Archives: Streaming Servers

When consuming Internet content, no one wants to go to a website that is inefficient. As a heavy Internet user I often come across streaming audio and video websites that offer the service I desire but I when hit the play button I see buffering and the spinning wheel of death. This is one of the most frustrating times for me as I purposefully bought the high speed Internet access from Time Warner Cable in my area. I can download at 50 mbps and upload at 5 mbps so there is no reason I should see a website slow to download audio or video content. Fortunately, for websites that serve streaming audio or any type of media there are Shoutcast server hosting options available at ROCKHOST.COM, Inc. Avoiding downtime or buffering could help a website increase viewership tremendously.

Internet Users Love The Music and Radio

When I was in college in the early 2000s I can clearly remember downloading WinAMP and trying to find music online. There were very few band websites. Music websites that would allow you to play music straight from a web browser were non existent. This was back in the day of Netscape Navigator and Webcrawler. Google, Apple and Facebook were not players yet. In fact, Google was just getting off the ground and Facebook wasn’t even an option. Apple was digging out of the brink of bankruptcy and the Internet was a free for all.

Things have changed drastically in the last decade. Many bands recognize that they need to promote some of their music online through a streaming option. When looking for the right type of hosting or servers many of these bands will seek out Shoutcast servers as it will allow them to avoid dead air or downtime. If a potential fan finds a band’s website and they cannot listen to the music it is comparable to going into a movie theater and none of the movies will actually roll film. Would customers walk into a Target and be pleased if they couldn’t buy a pack of chewing gum? These are problems that can be alleviated with the right type of hosting and customer support.

Hosting a Website with Music and Streaming Audio

A novice webmaster may go online and search for the cheapest possible hosting to get a website up and running. There are many common players in the industry but they offer a variety of products that may not be suitable for a website that has streaming audio files. Rather than taking the chance on a cheaper hosting plan it is a very wise decision to do the research up front. Having downtime on a website means that fans will be unable to listen to their favorite songs. Most Internet users have been on YouTube or another streaming video service when it does not work well. It can be very frustrating and we, as users, miss out on the experience of enjoying the tune or the moment.

To avoid this downtime it is suggested that webmasters look at the best options available with Shoutcast hosting. There are services available and finding the best option could be the difference in growing a fan club by 50% or losing fans. There are millions of websites that have irked potential fans so much that they will seek other options. From personal experience, I would rather go to a very well done, well hosted website even if the music is not the best. At least I can listen to an entire song or an entire album without having to see my browser jump to different parts of the song solely because the website server is not up to par.

It is important to note that bands play a big part in Shoutcast hosted websites but radio stations can benefit from this type of service. Year in and year out millions of diehard sports fans seek out radio broadcast options that are available online. This is especially true in small towns where the sporting events are not aired on TV. As consumers of content, Americans have accepted that it is now easier to find streaming audio or radio options online rather than bringing out the old fashioned radio and looking on the AM or FM dials.

Sports websites have realized this and they are willing to invest a little more money to gain access to premium hosting services. If there are any type of lengthy audio files on a website it is best to look at Shoutcast server hosting.

ROCKHOST.COM also offers a “Band Hosting” option that will make life much easier on a webmaster that wants to stream audio files. There are only so many hours in the day and band members and radio stations do not want to have to deal with the hassles of a website that is providing dead air rather than amazing music. These hours of the day should be put into creating the best music possible, not having to call customer service of a hosting company because a website is having issues handling the work load.

The Next Step

By contacting ROCKHOST.COM you will find there are quite a few options that will help fit your needs. To make life easier on bands and webmasters RockHost offers an option to submit a ticket and check server status. Being an experienced webmaster, I can assure you that some of hosting websites will force you to just wait out an issue. This is not the case at RockHost. There is also a pre sales contact form that will allow potential customers to ask any question that might be of importance. Rather than frustrating fans it is wise to get a server that will hold up during those peak traffic days.