Many freelancers and agencies have discovered the principle of reseller hosting for several years. The model offers enormous advantages. At the same time, it comes with some obligations. We’ll give you an introduction.
What Is Reseller Hosting?
Every website needs a place to put it and from where it can be accessed. This location is usually a data center maintained by a web host. The tasks of the web host are complex but can be summed up: they should ensure that all websites are accessible around the clock.
Web hosts have become very user-friendly over the years and have overcome many technical hurdles related to web hosting. Nevertheless, even today, there is still a need for at least a basic understanding of the subject. This is precisely where freelancers and agencies come into play.
In addition to their primary business, such as developing the website, they can also offer to take care of the later availability of the website. Since freelancers and agencies do not have their data center but use a web host, they become resellers. From this point on, they take the web host’s service, adapt it individually to the needs of their customers, and pass it on to them.
The reseller principle usually means that he has no contact with the web host for the customer. He gives the administration and maintenance work to the agency or the freelancer. In return, the reseller passes on the costs to the customer: on the one hand, the costs of the web host and, on the other hand, the costs incurred for his work.
When Does Reseller Hosting Make Sense?
Reseller hosting can be helpful for many purposes. For example, to retain customers in the long term: If the customer has only ordered a one-off project, such as creating a website, he may stay if he does not have to worry about hosting.
It can also be helpful if website operators do not want to or cannot deal with the technical aspects of web hosting. Finally, it can be a business model that, with continuous growth, will one day provide a large part of the income.
What Are The Responsibilities Of A Reseller?
When an agency or a freelancer starts to operate reseller hosting, their everyday life changes slightly. Unlike developing a website, where the project is delivered and finished at time X, reseller hosting will be more of a constant companion.
The reseller’s duties depend on prior agreement with the customer. It can start with “Everything, including the creation of email addresses, is done by the reseller. The end customer has no access to the web hosting”. But there are also variants in which the customer has access to the administration interface. The reseller is only asked for more complex issues such as errors in databases or changes in the PHP settings.
Either Way: It is essential to be aware that as a reseller, you also have to take on the part of the support effort that the web host itself otherwise bears. This can include things like “I forgot my password, how do I reset it?” or “My site was hacked, what can I do?” And depending on the agreement, the customer could expect round-the-clock availability.
You don’t always want to take on these reseller hosting tasks. Then it can be worth leaving the booking and administration of the hosting package to the customer. Affiliate programs with lifetime commissions come into play here and allow you to build a revenue stream that requires no maintenance.
Find The Suitable Basis For Reseller Hosting
Reseller hosting usually works in such a way that a freelancer or an agency books a server and creates projects for each of their customers on it. The hoster Mittwald, for example, has been offering this function for some time with the so-called agency server. It acts as a basis for building as many and different projects as desired – regardless of whether it is a CMS or a shop.
There is a website equipped with individual performance in each of these projects. This allows the reseller to decide which services the customer needs flexibly. He can then bill you accordingly. Used correctly, reseller hosting can be an exciting and valuable area for agencies and freelancers, expanding the previous project-related business with a permanent collaboration and source of income.
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