By Steve Holford
Opportunities abound online. But they don't always come in the form of an entirely new business or original product. Reseller Web hosting is one area that has emerged as a reliable revenue stream for entrepreneurs. A recent Fasthosts survey showed that 80 percent of new resellers make a profit, and 74 percent found it "achievable and easy."
The low costs and recurring fees model can make reseller hosting a highly profitable business activity. However, there are many pretenders out there, so following some requirements will ensure a quality operation that will keep customers happy. The following are essential Web hosting vendor capabilities that will ensure success in building a reseller hosting business.
Web space and bandwidth
Many reseller Web hosting providers commonly place limits on Web space per end customer and can levy expensive charges for bandwidth used. Therefore, it is important to choose a plan that removes these risks with both unlimited Web space and bandwidth for the reseller, but also allows them the ability to charge their end customers for using additional space and bandwidth.
Flexibility
The right reseller package must be flexible, so entrepreneurs can create their own Web hosting brand and retail Web solutions at their own price points. The reseller must have complete freedom in structuring their hosting plans. For example, a flexible plan allows for the creation of a customized package for each end customer, to design and create their own range of packages, or simply resell the hosting provider's own off-the-shelf packages. This flexible platform means that resellers can tailor their services closely to their customers' needs. A range of reseller services may include, for example, both Linux and MS Web hosting, a comprehensive range of domain name registrations and award winning MS Exchange email packages.
The reseller hosting market is especially suitable for those entrepreneurs with IT skills. That's because IT professionals can combine their own services, such as Web design, programming or IT advice with Web solutions in order to charge premium prices
Quick ramp-up
Resellers should look for a hosting provider that offers instant activation and requires no time-consuming or intrusive qualification details. This way, resellers can become fully operational very quickly.
Easy administration
It's essential to look for a hosting vendor who provides an effective control dashboard that reduces administration and comprises a highly efficient catalyst for reseller activities. The hosting vendor must provide custom branding tools that enable resellers to customize their customers' user interface, including Web mail and site builders.
Reliable support
Resellers must ensure that hosting providers offer dedicated service 24/7, including technical support via telephone and email. The hosting provider must be able to provide a high quality reseller Web hosting service, which means websites are hosted within a state-of-the art data center and benefit from superior high-speed connectivity and resilient network and power supplies.
Overall, when considering reseller Web hosting and searching for a Web hosting provider to partner with, resellers should look to vendors who greatly reduce the cost risk and make it easier for starting resellers to achieve a stable stream of revenue.
About the Author: Stephen Holford is chief marketing officer at Fasthosts Internet. He has worked at Fasthosts since January 2006, where he is responsible for all marketing campaigns and product marketing strategy. Prior to joining Fasthosts, he was Director of Internet Services at Video Networks Ltd. and gained product & marketing management experience at major UK brands including NTL, Argos and Tesco.
