Reseller web hosting is something few people hear about when they look at the various cheap web hosting options. Most simply hear about shared web hosting, private or dedicated hosting, and virtual private hosting. However, cheap reseller hosting is an option for those that don’t want to deal with any of the hardware, server issues, or datacenters. That’s all provided by the web host, and the client never has to deal with them. The reseller is the middleman in this operation, handling things like billing, marketing, technical support, advertising, etc. Basically, the web host doesn’t have to handle anything except maintaining the equipment, while the reseller doesn’t have to do anything connected with computer hardware.
The web reseller and the web host company split the profits—the reseller gets some of the web hosting fee that each customer pays. Sometimes this is a percentage. The reseller may make twenty percent of the fee a new client pays, or they might get about ten percent each time a client renews their hosting contract. Sometimes they get a set amount per customer. It all depends on the agreement between the reseller and the web host. Obviously, though, there can be a lot of money that can be made if the reseller is good at marketing. If they aren’t, they may not make that much money since they do work on commission.
Another important factor for turning a profit as a web host reseller is to find the right web hosts to partner with. Since most web hosts aren’t marketing experts (most are computer experts), they are looking for people to do the marketing and advertising for them. They see the obvious benefits of partnering with a web reseller. But don’t rush into an agreement with a web host until you see exactly what they offer. If they seem to be too expensive or aren’t as professional as they should be, you may want to pass on partnering with them.
Cheap reseller hosting can be done by anyone. While marketing professionals are the obvious choice, it’s also possible for computer programmers, business professionals, and even stay at home parents to be a reseller. All you really need to know is how web hosting works and how to do some basic advertising and marketing. Your web host partners should be able to supply you with answers to general questions about their services. You may also need some knowledge of basic graphic design, too.