Results 51 to 75 of 227
Thread: The End of WebHostingTALK?
-
01-21-2014, 12:39 PM #51Dennis Johnson
- Join Date
- Jun 2001
- Location
- Kalamazoo
- Posts
- 33,412
Wash, Rinse, Repeat. We've seen that story for years.
I was gonna explain the current situation, but it looks like a big woolly bear beat me to it.
It'd be kind to share that reason.
Or as Jakob Nielsen said, "In most online communities, 90% of users are lurkers who never contribute, 9% of users contribute a little, and 1% of users account for almost all the action."
That looks like something I read here 10-12 years ago. (not that there's anything wrong with that) But every few years a thread with a topic of "WHT is dead" comes up.
The thing I've noticed about the relationship between WHT and the web hosting industry is, WHT is simply a reflection of the industry. I believe that to be WHT's purpose.
In fact our mission statement sums it up pretty well.
Mission Statement:
WebHostingTalk.com is a community-driven resource whose goal is to keep consumers and businesses informed of the continued innovations and evolution of the web hosting industry and to
- Provide the most comprehensive and accurate information available
- Evolve this web site to enhance the user experience
- Keep topical, relevant and visionary
- Provide its members and guests with an enjoyable environment
- Define and grow development within the web hosting industry
- Promote goodwill between providers and end-users
- Aid users in the understanding of choosing suitable providers for their needs
- Provide the public with a venue for recourse and accountability
- Promote business ethics and entrepreneurship in hosting businesses.
There is no best host. There is only the host that's best for you.
-
01-21-2014, 12:49 PM #52Aspiring Evangelist
- Join Date
- Jun 2009
- Posts
- 446
I would love to see companies before they can post in the advertising section have to show proof they are a legal company in the country they are in to WHT mods. We have all seen it so many times these kiddies put a website up and sell servers for a couple of months and take off with peoples money.
Remember when ordering a server from a new company use a Credit Card. Paypal will not refund your money if you get scammed.
-
01-21-2014, 12:55 PM #53Web Hosting Guru
- Join Date
- Jan 2013
- Location
- UK
- Posts
- 258
Alot of hosts, like us, have had to put 'budget packages' in, for cheap and throw alot of extras in, like someone said in the previous posts the market is saturated as it is, and with that there is that much competition you have to lower your prices, simply because the higher ones just wont sell when you have 100's of other hosts, offering pretty much the same deal for $7-10 less, as a customer you are going to take the cheap one, especially when there near the exact same package,location and control panel.
-
01-21-2014, 12:55 PM #54Hello World
- Join Date
- Nov 2009
- Location
- /etc/my.cnf
- Posts
- 10,657
UK Based Proactive Server Management.
Zabbix Enterprise 24/7 Monitoring.
-
01-21-2014, 01:03 PM #55Web Hosting Evangelist
- Join Date
- Apr 2013
- Location
- Data center
- Posts
- 541
WHT will not be the same...just like anything really. It will change when there are changes in the industry...
-
01-21-2014, 01:53 PM #56Web Hosting Master
- Join Date
- Jan 2003
- Location
- South Africa
- Posts
- 2,158
Why? You can open a store front business in your local community without a registration number. You can file a tax return without a business number. Why to post on WHT?
Yup. Even $0.50 lol
Makes sense
See first note█ █ █
-
01-21-2014, 02:25 PM #57Mostly Retired!
- Join Date
- Nov 2002
- Location
- Portland, Oregon
- Posts
- 2,992
I signed up quite a while ago and have seen many trends over that time. In the earlier days I remember things being more team-focused if that makes sense. Technical threads seemed to receive more attention than they do now. I owe much gratitude to WHT and certain members who provided aide as I was learning. For that reason I hope to be here to help as long as time permits me, but it does become disheartening sifting through handfulls of "Bob's Web Hosting scammed me" or "What's the best free control panel" threads which seem to have become more frequent as of late. When I see a lot of those, or new users posing incorrect solutions to long-resolved problems, I tend to read more than I respond. Don't get me wrong, times have to change, but lately I'm feeling as though a change is long overdue.
I specifically don't advertise on WHT. Not that I never will, but I just ... don't right now, yet I renewed my premium membership and have the perks of doing so - but I'd rather entice a possible client with demonstrated knowledge rather than a $0.50 price tag. Though this may not be the fast track to getting "noticed" by possible new clients, the long-term benefits of, as someone mentioned, helping a client configure a Node.JS, Python, Django, instance, will eventually be shone as times noticably (eventually) change.
Until then I do truly wish everyone the best.
JELast edited by Johnny Cache; 01-21-2014 at 02:35 PM.
-
01-21-2014, 02:41 PM #58Junior Guru Wannabe
- Join Date
- Mar 2004
- Posts
- 47
Pandering to the lowest common denominator to make some quick cash by the fly by night turnkey host.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
some day I will put something here
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-
01-21-2014, 04:18 PM #59WHT Addict
- Join Date
- Apr 2012
- Location
- Visalia California
- Posts
- 108
Everyone that keeps saying the hosting industry is super saturated is only half right. It's saturated if your intended market is other people who host. Convincing people like me to use your services is why you're still here on WHT. I'm always looking for the best-bang-for-the-buck and I buy more and more all the time based on what I find or do not find here.
