- Once you get into a steady rhythm of site building gigs,
it's a good idea to look for other sources
of recurring revenue.
And since you're watching this video,
you're probably considering hosting websites for clients
on your own hardware.
Imagine paying around $60 per month
for a server plan and if you put eight websites on it
and charge those clients $20 every month for hosting,
you've now got a revenue stream worth $100 each month.
- But where do you begin?
How does one get started on the road to self-employment
as a hosting provider?
Well, I'm glad you asked.
Now, there are a lot of options for hosting,
and if you'd like to learn more about them,
you can watch this video we made here.
But for bigger operations,
your best experience will be a private server.
You have both a virtual private server
and a dedicated server environment to choose from.
Most people, especially those just starting out,
go the VPS route.
Now, this is because you not only get the benefits
of lower cost, since dedicated servers are more expensive
than that VPS,
but you also get the benefit of backups
and free Installatron.
Installatron is an application manager
that aids in setting up and managing a large range
of hosting applications like WordPress.
The other big reason is the security.
You can partition out each client
into their own cPanel account,
which adds a layer of security.
You can go with a Windows server,
but we're gonna talk about WebHost Manager, or WHM,
and cPanel, since most hosting providers offer Linux.
- All right, so what are the advantages
of hosting websites for clients?
There's quite a few.
As your own hosting provider,
you can diversify your set of offerings,
things like different hosting tiers of varying costs,
storage options, and more.
And providing a hosting service,
you can generate monthly residual income
for years to come by offering hosting fees.
You can also up-sell and cross-sell products,
like website security and SSL certificates.
And with SSL, you can provide either a paid SSL,
go the free route,
or if you prefer to know things are running smoothly,
you could opt for managed SSL service.
You should find and purchase a VPS plan
that can scale to your needs, very important.
And then you can set up a fee schedule for your clients
that will, based on the number of clients you have,
often pay for the initial cost of the server
in just a few months or less.
And your best option is to pay for the server
for at least one year upfront.
That is where you'll save money
rather than going month-to-month.
- We talked about the pros when it comes to hosting
for your clients, but let's talk about the drawbacks.
It is a bit of work,
but that work can really pay off in the end.
Server management is like any other type of management.
One part hard work, one part organization,
and one part customer service.
That all together and you've got a real job ahead of you.
I mean, first off,
you wanna have some server experience
or at least a few Google tabs open.
It's not terribly difficult,
but it takes time to learn the ropes.
And knowing how to create cPanel accounts,
understanding how to suspend accounts for customers
who fail to pay on time,
how to install an SSL, and a few security tricks,
like proper permissions, can go a long way.
Second, you'll need to be organized.
You must be able to manage customers and site content alike.
And these are things like billing, site maintenance,
and security that are critical to your success.
- All right, third,
you are the face of your hosting company.
Your customers will be looking to you for assistance,
troubleshooting, probably a whole lot more.
And if there is a billing discrepancy,
you are the one to tackle the issue.
If a site gets compromised,
which you hope never happens,
but eventually, it might, and you are responsible
for resolving the threat.
Ultimately, it is up to you to nurture your client base,
but as it sometimes happens,
you will inevitably run into a client
that wants to go elsewhere.
So how do you give back their website?
Well, the first thing you'll wanna do is settle financials.
Then you can simply zip up their content database
and then send them their files,
after you've collected that final paycheck, of course.
Don't skip over that.
Now, move on.
- With the unfamiliar comes fear,
but you can do this.
Once you get rolling,
you'll be glad you began this adventure
and will soon reap the rewards.
That is a wrap, though,
but your journey doesn't have to end here
because we have over 300 videos for you to keep on watching.
- Just be sure to like, comment, and subscribe.
Thanks for watching.
This is "The Journey."