In many cases, agencies are actually the biggest growth driver for hosters. They bring in multiple clients at once, manage websites long term, and often stay loyal to platforms that support their work.

Unfortunately, hosting providers are slowly losing these agencies to modern platforms like WP Engine, Cloudways, Kinsta… These platforms are simply better suited to agency needs.

We talked about this with Vito in the latest episode of our podcast:

The main problem: hosters don’t fully understand agencies

According to Atarim’s own research, over 70 percent of agencies say support is the most important factor when choosing where to host, making it the number one priority for hosters who want to keep their agency customers.

As Vito said in the podcast: “The number two [priority] was client management and agency-related tooling that will enable them to manage multiple accounts at the same time… a reseller and a good affiliate program came in at single digits [!!!]”

This indicates that traditional, outdated hosting tools are not keeping up with industry trends. Offering a low price doesn’t make up for the complexity and hassle agencies have to deal with. Over time, this leads to losing agencies and their clients with them.

How to better understand agencies? Get to know them!

If you want to build stronger relationships with agencies, you have to understand them better. And there’s no better place to do that than the Web Agency Summit, the fifth edition is organized this year by Atarim together with Omnisend.

It’s a 4-day online event packed with sessions, interviews, and panels focused on agency life. The plan is for 15,000 people to attend.

Here are some quick facts from the summit website:

• Over 40 speakers from companies like Google, GoDaddy, and Microsoft
• Free to attend
• Live networking and on-demand replays
• Real talk about tools, workflows, AI, and building strong businesses

If you’re serious about working with agencies, this is the place to start. Not to mention that it is an excellent opportunity to sponsor the event and get visibility of your hosting brand.

And it’s free. Just sign up here: https://atarim.io/summit/

The post Why is the Web Agency Summit important for hosters? appeared first on webhosting.today.

1. Kevin Ohashi: Can WordPress Save The Hosting Industry?

• When: Monday 1:10 pm – 1:40 pm (CET)
• Where: La Scala, Hotel Colosseo

Kevin Ohashi is the go-to guy if you’re looking to get the lowdown on web hosting. He’s not just talking out of the blue; he’s got the numbers from analyzing 430,000 reviews of web hosting companies! His benchmarks on WordPress hosting are what everyone else compares to, so he’s got insights you won’t find just anywhere. Kevin’s deep dive into what’s hot and what’s not in web hosting can help you make smarter choices for your own business.

2. Jan Löffler: The Influence of AI in Hosting

• When: Tuesday 5:05 pm – 5:25 pm (CET)
• Where: Dome Stage (Dome)

You must check out Jan Löffler’s talk if you want to stay ahead with the latest industry trends. He’s the tech wizard at WebPros, cooking up all the innovation and cloud strategy. Jan is going to break down how AI is changing the game in the web hosting industry market, making the services way smarter, from running smoother to strengthening up security. Plus, you’ll get some killer tips on how to use these changes to your advantage and keep your business on top.

3. Jürgen Schmidhuber: A Conversation with the Father of Modern AI

• When: Tuesday 5:30 pm – 6:00 pm (CET)
• Where: Dome Stage (Dome)

Right after Jan’s debate about AI in the hosting industry, we have a unique opportunity to learn from “the father of AI” Jürgen Schmidhuber. Elon Musk described him: “Schmidhuber invented everything.”, he significantly contributed to the field of deep learning and thanks to his research, we can now observe the AI revolution all around us. He’s sharing his insights on what’s next for AI, including the potential and the perils. This talk is a deep dive into the AI revolution and a look at our place within it

4. Igor Seletskiy: WebHosting Industry in Numbers by CloudLinux

• When: Wednesday 10:40 am – 10:50 am (CET)
• Where: Dome Stage (Dome)

Igor Seletskiy, the founder of Cloudlinux needs no special introduction. He started CloudLinux and turned it into a big name in the hosting game, especially for making servers work better and safer. Based on the numbers CloudLinux collected across its 500,000 installations, he will provide us with unique statistics about hardware, virtualization, software, and security aspects, including web applications your clients run and software hosters use.

5. Jason Haworth: Understanding Web Traffic: The Good, the Bad, and the Costly

• When: Wednesday 12:20 pm – 12:35 pm (CET)
• Where: Arena Stage (Foyer)

Jason Haworth knows a ton about tech, with 20 years of experience working with big companies and on big projects involving IoT, 5G, and Cloud Transformation. In his speech, he’s tackling the tricky world of web traffic, showing that it’s not just about how many people visit your site, but what those visits mean. With BotGuard, he’s rolling out a new way to manage your website’s visitors, making sure you’re protected from the bad while boosting the good.