Those of you all worried about the super low prices understand how unreliable those services are and would unlikely purchase from anyone like that mainly because you understand that they can't continue like that. Those that do purchase from those folks will likely still need hosting and are willing to pay more for the lesson learned. Those that don't want to pay more are doomed to lose service again and again until they figure it out. The only thing you really have to worry about is if these low cost providers actually pull it off and manage to stick around somehow. How likely is that? Why fear it?
But if you haven't noticed, there is still something around 40% to 60% of companies that still do not have web sites. They do not come on to WHT because they will likely use services provided by their local sign shop or business card provider or by some other means. They get bombarded as business owners or administrators by people wanting to sell them hosting and/or web design. They don't even know about WHT really. As a shared hosting provider, you must chase these consumers where it is appropriate.
In the end, proving that you're an actual legitimate business before being allowed to post in the advertising forums is still a great idea. That would at least eliminate a lot of WHT-enabled-fraud and restore the respectability of offers to the rest of us.
I would be more likely to spend money here on WHT advertising if I didn't feel like I was competing, and being compared to, the very people I do not want to be associated with.
-
01-21-2014, 05:16 PM #60Web Hosting Master
- Join Date
- Feb 2003
- Location
- NY
- Posts
- 11,863
I don't think you can blame Web Hosting Talk for trends in the hosting industry. At the end of the day, someone else had to setup the site and services and offer them for unlimited or $1/year. Web Hosting Talk is just a channel for supply and demand where a buyer can virtually meet and find a seller. The buyers needed cheaper more robust plans and packages and at the end of the day businesses cut margins to make a sale which led to an overall change in pricing.
If WHT doesn't allow for it, someone else will and will cut into their share of dominance as a hosting community. It needs to remain a community of users that provide the latest trends, services, and prices to a global economy of buyers.Doug
Finance, Operations, and Business Executive
-
01-21-2014, 05:28 PM #61
Reminds me of a thread way back in 2003
-
01-21-2014, 05:32 PM #62Disabled
- Join Date
- Feb 2006
- Location
- Global
- Posts
- 1,642
-
01-21-2014, 05:40 PM #63Web Hosting Master
- Join Date
- Nov 2005
- Posts
- 3,944
-
01-21-2014, 05:45 PM #64Web Host Reviewer
- Join Date
- Feb 2006
- Location
- Kepler 62f
- Posts
- 16,699
|| Need a good host?
|| See my Suggested Hosts List || Editorial: EIG/Site5/Arvixe/Hostgator Alternatives
||
-
01-21-2014, 05:49 PM #65
Are you really prepared to sell yourself so short?
I often compare the hosting industry to the motor trade....
Moscovitch/Lada - Our cars have 4 wheels, an engine, seats (just like the rest).... and a heated rear screen to keep your hands warm while you push them to the garage.
Ford, Vauxhall, Audi, VW, Nissan, Toyota, etc. - Broadly speaking the middle-range, and spending fortunes on volume advertising trying to "out-feature" their competitors with some extra little wizzy gimic.
BMW, Mercedes, Range Rover, Jaguar, etc. - Not so many TV ads, but when they do they buy prime-time slots, their sales people all wear suits not sweatshirts, their "production" is obviously superior, and they sell on quality (not price).
Look at how many people revolted against Moscovitch and now drive Nissan, how many revolted against Toyota's multi-million product recalls and now drive BMWs, and how many were always sufficiently "savvy" to always buy Range Rover.
Are you really saying that you don't know how to advertise your superior product?
-
01-21-2014, 05:50 PM #66Quality Web Hosting Matters
- Join Date
- Mar 2006
- Location
- Servers
- Posts
- 1,590
Nobody can dream about server prices from year 2006/2007/2008. The nowadays hosting is more cruel than before Get used to it.
█ QHoster.com - Web Hosting with DDoS Protection | Shared & Reseller in Europe/North America
█ Linux/Windows RDP VPS 13 Locations : UK, US (5 states), Mexico, Canada, Bulgaria, Lithuania,
█ Italy, France, Germany,Netherlands, Switzerland, Rissia, Singapore | OpenVPN/PPTP Enabled
█ INSTANT | PayPal, Skrill, Payza, Bitcoin, WebMoney, Perfect Money, Ukash, CashU, paysafecard
-
01-21-2014, 05:51 PM #67Web Hosting Guru
- Join Date
- Feb 2005
- Location
- localhost
- Posts
- 5,473
-
01-21-2014, 05:54 PM #68Mostly Retired!
- Join Date
- Nov 2002
- Location
- Portland, Oregon
- Posts
- 2,992
-
01-21-2014, 06:24 PM #69WHT Addict
- Join Date
- Apr 2012
- Location
- Visalia California
- Posts
- 108
What I'm saying is that I'll choose to go after my market where my market is. Advertising my superior product here gets mixed in with the folks selling death traps and salvaged titled with no "Car Facts" to reference. Wasting my money competing for market share along side obvious fraudsters isn't part of my strategy. Perhaps one day when I've pursued more avenues with less success I'll consider it.
