If you run an agency, then you know how much of a hassle dealing with client websites can be. You need to juggle a lot of credentials, make sure your clients choose decent web hosts, help them pick the right plans, and more.
Another (perhaps better) option is to take over hosting responsibilities yourself, by looking for plans geared towards agencies. With the right plan, you'll be able to maintain all of your clients' websites with one single host, manage billing in bulk, and not have to worry about server maintenance.
In this article, we'll break down how agency hosting works and when it makes sense to use it. Then we'll talk about its benefits, and compare it with other types of hosting plans. Let's get to it!
What Agency Hosting Is
Usually, when you set up a website you'll go through a web hosting service. You create an account, choose a plan, and use it to host one or multiple sites. In other words, the process is pretty straightforward.
However, that whole procedure becomes more complex if you're running an agency that works with client websites. In that scenario, you have to keep track a lot of credentials, help customers choose the right providers and plans, and more. Overall, it can be a huge hassle that takes time away from development or design work.
That's where agency hosting comes into the picture. This type of hosting enables you to create individual hosting accounts for each of your clients, all using a single provider. Then, you can pick plans for your users or help them do it, and have them take care of billing while you make sure everything keeps running smoothly.
Overall, agency hosting can make your life a lot easier. Of course, that's only true if you choose a provider that offers all the features you and your clients will need.
Agency Hosting vs. Other Types of Plans: A Quick Comparison
At this point, you should have a good idea of what agency hosting is and how it works. Now, let's take a minute to break down what the main differences are between this type of plan and other common options:
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You can set up multiple client accounts with an agency hosting plan.
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Each client account enables you to host multiple websites, depending on which plan you pick.
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You can choose different plans for each user, depending on their needs.
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You get access to billing functionality from within your hosting panel.
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Depending on your provider, you might also be able to acquire domains and Secure Socket Layer (SSL) certificates for your users.
Overall, agency plans enables you to take on more of a management role when it comes to hosting. Other types of plans, such as shared hosting and Virtual Private Servers (VPSs), are designed for a single end user (even if you end up creating multiple sites).
In practice, agency hosting plans are relatively similar to reseller accounts. However, depending on your hosting provider, you'll probably get access to more advanced functionality with an agency account.
Why Using Agency Hosting Can Benefit Your Business
First and foremost, agency plans can benefit your business by simplifying your hosting workflow. With this type of account, you'll be able to manage all of your clients' hosting needs in-house. That means no more dealing with dozens of hosting credentials, shoddy hosting providers, bad server performance, and more.
However, agency hosting offers more than just a technical advantage. Depending on what type of agency you run, providing hosting services can help you keep all of your clients' needs in-house. If your agency focuses on web design and development, for example, adding hosting to that roster can make your services that much more attractive.
Moreover, since agency accounts enable you to create custom plans for your clients, you can set the prices for your own services. For example, some client websites might require more maintenance work than others. You might charge those accounts a premium for all that extra time, while offering cheaper plans for clients who don't require as much upkeep.
Of course, all of those benefits hinge on choosing the right hosting provider for your agency. Just as if you were looking for a regular plan, you'll need to find a provider that offers great performance, support, and plenty of powerful features.
Fortunately, here at Hosting.com we offer agency hosting that meets all of those criteria:
Pricing is very affordable, starting at just $13.19 per month for 30 GB of storage. Plus, you'll be able to easily scale up as your hosting business grows!
Conclusion
A lot of agencies offer hosting services for their clients. After all, it enables you to provide a higher quality of service for users who don't know much about hosting. Plus, with agency hosting you'll have quick access to your clients' websites, and an easier time maintaining them.
More importantly, with the right agency hosting plan, you'll be able to bill clients for managing their sites. That means you can grow your agency by offering additional services, and help out clients who don't want to deal with hosting hassles.
Image credit: Pixabay.
