I am asking for information from any web host that has hosted sponsored web sites for free or for Banner placement for information on their experiences. My sole interest in this information is for an Article I am writing on the subject. I would be very much interested in any experience you might have had as a host (good or bad) in sponsoring websites.

No need to read further unless you are interested!!! Thanks

I am very much interested in what kind of site has done well for you or not so well. I personally had no luck with gaming sites, has this changed in the last few years? My only personal experiences go back a few years; I hosted about 200 sites and about 15 free or sponsored sites. Out of those 15 free and sponsored sites I only received approximately12 signups in a 12-month period.

I freely hosted (no ads of any kind) a Mormon Church in California, which I got about 3 referrals from. I had another religious based site that was also freely hosted, after about 2 months I noticed the traffic skyrocketed and when I checked out the site it was an online casino. Yes, there is a lesson there, be sure you know who is one you server at all times.

If you rather not post here, feel free to PM me or email me at: Sitekeeper @ hostingviews dot com.

Thanks again,

We sponsor very few sites....of the ones we do, some are non-profit .orgs and some are for profit companies, with a few high traffic sites thrown in.
We have received 1 referal from the non-profit group, and 20 or so from the for profit companies, mainly from 2 of them. Of the few high traffic sites, (gaming, reviews), we receive a large amount of click thrus, but no signups in the past year.
Keep in mind that the non-profits aren't hosted because we want referals, we host them because we believe in their causes, and any referals are a bonus. The for profit companies are expected to draw us signups, and they have done that, especially to our higher end packages. The gaming and review sites have certainly dried up for standard hosters, IMO, but a company I know that runs some gameservers and offers one page webs to clients, says he has increased his business by offering sponsored hosting to some gaming sites.

My opinion is this: Do not sponsor a site expecting to draw enough extra customers to pay for it. If you can't afford to pay for the site out of your pocket, then don't sponsor it. That way, you won't be disappointed if you don't get the extra revenue, and they won't be disappointed if you have to pull the plug on your operations because you aren't making enough money.

I have found that sponsored customers are the most demanding. Sure, we still do a mess. But as ATST suggests, we don't expect anything.

Originally posted by ATST
My opinion is this: Do not sponsor a site expecting to draw enough extra customers to pay for it. If you can't afford to pay for the site out of your pocket, then don't sponsor it. That way, you won't be disappointed if you don't get the extra revenue, and they won't be disappointed if you have to pull the plug on your operations because you aren't making enough money.
You are absolutely correct. If you base your business plan on sponsored customers, hoping they do all your advertising for you, you are in for a rude awakening. I have seen companies that are on the verge of failing start offering sponsored hosting, and taking those companies offline when they went under. (Locally)
Bottom line, if you are established, offering sponsored hosting can gain you goodwill in the community, or the niche market, and goodwill can do other things besides bring in direct revenue. Don't count on being your saving grace if you are on the downhill slide.

Thanks everyone,

Keep it coming.....

Well, our sponsored website generated us some customers, not much, but better than none.

Later