6. Abhishek Majithia: Hacking Humans Part 1: Social Engineering Live Onstage

• When: Wednesday 2:30 pm – 2:50 pm (CET)
• Where: Dome Stage (Dome)

Imagine being part of a show where a professional mind reader reveals how social engineering works, making you the main attraction! In just four parts, you’ll learn that no one is immune to the tricks of social engineering. It’s not only super fun to watch but also eye-opening, as you discover just how easy it is for someone to figure out what you’re thinking. Plus, there’s more to come with a panel discussion featuring the head of Cyberdivision for the German Federal Police. With Abhishek’s show, you get to see some amazing mind tricks, like thought control and predictions, that will totally blow your mind.

7. Jesse Friedman: Igniting Innovation

• When: Thursday 9:55 am – 10:05 am (CET)
• Where: Dome Stage (Dome)

Jesse Friedman is a big deal in the WordPress world, working on everything from the main platform to plugins and helping the community grow. He’s taught a lot of people about technology and WordPress at big conferences and used to teach at a university. His talk is all about how important new ideas are to WordPress hosting and what Automattic is doing to help hosting companies do better. Listening to Jesse could inspire you to come up with new ideas for the WordPress community after Cloudfest.

Jesse has two other talks and one extra panel for you during the event:

• Monday 4:00 pm – 4:30 pm (CET) at La Scala (Hotel Colosseo): Automattic Business Innovation: Empowering Hosts for Success
• Monday 4:30 pm – 5:00 pm (CET) at La Scala (Hotel Colosseo): Generative WordPress: Evolving with AI (panel)
• Tuesday 12:05 pm – 12:50 pm (CET) at Ballsaal Berlin: Unveiling the Next-Gen of WordPress Cloud Hosting

8. The Sky is Different Here: Internet Icon Nii Quaynor and the African Cloud

• When: Thursday 3:00 pm – 3:45 pm (CET)
• Where: Dome Stage (Dome)

Nii Quaynor is by many considered as “the African Father of the Internet.”, being one of the first to bring computer science knowledge to the continent. He set up the first ISP in West Africa and has been a key player in developing the Internet across the entire continent. In his talk, he’ll dive into how Africa’s digital landscape is booming and what that means for businesses looking to grow there. Listening to Nii is a chance to learn from a pioneer about the exciting opportunities in Africa’s growing digital economy.

The post Top 8 speakers to watch at CloudFest 2024 appeared first on webhosting.today.

1. WebPros

WebPros with its popular brands cPanel, Plesk and WHMCS needs no introduction. Every web hosting provider must stay updated with their latest innovations. They lead in providing the most popular software solutions for hosting providers, including cPanel, Plesk, and SolusVM, and they are setting industry standards. At CloudFest, they will undoubtedly highlight some of their latest solutions:

• Sitejet: An AI-powered state-of-the-art website builder seamlessly integrated into cPanel, Plesk and WHMCS
• WP Squared: A comprehensive WordPress solution tailored for web hosting services
• WP Guardian: Game-changing Centralized Security Management for WordPress

Exploring these innovations and the future development plans for their entire portfolio, as well as visiting their keynote speech is highly recommended.

Location: Booth A06

2. CloudLinux

The beloved Linux Web Hosting platform will be available at CloudFest, showcasing their latest updates and innovations, making it one of the most intriguing booths to visit. It’s important to note that Cloudlinux now encompasses a family of products, including KernelCare and Imunify. Additionally, their recent acquisition, Patchman, is playing a significant role in establishing itself as a leading security solution provider in the market.

Location: Booth F02

3. Supermicro

The AI revolution is significantly influencing the web hosting industry and it all starts with the hardware. Supermicro, one of the leading providers of servers for hosting providers, is at the forefront of this trend with its latest offering. Their latest solution, Supermicro Edge AI Solutions is a rack-scale storage solution aimed at accelerating AI and machine learning applications. This innovation marks an important step for hosting providers, offering them a way to integrate AI capabilities into their services and meet the growing demand for AI-powered solutions.

Location: Booth H08

4. Webuzo

Webuzo, a shared hosting panel developed by the team behind Softaculous, offers a solution aimed at hosting providers. It provides extensive functionalities for managing hosting accounts and is priced reasonably. It’s certainly worth considering, especially since they are also actively working on several other projects, including:

• Virtualizor: A powerful VPS Control Panel
• SitePad: An easy-to-use website builder
• Pagelayer: A WordPress page builder

These additional offerings demonstrate the company’s commitment to enhancing the web hosting ecosystem, providing tools that cater to a wide range of needs from server management to website creation.

