# Shared Hosting



## NodeBytes (Sep 6, 2013)

Hello all,

I was wondering what y'all think of shared hosting? What could be improved about most of the hosts out there? What is something you'd like to see come out of shared hosting?


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## Jade (Sep 6, 2013)

Shared hosting is well shared hosting. Nothing you can really change about it. Of course there's always things you can add extra features and security measures, but it'll still be located on a server with abunch of other people.


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## MartinD (Sep 6, 2013)

No different to a VPS...


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## NodeBytes (Sep 6, 2013)

What features would you like to see added? On the server level would pure SSD be appealing?


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## Jade (Sep 6, 2013)

Well first of all I'd love to see better server monitoring when it comes to panels for shared hosting like cPanel etc. I think cPanel can make it much better, and include more to it. I've seen multiple hosts try to put their own touch to shared hosting but in all reality, it's all the same basically. Just different plans/resources.


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## wdq (Sep 6, 2013)

I personally feel that more specialized shared hosting is where things are headed. 

I'm more familiar with WordPress specific hosts like Flysheel (a local startup), Synthesis (made for the Genesis framework), Page.ly, and WPEngine.

For average customers these providers allow a much more specialized support team, control panel, and setup for their website. If something goes wrong one of these companies can help fix the WordPress website while a place like GoDaddy may leave you hanging even though they offer auto install scripts for WordPress. 

For everyone else I'm not really sure. Some may prefer to get a VPS and do everything themselves, others may prefer to find a pretty standard cPanel host.


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## jarland (Sep 6, 2013)

Shared hosting is still the best option for what we call the "average user." What shared hosting providers are doing wrong for the most part is caving to the price war. Charge high, don't oversell much if any, always be proactive about security, and make your users feel like they're paying for something you actually care about providing. But then, spend a lot on marketing or pray for a miracle.


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## wlanboy (Sep 7, 2013)

Shared hosting is more than selling a panel access. If you are able to offer more than login information and help pages you can charge more than the usual $/year.

It is about one click installs and automatic updates. Just make it as easy as creating a Twitter account or Tumblr blog.

They all start with a free blog/wiki/homepage and want to have a own domain later.

They are not used to do anythng. They don't care about SSD/Cores or any technical stuff.
Maybe they know that lot's of GBs in HDD is good.

Everyone else install the LAMP stack on his vps.


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## NodeWest-Dan (Sep 7, 2013)

I think shared hosting has lost it's premium feel. Providers that grow larger and larger don't seem to be as concerned about not overselling their servers. Yes there are people who don't use much and you can push and push to the limit. I believe that charging a little more and putting less people per server makes for a better service with more quality clients.


Combine that with constant server monitoring and shared hosting becomes a premium product for the users.


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## Jade (Sep 7, 2013)

NodeWest-Dan said:


> I think shared hosting has lost it's premium feel. Providers that grow larger and larger don't seem to be as concerned about not overselling their servers. Yes there are people who don't use much and you can push and push to the limit. I believe that charging a little more and putting less people per server makes for a better service with more quality clients.
> 
> 
> Combine that with constant server monitoring and shared hosting becomes a premium product for the users.


I agree, as the market picked up for VPS/dedicated servers, shared hosting has been left in the wind. Providers could spice up their shared hosting packages by including extra features, such as like you said constant server monitoring.


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## MannDude (Sep 7, 2013)

Still a huge market for shared hosting, there is any entire ocean of folk who don't know how to manage a VPS who just want to click a few buttons and get their wordpress site hosted. Don't underestimate that market, it's not gone, it's not dieing.


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## Jade (Sep 7, 2013)

MannDude said:


> Still a huge market for shared hosting, there is any entire ocean of folk who don't know how to manage a VPS who just want to click a few buttons and get their wordpress site hosted. Don't underestimate that market, it's not gone, it's not dieing.


Yes very true, but the standard "Shared Hosting" in most companies does not offer a whole lot. I'd love to see companies offering much more features when it comes to their shared hosting packages and not just the simple "One click installer"


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## NodeBytes (Sep 7, 2013)

So basically managed, SSD cached, and well monitored shared hosting would be a good combination?


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## Jade (Sep 8, 2013)

bcarlsonmedia said:


> So basically managed, SSD cached, and well monitored shared hosting would be a good combination?


Those, and maybe so more features that are out and not really used but are useful.


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## ryanarp (Sep 8, 2013)

bcarlsonmedia said:


> So basically managed, SSD cached, and well monitored shared hosting would be a good combination?


One thing we are toying with in the shared hosting labs is cloud linux. It has some very interesting appeals in the way its kernel handles abusive or noisy shared hosting neighbors. I think it provides a solid benefit to a shared hosting product, but I think most of the benefits lean more towards the provider than the consumer.


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## jarland (Sep 8, 2013)

bcarlsonmedia said:


> So basically managed, SSD cached, and well monitored shared hosting would be a good combination?


What really matters for shared hosting is providing quick, easy paths for people to accomplish their goal. Remember, these people aren't coming to you because they know what they're doing, they're coming to you because you seem like you know what you're doing and they think you can help them achieve their dream...whatever that dream may be. The blogger who has something to say but no idea how to make a site. The local business who wants to put their products online to see if they can increase their revenue. The family who wants to share pictures of their kids with distant family. These are your customers in the shared hosting industry. They're extremely valuable, very difficult to hook, and loyal as hell.


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## VPSCorey (Sep 8, 2013)

Biggest improvement is putting the cPanel on a Cloud server so it has redundancy at the node level.


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## Sonwebhost (Sep 8, 2013)

I would like to get one month of Blue Host signups in shared hosting that is 10,000 accounts in one month,


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## shovenose (Sep 8, 2013)

Sonwebhost said:


> I would like to get one month of Blue Host signups in shared hosting that is 10,000 accounts in one month,


That would be awesome! LOL. The phone would be ringing constantly and the live chat software would explode. My server provider would probably flip out too. But we can only dream


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## jarland (Sep 8, 2013)

Sonwebhost said:


> I would like to get one month of Blue Host signups in shared hosting that is 10,000 accounts in one month,


That's probably 1.5 physical servers too!


I never liked them


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## shovenose (Sep 8, 2013)

jarland said:


> That's probably 1.5 physical servers too!
> 
> 
> I never liked them


LOL! Probably more like 20K accounts per server.


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