Hi all,

I'm in the middle of designing the website for my web hosting company, and, I used to be a web designer, so I'm taking this seriously. I think, and I know from experience with companies I've designed for, that a professional website can mean all the difference in the type and number of customers you get.

Right now, my plans are to go with something modernistic, and very clean, something inspired by modwest.com.

What I'm really looking for here is some feedback on that point above, does a website make the differnce in your hosting business. Is there anyone here who started out with a crappy-looking website, and as they grew either hired someone to do a nice design, or did one themselves and found it made a difference?

I've looked at hostskin.com (they advertise here), and some of their designs are ok ... certainly pretty cheap for the quality of the designs (as far as I can tell.)

Just give me your feedback on the way your business is presented and if that has any bearing on quality and quantity of clients.

Although I'm new here, some people might judge your whole business based on the website because they would assume if you put time into making your website look "professional" you take a lot of time in your business. This sounds very shallow but most people like to assume things that aren't always true.

Originally posted by cubision
What I'm really looking for here is some feedback on that point above, does a website make the differnce in your hosting business.

Well, it does. You'll need a clean and professional looking layout as well as well structured information. Make the ordering process as simple as possible. Even though there are quite a few webhosting companies with really crappy websites, you'll probably do much better with a thoroughly designed one.

Cu, Moritz

Your website sure does have a huge roll in your business! Especially if you are going to start out with only an online-advertising campaign. What most people tend to style after these days are the ceonex/pixelbrick type site. Make sure that you don't use dark colors, and also make sure you add a lot of images of business type people as well as family type pictures. and just have fun with it :)

Best of luck, hope that helped?

IMO, although this isn't entirely true, I make my online purchase decisions partially based on the design of the layout. If it isn't corporate/professional, then I don't deal with them. I know that if the design is professional, then they probably went the extra mile and spent some of their budget on a well-designed website.

Take the following (2) websites, respectfully--

Which would you choose if you hadn't known anything about either of the 2 hosts' support or reliability:

http://www.1stchoice-web-site-hosting.co.uk/

OR

http://www.C!Host.com (upside down "i")

Thanks for all of your replys, and I planned to implement many of the ideas anyway, but you guys have rebirthed the spirit behind them.

One point, that I need to ask a question about is where do you get great business relationship/technology stock photos? An example: http://www.ceonex.com/images/home3/hdrpic007.jpg

I see a lot of pictures for example from gettyimages, but many of them have ancient laptops in them, which I don't want to use ... someone point me in the right direction. Also, technology pics like http://di.dell.com/images/us/segments/gen/homepage/montage/campaign.jpg

I know that particular pic is dell's own photography, but rows of racks, or such. Thanks for any guidence.

I personally use StockByte.com, they have by far, the most professional photos to use for a general business. There are of course others, like GettyImages, but they are rather expensive, IMO.

I would say that the website is VERY important, i myself upon reaching a website with crappy text scrolling and cheap gifs that dont match the back ground and just links and nothing more other than a stupid back ground chime immediately rush for the little X at the top right hand of my browser..

If a company is not going to take the time, dignity, and pride to represent themselves professionally and in great detail then they are just not a company i want to deal with..

very little exceptions apply, for example some services are not profit based such as ggl services and freeware companies etc.. things like that i tend to care less about the webdesign..

my 2cents.

I personally use StockByte.com, they have by far, the most professional photos to use for a general business. There are of course others, like GettyImages, but they are rather expensive, IMO.


This is from thier terms of use:


1.2 You may not use the photographic images or data in the following ways:

- to produce colour separations

- to produce or compile CD ROM materials

- to produce any multimedia output, materials or documentation

- to produce any other electronic or printed output, materials or production


So...it's against their policy to us them for webpages or anything else? Says later that you can't modify the images. Sounds kinda useless to me. I could have missed something though.

Originally posted by progex

IMO, although this isn't entirely true, I make my online purchase decisions partially based on the design of the layout. If it isn't corporate/professional, then I don't deal with them. I know that if the design is professional, then they probably went the extra mile and spent some of their budget on a well-designed website.

Take the following (2) websites, respectfully--

Which would you choose if you hadn't known anything about either of the 2 hosts' support or reliability:

http://www.1stchoice-web-site-hosting.co.uk/

OR

http://www.C!Host.com (upside down "i")

Don't be so ignorant. You obviously haven't read the complaints about C!host on the net. Just put a simple search in google for C!host.

You shouldn't judge the book just by its cover. ;)

There is definatly alot more to running a professional host than a nice website, however from a sales point of view it is pretty important. There are hosts on this forum whom i wouldn't buy socks from because their site sucks so bad, let alone trusting them with hosting a somewhat important site.

-Brendan

Don't be so ignorant. You obviously haven't read the complaints about C!host on the net. Just put a simple search in google for C!host.

You shouldn't judge the book just by its cover.

Maybe you shouldn't be so ignorant. Read what I said in the post:


Which would you choose if you hadn't known anything about either of the 2 hosts' support or reliability:

Everyone here knows about C!Host...

:rolleyes:

OK progex, which one would YOU choose if you hadn't known anything about those two companies by just looking at their websites? And why?

Why would I choose C!Host?

1.) Good design. :D
2.) In business since 1995 (from their Company Info page)
3.) Many forms of tech support contact
4.) Partnerships with many reputable business partners.
5.) Have a few publicly-traded companies hosted, under their belt.

Of course, in reality, I would not choose C!Host... :cool:

Reasons why I wouldn't choose 1stchoice-website:

1.) Bad design.
2.) Resellers off of netplan.co.uk
3.) Only form of tech support is e-mail and phone.
4.) At the bottom of the main page, it reads: Site last updated 19th September 2001 ;)

As I said before, the 'design' of the website is partial to my decision on choosing a host. Take for example, Pair.com-- Their design is quite horrible, but I would consider become a client under them.

Your website is how you close a sale - so until you have a great word of mouth type thing going on, your website is critical.

But...too many sites designed by designers & not by marketers. Certainly having a "professional" look is important, but your site must sell hosting. The most important page is your home page and this should be reserved solely as the page that creates sales

A lot of Fortune 500 companies have really ugly sites. ;) Well they may be well-structured and informative, but... ugly. I really could never explain this fact to myself...

I think when you are just starting out and noone knows about your company a well designed site is especially important.

I'll give you one example

Tranxactglobal
Sucky website, good host. ;)

I will say that it almost turned me away though.. (the fact that their website design is sucky)

If they are such a good host why do they not offer hosting anymore?

:eek:

A good design is important, but its not always the look that wins..
You have to "sale" to hosting customers just like you do to any other type of customer..

Your website should be your virtual sales person and be able to answer all questions, be descriptive, available 24/7, and able and willing to except sales when ready:)

If your website doesnt sale, then not even a 30k dollar design will matter.. So in my opinion its a combination of design, ability to sale to the customer, and word of mouth. Nothing makes a difference like word of mouth..