Location: Booth S07

5. PanelAlpha

The team at ModulesGarden has introduced a new control panel for WordPress hosting. This customer-focused solution boasts an impressive UI/UX and offers versatility in the web hosting environment, supporting platforms such as cPanel, Plesk, or DirectAdmin. Additionally, they present their proprietary “PanelAlpha Engine,” a Docker-based solution designed for scalable hosting on VPS or dedicated servers.

They are also available to discuss their other offerings:

• ModulesGarden: the leading provider of modules for WHMCS in the market
• EasyDCIM: a comprehensive dedicated server provisioning and management system
• MetricsCube: a plug-and-play business intelligence solution for WHMCS

Location: Booth R07

6. Monarx

The team at Monarx has developed a next-level anti-malware solution designed for web hosting companies. This tool not only ensures the safety of their customers but also provides an opportunity to generate extra revenue through upselling.

Website security is no game, but they developed one anyway! Stop by Monarx’s booth and play a captivating game of Cyber Space Invaders. This year they also organize the World Server Throwing Contest, come show us how far you can pitch a bare metal server!

Location: Booth R03

7. Marketgoo

Marketgoo offers white-label SEO tools that web hosting companies can resell. Their products are continuously improving, and they intend to launch a new product named Domain Intelligence. This data solution is designed to enhance the business results of companies involved with domains or websites. It aims to do so by identifying upselling opportunities and providing insights into the customer base. If you’re seeking a new source of income in your web hosting business, it’s definitely worth considering.

Location: Booth H11

8. IceWarp

One of the leading options for mail server, messaging, and collaboration platforms, ideal for small, medium, and large enterprises. Their adaptable solution targets hosting providers as an alternative to Exchange services. Visit their booth to discover more about their offerings and establish a strong partnership to elevate your customers’ communication to the next level. Exploring this opportunity can significantly enhance your service portfolio, providing a competitive edge in the market.

Location: Booth R02

9. Tucows

The world’s second-largest domain registrar will be showcasing their latest updates and offers at CloudFest. As the parent company of Enom, OpenSRS, Ascio, and Hover, they partner with numerous web hosting providers, making it an excellent chance to meet the team, strengthen relationships, and stay informed about their most recent developments. Additionally, engaging with their experts can provide valuable insights into industry trends and how to leverage their platforms for your business’s growth.

Location: Booth G23

10. Upmind

A modern billing solution for web hosting providers, offered as a SaaS, it provides robust functionalities such as multi-branding, third-party automation, a support system, client area, invoicing, and, importantly, strong API integrations. This might present a compelling alternative to the most popular solutions currently available on the market, making it definitely worth exploring for any web hosting provider.

Location: Booth G18

The post 10 Must-See Exhibitors at CloudFest 2024 appeared first on webhosting.today.

1. Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of CloudFest with a massive party

Indeed, it’s been 20 years since the event first started (previously known as World Hosting Days). This anniversary serves as the ideal moment to celebrate the evolution of our industry over the years and to explore the new opportunities that await us shortly. Every evening, there will be a party that promises to be an amazing way to relax and connect with fellow industry enthusiasts.

2. Getting ahead with the latest tech updates

The web hosting industry is always changing, and CloudFest is the annual event where the finest ideas are shared. Whether you’re listening to speeches or discovering what the exhibitors have to offer at their booths, you’ll definitely be able to stay current with the latest trends and incorporate them into your business.

3. Experience the best networking opportunity for web hosting industry

Our industry, while being a niche, it’s spread worldwide. This event stands as the largest gathering to connect people, providing the perfect opportunity to meet face-to-face with your collaborators.

As our co-founder Konrad Keck said on his pilot episode of the podcast:

“There are many business owners in the web hosting industry that are isolated, the whole industry is a niche itself but people are spread around the world and except for an event like CloudFest, people don’t have much opportunity to speak to each other.”

Full episode of the podcast is available here: https://webhosting.today/podcast/pilot-episode-lukasz-gawior-web-hosting-market-is-changing/

4. Strengthen the partnerships

CloudFest offers a special opportunity to speak directly with software and hardware vendors, deliberate on future partnerships, and identify new opportunities for future collaboration. Engaging in these discussions not only fosters growth, sets up new partnerships but also sparks innovation, setting the stage for future success for your business.

5. Plan your strategy ahead

Attending an event like this is a fantastic source of inspiration, offering ideas on how to grow your business further. With all the insights and concepts presented, it provides an excellent chance to reevaluate your current strategy and envision new, significant advancements for your company. We believe it’s the perfect time for such a review, to collect information and advance.

The post Is it worth going to CloudFest this year? 5 reasons why you should. appeared first on webhosting.today.