I am seeking advice from experienced and knowledgeable individuals.
A little over two years ago, we established a shared hosting service. We created a Ukrainian private enterprise, acquired licenses, and set up servers. However, the servers are not located in Ukraine.
We hired highly experienced sysadmins and added two more technical support personnel to provide top-level assistance (no automated responses). Our sysadmins always respond promptly, with an average response time of 11 minutes. Those who have sought support have been satisfied with our service.
We offer a money-back guarantee upon the first request. We question why other hosting providers complicate the process of refunding money.
To ensure that clients do not disrupt each other, we use CloudLinux servers. However, we also set generous limits to prevent clients from feeling restricted.
We provide various benefits such as caching, MySQL tuning, and SSD storage. We have made numerous optimizations to enhance speed and performance.
We conduct daily scans for viruses, shells, and other malicious content on websites, and promptly share the scan results with our customers. We do not interfere with the website content itself.
Our pricing is set at a minimum, offering less than a dollar per month for one site and database.
We regularly run promotions and advertise them on forums.

The main question is:
Despite having a sufficient number of clients, our hosting business is not experiencing significant growth. Why is this the case?
We have tried using Google and Yandex ads, but the cost per visitor is higher compared to our monthly pricing, resulting in a low conversion rate of only 10-20%.
We have also implemented a referral program and increased the percentage, but it has not had a noticeable impact on customer acquisition.
So, how can we effectively promote our hosting service?

Promoting a hosting service can be challenging, even with all the features and benefits you offer. Here are a few suggestions to help you effectively promote your hosting service and drive significant growth:

1. Targeted Marketing: Instead of relying solely on generic online ads, focus on targeted marketing strategies that reach your specific audience. Identify niche communities or forums where potential customers gather, and engage with them directly by providing valuable insights and solutions to their hosting-related problems. Building a reputation as a helpful and knowledgeable expert in these communities can generate leads and referrals.

2. Content Marketing: Create high-quality content such as blog posts, tutorials, and videos that provide valuable information for people interested in hosting services. Optimize your content for search engines to increase visibility and attract organic traffic. This positions your business as a trusted authority in the field and can attract prospects who are actively searching for hosting solutions.

3. Influencer Partnerships: Collaborate with influencers or industry experts who have a strong following in the web hosting or related technology space. They can help promote your hosting service to their audience through sponsored content, reviews, or affiliate partnerships. Make sure to choose influencers whose audience aligns with your target market.

4. Customer Referrals: Encourage satisfied customers to refer your hosting service to their friends, colleagues, or online networks. Incentivize referrals by offering discounts, additional features, or even cash rewards. Personal recommendations from existing customers carry significant weight and can lead to higher conversion rates.

5. Social Media Engagement: Establish a strong social media presence on platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Share informative content, customer success stories, and updates about your hosting service. Engage with your followers by responding to their comments, questions, and concerns promptly. Social media can be a powerful tool for building brand visibility, fostering customer loyalty, and attracting new customers.

6. Collaborations with Web Developers/Designers: Forge partnerships with web developers, designers, and agencies who frequently work on website projects. Offer them incentives or commission-based referral programs to recommend your hosting service to their clients. Positioning yourself as a reliable hosting provider among these trusted professionals can lead to a consistent stream of new customers.


Here are a few more strategies you can consider to effectively promote your hosting service:

8. Influencer Marketing: Collaborate with influencers or industry experts who have a significant following in the web hosting or technology niche. Their endorsement of your service can help you reach a wider audience and build trust with potential customers.

9. Offer Specialized Hosting Services: Consider offering specialized hosting services for specific niches or industries. This could include tailored solutions for e-commerce websites, content management systems, or specific platforms like WordPress or Magento. By positioning yourself as an expert in these areas, you can attract customers looking for specialized hosting solutions.

10. Partner with Web Development Platforms: Identify popular web development platforms or website builders and explore partnership opportunities with them. This could involve being listed as a recommended hosting provider or integrating your services directly into their platform. This can help you tap into their user base and gain visibility among their customers.

11. Customer Referral Incentives: Enhance your existing referral program by offering additional incentives to encourage satisfied customers to refer others. This could include discounts on their own hosting plans, cash rewards, or exclusive access to premium features or resources.

12. Offer Free Trials or Freemium Plans: Provide potential customers with a risk-free opportunity to try your hosting service through free trial periods or freemium plans. This can help alleviate any skepticism or hesitation they may have and give them a chance to experience the value of your service firsthand.

13. Focus on Local or Regional Targeting: If your hosting service is particularly beneficial for businesses in a specific geographic area, consider targeting your marketing efforts towards that region. Utilize local SEO strategies, participate in local business events, and partner with local organizations to increase your visibility within the local market.

14. Showcase Unique Selling Points: Identify and highlight the unique selling points of your hosting service. This could include aspects such as exceptional customer support, advanced security features, specialized server configurations, or optimized performance for specific applications. Emphasize these unique features in your marketing messages to differentiate yourself from competitors.

Is the problem in shared itself, perhaps?
Everyone is already migrating to paas, saas, Baas, mbaas ...
Virtual machines, while cheap and accessible, are even being offered for free.
Who actually needs a shared server? Who is the target audience? Maybe they have already switched over?

And even if I do need a shared server, why should I choose you (whom, as far as I know, not many people are familiar with), instead of well-established competitors who offer highly-rated forever-free plans?

If you are experienced sysadmins, maybe you should offer something interesting in addition? Solutions to infrastructure problems are currently in high demand.

By the way, it would be interesting if you could explain what "tech support" entails and why it is necessary. It's often advertised as a bonus, but personally, I have never had to reach out to technical support for my questions. Most of the time, my inquiries revolved around basic issues such as "what's wrong with your Internet/server/panel". However, it would be ideal to minimize the need for technical support altogether by providing comprehensive and high-quality guides on the website.

In fact, it's quite difficult for me to think of situations where I would require technical support for shared or budget VPS services.

darkhost
Why should you choose us?

Affordability does not mean lack of features and support; see below for more information.

We offer fast support.

Our specialists are available 24/7 to help you with any issues you may have.

We guarantee 99.9% uptime.

If you experience any unexpected downtime, we will refund your money without any hassle.

We provide fast and reliable service.

Our storage technology uses SSD drives, which are five times faster than regular hard drives.

We prioritize the security of your website.

All DarkHost servers are protected from DDoS attacks, and we have a wide range of tools to further protect your site.

Our control panel is extremely easy to use.

It is so user-friendly that even your pet could navigate it. But don't worry, we take your website seriously.

We offer a money-back guarantee.

If you aren't satisfied within the first 30 days, we will refund your money, no questions asked.

Additionally, we understand the importance of your online presence and are dedicated to providing the best possible service to ensure your website runs smoothly and securely.