Just have a quick update for you for now.  Just finished up putting together the first (of hopefully many more) web hosting eBooks for you to enjoy.  The Best of the Web Hosting Show Guides is a collection of some of the most popular guides I have posted and talked about here on the podcast.

Unlike other eBook deals, you get an extra perk with this setup.  You can download both the digital eBook version, or head over the the official page for it and pick up all five chapters as audio downloads too.  I wanted to give to you the best of both worlds.  The topics covered in the eBook cover all aspects of the web hosting world:

• Moving from Web Host to Web Host
• Getting going with your own Ecommerce Store Online
• How to Find a Job in the Web Hosting Industry
• Best Methods and Tips for Setting up a New Blog
• The Ever Popular Handy Guide to Domain Names

Download the PDF and let me know what you think.  Also as far as distribution goes, please feel free to share the link to download it to anybody and everybody you know.  This is a project of mine I have been working on getting together for some time now and I want everybody to know it is free of charge. 

This week marks a big mile stone for me and for you. This podcast marks the 3rd year the Web Hosting Show has been around, creating podcasts week after week to help you learn more about and get more out of the web hosting industry. In previous years I have had bigger celebrations but this year I’d like to tone it down a ‘bit.

I often get asked a few general questions about this show and how I do things so I thought this week’s show would be a perfect time to answer some frequently asked questions.

When and how did this podcast start up?

This podcast was a project I wanted to do after writing Lockergnome’s Guide to Web Hosting. After that eBook was finished, I needed something to spend my time on - and with podcasting still being an infant those days, I thought I would try to put together a weekly show. Three years later, I have yet to find a reason to stop yet.

Who are you to tell me about web hosting?

I’m just a guy who has a passion for the web hosting business. I’ve been described as a cheerleader by some, but personally I don’t think I look that good in a skirt. I started in the hosting industry back in 2003 - working as a level one support guru. Then I worked my way up to becoming both a customer service director, then manager. In late 2004 I was fired from my day to day hosting duties and decided to give freelance writing a shot. From there till 2006 I wrote about the hosting industry and worked for several Online juggernauts till I came back to customer service work at Lunarpages in September of 2006. I guess if you wanted to consider that a “day job”, my role there is the forum mod and “sales guy”.

What advice do you have to give other podcasters?

If anybody else out there wanted to do what I do about any topic out there under the sun, I would tell them to just give it a shot. You’ll never know if your any good unless you stop being afraid of failure and get of your rear end and try. I have been far from successful at everything I have done (everybody has a bad idea from time to time) but get an idea, grab a mic and talk. If the listeners come, they come. If they don’t then you at least can say you gave it your best shot.

What is next for the Web Hosting Show?

Well, with 400 to 500 episode downloads a month I am happy to say the Web Hosting Show’s audience continues to grow day after day, and podcast after podcast. As an example, here is my feed stats from day one to the present:

I want to keep doing what I’m doing, hopefully do it well.

Related Podcast Link: Listen to Episode 117!

Now I know not many people like the blogs or podcast on the blogs or podcasts. Talking about yourself talking about yourself can get a little confusing for some and a little boring for others. I just have a little ‘bit of news to share.

Here recently, within the last few weeks it seems that the listener base for the Web Hosting Show podcast has grown by leaps and bounds. Where we were getting the average download rate of 500 or so a week - you are now doing three times as much listening. At the time of writing this, last week’s podcast in the span of seven days had been downloaded 1,600 times. That’s a big mile stone for me and should be for you as well.

I think a big part of it has to do with the new flash player that I embeded on the WebHostingShow.com layout. This makes it easier than ever to listen to the show right there on the web site.

Now other podcasts or big-wigs in the hosting industry might laugh a little at that number. Sure, I’m not exactly the Ted Turner of web hosting yet and I’m not sure I’d ever want to be. I’m happy being your “web hosting industry media rock star” a guy that has a fun weekend hobby that people enjoy.

Feel free to continue spreading the word though on and about this show. Every mention, link and listen is appreciated.

