priced account you paid for.
As a web hosting reseller, you'll need services and features for yourself and your clients that you may not have required as a regular web hosting customer. Some of the services you may now need include:
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SSL certificates
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Custom nameservers
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Billing software
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Customer support software and tools
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Client management software
Seek out hosts whose base price per month covers the inclusion of some of these services. If you're paying for any of these things individually, you may find that the host you thought was so cheap is really nickel-and-diming you to death.
Are you ready to start to your start your own web hosting business? Your future success begins here