The web hosting industry in Kenya is growing rapidly as more businesses and individuals go online.
This presents a great business opportunity for tech-savvy entrepreneurs looking to earn extra income.
With some hard work and dedication, you can make up to KES 100,000 per month reselling web hosting services.
In this article, we will walk you through the process of starting a web hosting reseller business and earning six figures per month in Kenya.
Overview of the Web Hosting Industry in Kenya
- Web hosting demand is rising with internet penetration and digital adoption. Kenya has over 17.86 million internet users.
- Most businesses want a local web host with personalized customer service.
- Shared hosting and VPS hosting are the most popular hosting plans.
- Top players are international companies like Safaricom and Liquid Telecom. But there is room for small resellers.
Benefits of Becoming a Web Hosting Reseller in Kenya
Low Startup Costs
One of the biggest benefits of a web hosting reseller business is the low startup costs.
Unlike other tech businesses that may require significant upfront investment in infrastructure, inventory, software etc., you can launch a hosting reseller venture with minimal capital outlay.
Some key advantages of the low startup costs:
- Little to no infrastructure costs – Since you are reselling hosting, you don’t need to invest in buying and managing your own servers, data centers, hardware etc. You utilize the infrastructure of the hosting company you partner with.
- No complex software costs – You leverage the control panels and software platforms of your hosting provider. No need to build your own apps and tools from scratch.
- Low promotional costs – Online marketing channels are cost effective for promoting a hosting reseller business. You can bootstrap growth through organic search, social media, email newsletters etc.
- Scales with revenue – You only pay for the hosting resources your clients use. As you earn more revenue, you can invest that back into growth.
With a starting capital investment of less than KES 100,000, you can get your web hosting reseller business off the ground.
The low startup costs make this a very accessible opportunity even if you have limited funds.
Recurring Revenue
Selling web hosting plans provides you with predictable recurring revenue every month.
This gives your business stability and cash flow visibility.
Here’s how you earn recurring revenue as a hosting reseller:
- Clients pay a monthly fee for their chosen hosting package
- Typical web hosting plans range from 12 months to 36 months in duration
- You receive commission each month from the hosting provider per client
- Contract renewals and retention of clients provides ongoing income
| Hosting Plan | Monthly Price | Monthly Commission |
|---|---|---|
| Shared Hosting | KES 1,500 | KES 250 |
| VPS Hosting | KES 3,000 | KES 500 |
| Dedicated Hosting | KES 5,000 | KES 1,000 |
With just 100 clients on small shared hosting plans, you can make KES 25,000 a month in recurring commissions.
The numbers scale up significantly as your client base expands.
Recurring revenue gives you the stability to reinvest and grow your business.
Automated Passive Income
Once client websites and hosting accounts are setup, they generate income for you passively without much active involvement.
This gives you time freedom to pursue other opportunities.
Ways hosting reseller income can be automated:
- New purchases and account creation can be self-service through your website
- Billing and renewals are handled by the hosting provider
- Technical issues are dealt with directly by the hosting company’s support team
- You outsource or automate tasks like email campaigns, content creation etc.
After the initial sale, your time investment in supporting each client reduces thanks to automation.
This enables a scalable, passive income model.
Opportunity to Upsell and Cross-sell
Your web hosting reseller business puts you in a great position to upsell additional services to your clients.
Their website hosting needs open the door for other opportunities.
Some examples of services you can upsell existing clients:
- Managed WordPress hosting
- eCommerce integrations
- Email and CRM tools
- Domain registrations
- SSL certificates
- CDN and caching addons
- Security and DDoS protection
You can easily double your revenue from each client through targeted upsells. And happy clients are open to purchasing more services from a provider they trust.
Flexible and Scalable model
A web hosting reseller business provides tremendous flexibility and scalability not seen in other industries.
Some factors that make it flexible:
- You can operate as a solo entrepreneur or build a team
- Work from home or setup an office
- No need for warehouse space or logistics
- Geography agnostic – host clients worldwide
- Pick your own hours and schedule
And it’s easy to scale by:
- Taking on more clients
- Adding more services
- Partnering with multiple hosting providers
- Building automated sales and delivery processes
- Expanding into international markets
You’re not limited in how you structure or grow your hosting reseller venture.
The model adapts well as your business evolves.
That said, let us look at how you can make 100K selling web hosting in Kenya!
Step 1 – Decide on Your Niche and Branding
As a reseller, you can target different niches and brand your business appropriately. Some options include:
- Local web hosting for Kenyan businesses
- WordPress optimized hosting plans
- Ecommerce web hosting
- Web hosting for startups and developers
- Green/renewable energy web hosting
- Custom brand identity communicating security and reliability
Choose a niche that you’re passionate about. Your branding and marketing will revolve around your positioning.
Step 2 – Find a Web Hosting Provider to Resell
You need to partner with a web hosting company willing to wholesale their hosting plans to you.
