Website owners now have more power over hosting companies than ever before. Why? Because the marketplace is becoming quickly saturated, and that means that consumers now have the power. It also means that dedicated hosting companies have to come up with new services to offer consumers seeking a reliable web host.
It’s not enough, anymore, to promise things like 99% uptime. Today’s web hosting consumer is savvy, well read, and completely aware that they have the upper hand. Thanks to these facts, consumers can also sit back and enjoy some inevitable new services that are bound to pop up in the year to come.
Here’s what you’ll find the future of web hosting includes:
- Mobile server support: with more than 5 billion people looking for mobile phones, hosting companies can’t afford to offer mobile server support to clients. Also true: small business owners can’t afford to go the mobile route – that’s a massive market you don’t want to miss out on.
- New and better cloud options: while a few months ago, the term ‘cloud’ could be tossed around quite liberally, this is no longer the case. Today’s hosting client wants real cloud services that are innovative, unique, and easy to use. Gone are the days of the difficult cloud. In its place is a demand for cloud hosting options that are really unique – and worth a package upgrade.
- Analytics and data access: why bother signing up with a bunch of analytics app companies when a web host could provide website owners with this data from the start? Think about it: would you purchase a hosting package that included site data and statistics? How about a learning center that you could quickly access? All of these things will be included in the future of web hosting.
- Content creation: In the near future, web-hosting companies may offer clients the option to purchase content consulting or creating services. Most small business owners do not have any idea how to get content out, and that’s where a web hosting company could really benefit – not to mention the added bonus that subscribers can take advantage of.
- Reseller support: here’s another natural avenue for web hosting companies to take. Many website owners are now really interested in reseller options, and that’s something that hosting companies can really jump into.
What’s Gone for Good?
If you tried to sign up with a hosting company more than six years ago, you were lucky to get mediocre service with that basic package. Now, even basic packages are reliable, fast, and come with plenty of great things. Companies that let consumers add on as they go, or as services fit, will do better than those that require consumers to pick one package and stick with it. Many cloud companies have already adopted this payment scheme, and it’s one that will certainly start to stick.
Gone are the days when you didn't get any good service with a hosting package, too. Hosting companies just can’t afford to charge extra for customer support or tech line support. Sure, some companies still do this, but those companies are going to start to fade fast. In fact, any hosting company that doesn't change with the times is going to die out quickly. Today’s hosting companies have to be fast, have great package add-ons, and consider offering some of the things listed above.
Need Some Help?
Just because consumers have the upper hand, though, doesn't mean that you can let the ball drop. You can’t trust most hosting companies to provide you with all the data that you really need in order to understand what kind of company you are signing up with. Things like uptime and data have to be clearly laid out before you – and user reviews are also vital. So, make sure to do your homework by checking out SiteGeek.com.
SiteGeek offers unbiased data, reviews by real users (you can even submit yours), and additional information that you need in order to get your business up, running, and working with the best dedicated hosting package that you can find. Remember, this is a consumer’s market now, and you do have a ton of great options now and in the future. Got questions? Just ask!