BMW , Mercedes, Range Rover, Jaguar etc. don't advertise on the same medium a "buy here / pay here" lot does. Focusing on quality doesn't mean mix yourself in with the others for the sake of it. It means asking for that review or referral to advertise superiority.
There aren't as many makes of vehicles as there are web hosts. We all know them all and their reputations. Getting a quality review from folks that never had hosting elsewhere isn't an easy task either. What other experience do they have to compare me with? I've relied heavily on personal referrals up until now and have been more successful acquiring new business that way than I have been by any other means of advertising.
I guess to answer your question.. Yes I don't know how to advertise my superior product on WHT. Mainly because I'm a small provider and unknown to most. That being said, I'm forced to compete and be compared with the 'death-trap' dealers on this medium. Dishing out large sums of money and hoping to recoup it over time is not interesting to me.
-
01-21-2014, 06:56 PM #70WHT Addict
- Join Date
- Jul 2007
- Location
- UK
- Posts
- 119
Supply and demand my friend. It's really simple as that. These days it's a lot easier to become a web hosting provider, so naturally everybody's doing it looking for that quick buck and easy money. I believe there's a buyer for every product, so I don't worry. I actually support all these budget providers because they redirect abusers away from the rest of us and that works out great for everyone. When people get burnt, they're very grateful to be able to depend on someone after their bad experience and that makes way for great relationships in the future.
yo what's up
-
01-21-2014, 07:16 PM #71Disabled
- Join Date
- Dec 2010
- Location
- 127.0.0.1
- Posts
- 5,732
All you need to do is this:
- Stay focused on giving a great service.
- Advertise here with a nice looking Advert, look at the competitors.
- Don't give up.
Because your focused on good customer service, you will get happy customers, some happy customers will review you. They can tell their friends.
Most of my customers are from WHT, but none post reviews on WHT, only two have posted reviews here, one per brand. One review was bad, but he's still with us, and happy as can be.
At the end of the day, good or bad, your aim is providing good service and if your doing it right, the business will roll in, reviews will roll out.
-
01-21-2014, 07:33 PM #72
So you're confident that there is no-one reading WHT that fits your customer profile? Dang, I wish I had your crystal balls. Accepting that you're not after the mainstream (high-volume) market, you're still not prepared to run a FREE ad on WHT once a week, just in case one of your potential premium customers strayed into the "wrong place"?
Advertisments for oil-based spreads and low-fat "like butter" spreads (with or without Omega-3) all co-exist on the same TV channels. They have the expertise and budget to decide to be on those or not. And they are. So is prime Irish low-salt butter. Why's that?
Who said there was a cost involved?
Yes they do, at least in the UK. We call it TV, radio and magazines.
But there are as many second-hand car dealers selling any make you want.
And if they're on a back street, as opposed to the other dealers on the main highway into town, we'll never even know they existed, let alone go take a walk through their lot to see if they've got a nice deal on a 2011 Jag.
There's no denying that that's a fantastic way to get business. With referrals you're gaining customers who are already half-sold on the service you provide and, as long as you live up to that referral, you're pretty much partners with that customer for life.
And then that 2011 Jag breaks down, you can't get the parts, it's weekend and the temp service guy mucks up, and your referred customer sees an identical 2012 Jag for a decent price on someone else's lot 2 minutes walk down the road from you.....
But you already are doing, right now! We're all waiting with baited breath for you to post an ad now!
It costs nothing but your time and mental agility to compose, format and post the ad.
-
01-21-2014, 07:41 PM #73WHT Addict
- Join Date
- Apr 2012
- Location
- Visalia California
- Posts
- 108
All good points and I can totally agree with you. Unless you're arguing against the idea that a company should be first verified that it is indeed a company before posting ads. Then I'd have to respectfully disagree.
-
01-21-2014, 08:01 PM #74Web Hosting Master
- Join Date
- Aug 2004
- Location
- Earth
- Posts
- 8,148
I see a lot of comparison between apples and oranges
-
01-21-2014, 08:03 PM #75Web Hosting Guru
- Join Date
- Feb 2005
- Location
- localhost
- Posts
- 5,473
Similar Threads
-
I am tired of Low end hosts - please recommend high end shared/vps...
By dscurlock in forum VPS HostingReplies: 42Last Post: 01-23-2014, 05:39 PM -
End of year BLOWOUT! High-end Xen VPSes, never oversold! 20% off for life!
By FRH Lisa in forum VPS Hosting OffersReplies: 0Last Post: 12-23-2013, 09:16 AM -
End to End Control Panel/Billing/Payment Gateway Solution Needed
By apakuni in forum Hosting Software and Control PanelsReplies: 2Last Post: 02-18-2006, 11:01 PM -
what indian's companies provides end to end support for dedicated/hosting customer's?
By cDedicated.com in forum Dedicated ServerReplies: 35Last Post: 11-03-2004, 10:23 PM -
Valeohosting.com - Media Hosting for the higher-end client at lower-end prices.
By ValeoHosting in forum Shared Hosting OffersReplies: 3Last Post: 10-31-2003, 02:47 PM