As a reseller, you get discounted rates and can set your own retail prices.
Things to consider when choosing a hosting provider:
- Reliable data centers and infrastructure
- Strong technical support for your clients
- Competitive reseller pricing and commissions
- Feature-rich hosting plans
- Scalable solutions that can grow with your business
Some popular web hosting platforms like HostGator and Bluehost have ready-made reseller programs. You can also contact local and international providers directly about reseller partnerships.
Step 3 – Build Your Reseller Website
To sell hosting plans, you need a professional looking website that establishes your brand and generates leads.
Your reseller website should have:
- A portfolio showcasing your experience
- Features and pricing plans
- Online payment integration
- A blog/resources section
- Client testimonials and reviews
- Clear branding reflecting your niche
Many website builders like OLITT, Wix and WordPress make it easy to create a custom site without coding skills.
Step 4 – Promote Your Web Hosting Business
Marketing and promotion will be key to attracting clients initially. Some cost-effective tactics include:
- Search engine optimization
- Google and Facebook ads
- Content marketing – blogs, videos, guides
- Email marketing and newsletters
- Social media outreach on Twitter, LinkedIn
- Networking events and startup pitch competitions
- Partnerships with relevant players
As you gain happy clients, encourage referrals and organic word-of-mouth promotion.
Step 5 – Provide Excellent Customer Service
Providing exceptional customer service is key to retaining clients and ensuring recurring revenue.
Some best practices:
- Quick response times – answer queries promptly
- Self-help options – FAQs, docs, video tutorials
- Proactive resource monitoring and alerts
- Regular backups and security measures
- Easy scalability of plans
- 24/7 support availability
- Offers for plan renewals and upsells
Prioritize client success, and they will stay loyal to your business.
Step 6 – Expand Your Product Offerings
Once your reseller hosting business takes off, look for ways to expand your service offerings to boost revenues.
Additional products and services you can provide:
- Domain name registration
- Email hosting and corporate accounts
- Managed WordPress hosting
- eCommerce stores
- Virtual private servers (VPS)
- SSL certificates
- Web design and development
- SEO optimization
Following the steps outlined so far, you will have laid a strong foundation for your web hosting reseller business in Kenya.
You picked your niche, found a hosting provider partner, built your website, started promotions, and delivered great customer service.
Now it’s time to scale up your operations and accelerate your growth. Here are some tips for the next phase:
Step 7 – Develop a Scalable Client Onboarding Process
Streamline how you get new clients setup:
- Automated purchase flows
- Self-service client portals
- Standardized hosting plan configurations
- Automated emails for account setup details
- Scripts for common tasks to reduce repetition
This will allow you to onboard more clients without substantial administrative overhead.
Step 8 – Focus on Retention and Loyalty
Existing clients are easier to sell additional services to versus new acquisitions. Some retention best practices:
- Regular account reviews and tuneups
- Proactive server monitoring with uptime guarantees
- Reward programs, promotions and referral bonuses
- Automated renewals and consistent communication
- Upsell offers – storage, security, performance add ons
- Offline relationship building and events
Keep clients engaged and loyal to maximize customer lifetime value.
Step 9 – Build a Sales Process
Actively pursue new sales through:
- Cold email and cold calling
- Guest posting and content partnerships
- Paid advertising campaigns across multiple platforms – Google, Facebook, LinkedIn etc.
- Sponsoring relevant events and conferences
- Outbound sales calls and demos
- Affiliate partnerships
- Public relations – press releases, news coverage
Continuously fill your sales pipeline to hit your revenue goals.
Step 10 – Automate More Processes
The more you can systemize and automate with technology, the more you can scale:
- Client onboarding
- Billing management
- Support (help center, chatbots)
- Lead generation and sales
- Marketing (drip campaigns, webinars)
- Account monitoring and alerts
Automation is key for a growing hosting business serving many clients.
Step 11 – Keep Learning and Improving
Some areas to focus your learning on:
- Latest web hosting technologies, trends and cybersecurity threats
- Customer support and client success strategies
- Online marketing tactics – SEO, social media, conversion optimization
- Sales skills – cold calling, objection handling, closing
- Automation tools and streamlining workflows
Continuous skill development will make you a better entrepreneur and web hosting reseller.
Final Thoughts
If you follow this roadmap, your web hosting reseller venture can successfully scale beyond the KES 100K per month mark.
Be relentless in acquiring new clients, retain them through stellar support, upsell additional services, automate your systems, and keep learning.
With hard work and dedication, your hosting business can hit KES 1 million annual recurring revenue within a couple years of operation.
Kenya’s web hosting arena offers massive potential, but competition is also rising.
Become a standout player by fixating on customer satisfaction and building a scalable company.
The market rewards resellers who provide real value.
Follow your hosting reseller dream, take action daily, exceed client needs, and success will follow!
You can join the industry’s top earners with the right strategies.
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