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In today’s blog I would like to answer a question I am asked all too often by potential clients. Should I allow my marketing agency to control my website hosting or should I have them build it on a server I have rented?
It is valid question for owners to ask and we are completely honest when it comes to answering it. Do marketing companies make a lot of money from hosting websites for clients? They sure do, prices can range from $50 a month all the way into the hundreds depending on what type of hosting the client needs.
Self Website Hosting Pro’s and Con’s
So whats the deal? Who should do my website hosting?
Truth be told I love to host client websites, and yes it does make me money. Money is not the main reason I host them as a marketing agency though. Hosting a client’s website allows me to be responsible for any issues that may arise with the host. For some clients this may not be a big deal, but for others it can be a huge headache. Dealing with a customer service rep during an outage can be very frustrating if you don’t know the right questions to ask.
What would you do if your website went down and had no idea if it was a hosting issue or an actual website issue? You could call the hosting company and most will be helpful, but some not so much. If you are looking for a helpful host I recommend Bluehost. They are reasonably priced and are generally very helpful. Having good host is the key to self-hosting your website rather than paying your marketing company to do so.
Yes, it is cheaper to purchase your own hosting package. Yes, the host will be helpful most times. If your on the fence, ask yourself the question; are you willing and do you have time to deal with issues as they arise? If the answer is no, then you should have your marketing agency take care of the hosting. I can’t speak for all agencies, but I offer the benefits of weekly backups of your site, management of your email (imap/pop), and support for host related issues at only $29.99 per month.
With that said, you should always pay your marketing agency or web developer for monthly updates to your site. I offer this as a separate monthly fee or it can be bundled with the hosting services mentioned above. Without consistent monthly updates your site is vulnerable to attacks and conflicts. I always tell my clients it is better to be proactive than reactive, but that’s a topic for another day! Thanks for reading!