Now I have made it no secret that Ping! Zine is one of my favorite magazines on and about the Web hosting industry. I have even done a few articles for them in the past as well, and I fully enjoy the staff there and their writings. So when Keith, the editor over there asked if I would like to partake in an exchange that would help you guys (the loyal Web Hosting Show audience) get a special deal - I couldn’t turn him down.

Ping! Zine has recently moved over from being a free publication for the Web hosting industry to a paid one. The price really is not all that bad. You can pay $24.95 for 8 issues of the magazine to be delivered right to your doorstep.

Need something a little better? Now, if you have never subscribed to Ping! Zine and you want to get it for free all you need to do is enter this coupon code during your checkout process.

WHS011907

Now who says I can’t find some darn good deals for you folks? For more information make sure that you check out our special Web page for this at webhostingshow.com/pingzine. Feel free to pass the word along about this free subscription deal, just make sure that you let them know it was the Web Hosting Show that got them the great offer.

Related Podcast Link: Listen to Episode 104!

Now it isn’t often that I go toward the “inside baseball” point of view here and talk about the podcast on the podcast. Since this is the big two year birthday though, I thought that most of you would humor me a little ‘bit and allow me to do so.

With the new tag search and media player on the Web Hosting Show’s Web site, you can see that I am still finding things to upgrade and improve on even two years down the road. Creating this podcast and WebHostingShow.com - it always seems like there is something else to do, that is why I like it so much.

While we are on the subject, I’d also like to thank all the Web sites and people out there that have helped support this hosting podcast from - well whenever they started to help. The folks over at FastServers.net are the ones who keep the server up and running. WebHostingChat.com has always been a great help as well.

Thanks also goes out to some of the people I have met and who have given me ideas or inspiration for continuing the podcast each and every week. Ron Dunlap, Amy Armitage, Pinny Cohen, Keith Duncan, and many more have dropped me E-mails or talked to me personally and have contributed to this show’s success in one way or another.

Now there is no way I am going to be able to mention everybody and anybody I have met over the past two years because of this show - but I just wanted to thank each and every one of you right here and right now because without you, this podcast would have never become a success.

As always, this will remain a radio show, podcast, netcast (whatever you want to call it) for the people - so if there is anything you want to see or if you ever feel like I am getting off track, let me know about it! Hopefully the first two years here are only a glimmer of what the Web Hosting Show will become and mean to the hosting industry in the coming years ahead.

Related Podcast Link: Listen to the Web Hosting Show, Episode 97!

Well, I asked for your opinions, thoughts and ideas on the Web Hosting Show’s big two year birthday that is coming up and a few of you sent some in my direction.

First things first, let us knock the date out of the way. The actual two year birthday of the Web Hosting Show will be celebrated on February 26.

That will be the last Monday of the month for those of you who might not have a calendar handy.

So what am I going to give away this year? Well since we had such good luck with giving away one free hosting account the year before, I thought this year we would do the same - but on a much bigger level. That is right, I am going to be handing out even more free Web hosting accounts.

This year’s big sponsor of the free hosting plans is Plzhost.com. They have offered up the following:

Disk Space: 200 MB
Bandwidth: 10 GB

They want to give away two free plans for life and three plans for six months of free hosting. On the six month plans - after the six months is up you will get $1.00 off the monthly fee or the yearly fee.

So how do you get in on this offer? All you have to do is drop me an E-mail at mitch@mitchkeeler.com and let me know why you have enjoyed the Web Hosting Show for however long you have been listening to it.

If you have been listening for four weeks - let me know why you have liked it over the four weeks. If you have listened since day number one, then let me know why you have stuck it out with me for so long.

Out of everybody that sends me an E-mail, I’ll pick a winner at random. The two free plans will go to the first two I pick, and if I still have some people needing hosting after that, then we will give away the other three plans that will provide you with six months of free Web hosting.

Tell your friends, tell your family - because the deadline for sending in your E-mails to me will be next Monday, February 12, 2007.

+ Check Out the Podcast This Was From! Listen to the Web Hosting Show, Episode 95!