Web hosting is an absolute need for anyone running a business with an online presence, and you can get in on this commodity by starting a website hosting business. However, it's hard to know how to go about marketing yourself once you've started the company, seeing as there are so many hosting choices out there.
By following this guide on how to market your web hosting company, you'll find customers flocking to you in droves.
1 - Develop your plan
You can't go into any new venture without having a plan. A plan means that you have an idea of what you want to achieve, and what steps you need to take to get you there. This is no different for your web hosting company. Who do you want to reach? What is your budget? What needs to happen for your marketing to be effective? What problems do you anticipate? By having these questions mapped out, you'll be ready to take on any challenge.
2 - Set up your marketing channels
Your marketing channels are going to be the places where you can advertise your web hosting company in a way where the majority of your target audience will see it. There are many different kinds of marketing channels, and they all work in different ways. For instance, you can use a blog to market your company, which will bring in the most amount of potential customers. Social media networks are also an amazing way to reach out to your target clients, which brings us to the next point.
3 - Execute campaigns
Campaigns are the best way to ensure that your waves of new customers doesn't stop. You can use particular gimmicks to bring in interest in a wide variety of ways. For instance, MangoMatter's summary of GreenGeeks explains how one web hosting company is harnessing the power of green energy to appeal to a specific kind of audience. You need to think up ways that might generate new interest in your company in order to stand out from the crowd.
4 - Consistency is key
In order to be really effective in your marketing strategies, you need to be consistent. That means that if you decide you want to blog in order to bring in customers, then post often. Don't think you can make just one post and forget about doing anything else. You should keep a record of what campaigns you run and which ones perform better than others so you can put your efforts into things that will really work.
5 - Develop a thick skin
At some point you're going to read some bad press about your company. It happens to everyone. You need to figure out a way to be okay with the criticism. Some of your ideas are going to work, but others will just fall flat. It's the nature of the beast. No one is perfect at anything as soon as they start out, so take everything in your stride and you'll be successful in no time.
6 - Optimize your business site (SEO)
As a matter of fact, this one should have been the first item, on the list. Especially for a business that deals with digital services, you can't afford to underestimate the importance of search engine optimization when marketing your web hosting company. It is, first and foremost, very important to note that you're in a very competitive field. Your SEO campaign needs to begin as soon as you launch your user-friendly website. The SEO agency you choose needs to have a long-term plan for you, considering that SEO is a process rather than a one-time service. Let no one lie o you that it will be an easy task, but it is possible to get your website ranking on the first few listings or pages on Google and other search engines. For your SEO efforts to materialize, you have to identify a target niche (say web hosting in Area X) and optimize your site with content and keywords relevant to them.
7 - Market it on social media
In the marketing world of today, you just can't do without being present on social media, whether you're promoting your own brand or marketing as a third party. Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are among the social media networks with millions of users waiting to hear from you. Among these millions, hundreds, if not thousands may be interested in your web hosting services. To hack it on social media, you'll need to get creative and develop relevant content for your target market, which you can then link back to your business website. In addition to using stunning images, live videos, and other interesting content you'll want to keep your social profiles active, responding to every comment, query, complaint, and compliment if need be. You can even consider investing in paid social ads or hiring a social media consultant for the job in case you feel that you're not up to the task or time is not always on your side.
8 - Blog about it
Blogging is one of the most effective online marketing strategies. You can start up a blog related to web hosting topics, create interesting content that will attract a followership, and keep your audience updated periodically. Without seeming as if you're promoting your services as much, you can drop some links leading to your service pages to promote your web hosting company. Make your blog articles, guides, and reviews shareable on social media and you might be the next big thing in town within a short time when it comes to web hosting.
9 - List your site in local and global directories
Online directories play a huge role in digital marketing. The good thing is that there are numerous web directories you can list your business in, both local and global. Some of the most common ones include Google My Business, Bing Me, Yahoo, Yelp, BBB, Yellow Pages, and WebHostDir, among others. As you do the listings, be sure to confirm that you provide consistent information about your business in all these directories. These will not only boost your rankings on SERPs, they'll also increase your brand awareness and contribute to the growth of your business with time.
10 - Gather client reviews and testimonials
Last but not least, what your previous clients say about you matters a lot in the world of marketing. And do not forget the fact that good news tends to travel fast. To get good, positive reviews and testimonials, you need to ensure that each and every client you serve is happy and satisfied with your services. A happy customer is someone who can recommend you or your web hosting business to their colleagues, friends, and associates in the blink of an eye. As a matter of fact, most consumers of today rely more on reviews and testimonials when making decisions on which service provider to hire. Provide excellent services and ace it on customer service, and you won't regret the reputation that precedes you!
Your new web hosting company will be as much of a success as you want it to be, depending on how much effort you put into your marketing strategies. In fact, these strategies will make the difference between you having more customers than you know what to do with, and holding your head in your hands wondering why you even bother. As long as you can follow these simple tips you'll be able to make a generous living from your web hosting venture.