Hey Digital Nomads, I am back again with another amazing interview . As part of our BloggersIdeas interview series, today we have Jerry Low founder of Web Hosting Secret Revealed who have huge experience in affiliate, SEO & hosting. He will be answering various questions related to hosting & why you should choose WHSR as a hosting review partner.
Q1) Please introduce yourself and share your experiences in the hosting industry?
I am Jerry Low, owner of Web Hosting Secret Revealed (WHSR). I started building sites and affiliate marketing in 2004; I've been testing and writing host reviews since 2008. I am very lucky to have been able to work with more than 50 web hosting brands over the years.
Q2) Give me 3 solid reasons why you started the hosting brand Web Hosting Secret Revealed?
I wouldn't call WHSR a hosting brand because we do not provide web hosting services at all. Instead, we are on the consumers' side - helping folks who need guidance in choosing the right web host and setting up their sites or blogs.
But if I must answer this question -
- The site started as a side project in the beginning. I was using 10 - 12 different hosting services back then and wanted to share my hosting experience.
- There is a strong demand for useful information in this industry. The fact that I received thank-you emails every week is proof that we were helping someone somewhere else in the world.
- The size of the hosting industry is huge and ever expanding. It provides a stable and profitable environment for sites like WHSR to thrive in long term.
Q3) How do you bear the competition in the market as the hosting market is crowded and there is a lot of competition?
Be useful. Be adaptive. And never be afraid to try out new ideas.
Q4) Why should bloggers use Web Hosting Secret Revealed as compared to other hosting [review] services?
As mentioned - WHSR is obsessed with being useful and always goes all-out to give our visitors what they want.
- We signup and test the web host ourselves before a review is published. This helps our users to learn about a hosting company from the inside.
- We read up companies' ToS and compare it with industry standards to make sure everything is fair to the consumers. Time is money and I am sure not many shoppers like to spend time reading hosting companies' ToS.
- We help visitors save money via exclusive partnerships and extra hard work. Our last year Black Friday Page, for example, features the biggest list of hosting deals you can ever get online.
Q5) What kind of brand promotion activities are you doing for Web Hosting Secret Revealed?
Personally I am very active in Search, Facebook, and working with individual partners like your good self.
Jason, my Social Media Marketing Manager, focuses on Twitter and everything else.
We run our round of Twitter Chat every other week (#WHSRnetChat) and thought some of your readers would like to join us. It's a great way to stand in front of the crowd and make meaningful connections with others in the playing field.
Q6) How has your life changed as an entrepreneur? How many hours do you work daily or weekly?
Everything changed.
As a "Netrepreneur", I get the freedom to shape my life and develop myself. And I am forever grateful for that. On the flip side, the amount of stress and risks - especially during tough times, are far, far greater than the 9-to-5.
Back in the early days I used to work 12 - 14 hours daily: woke up around 10 a.m., started work after brunch till 7 p.m., dinner with family, play Dota/Starcraft with friends 9 p.m. - 12 a.m., then get back to work again till 5 a.m. the next morning. Repeat this six or seven times a week.
Nowadays I limit myself to working no more than 6 hours a day (yes, the challenge is to work less hours, not more) and always rest on weekends.
Q7) How do you try to create a balance between personal life and work life, as it is very difficult to do business while maintaining personal life?
I limit my working hours to 6 hours per day. When you set a strict limit on time to spend in front of a computer, it forces you to focus on productivity and efficiency; which in turn, frees up more time for your personal life.
Q8) Which is your favorite social media channel for generating leads for Web Hosting Secret Revealed.?
Facebook, with Twitter as a close second.
Q9) Why you think bloggers are best for brands to promote their services & products? How can bloggers make money from Web Hosting Secret Revealed?
Authenticity.
Partner with us and introduce WHSR to your readers.
Q10) What do you want to say about my blog? How do you feel about my blog BloggersIdeas? What is best & worst in my blog?
Best - The professional designed theme and testimonial on your right sidebar send very strong trust signals to the readers.
Not-so-Good - Personally I would prefer smaller (and less) photos of the blog owner - the blog should be more about your readers instead. Though I understand this could be for branding purposes.
