Homestead Technologies

Homestead Technologies is a web hosting company based in Burlington, Massachusetts. Homestead offers its members WYSIWIG tools to build and publish their own websites. Since its founding in 1997[2] as a free service provider, Homestead has expanded the scope of its services to include online marketing, paid search ads, SEO tools and e-commerce services.[3] Homestead.com, which launched in June 1998 enables Internet users to build a feature-rich website by integrating and customizing content, with focus on small businesses and e-commerce and their related services, such as consulting, listings and online business directories. Homestead was chosen five times as winner of PC Magazine's "Top 100 Web site award: the best 100 sites on the Net" in April 2000, July 1999, April 1999, June 1998 and March 1998. Homestead is the pioneer of bringing build-your-own-website technology, but today many other companies offer the similar service, such as companies like Squarespace, Weebly, Wix and Squarebob.

Homestead Technologies Inc.
TypeSubsidiary
IndustryWeb services
FoundedOctober 1997 (1997-10)
Menlo Park, California, U.S.
FoundersJustin S. Kitch
Thai Bui
HeadquartersBurlington, Massachusetts, U.S.
Key people
Justin S. Kitch (Chairman and CEO)
Revenue$6.67 million[1] services = Web hosting service
E-commerce services
Online advertising
Number of employees
116 (2015)
ParentIntuit Inc. (2007-2012)
EIG (2012-present)
Websitewww.homestead.com

History

Founded in October 1997 by Justin S. Kitch and Thai Bui in Menlo Park, California, Homestead quickly made the rounds for its accessibility and ease of use. Its proprietary drag-and-drop SiteBuilder[4] platform enabled users with no prior knowledge of coding or web programming to create fully functioning websites for personal, educational or business use.[5] Homestead is geared mostly towards small business owners, non-profit administrators, retailers, and hobbyists, unlike competitors such as Angelfire and Yahoo! GeoCities, who target more casual users. By October 1999 member registrations reached two million.

In October 2003 Homestead Technologies launched PhotoSite,[6] a photo sharing and web hosting service tailored to amateur digital photography. In March 2005, PhotoSite was sold to United Online.[7]

In December 2007 Homestead was acquired by financial and tax preparation software giant Intuit for $170 million[8] to bolster its web hosting offerings. On August 16, 2012, Intuit announced that Homestead would be purchased by Burlington (Mass.) web hosting company Endurance International Group.[9]

Awards
  • 100 Best Sites for 2000, Yahoo! Internet Life - June 2000
  • Editor's Choice, PC Magazine, May 23, 2000
  • 100 Best Sites for 2000 "Best Free Web Pages", Yahoo! Internet Life - January 2000.
  • 50 Best Free Web Sites, Yahoo! Internet Life - May 2000
  • Top 100 Web sites, PC Magazine - April 2000, July 1999, April 1999, June 1998 and March 1998.
  • BEST Free Stuff on the Web, PC World, April 2000 and June 1999.
  • Editors' Choice, PC Magazine, April 6, 1999.
  • Investor's Choice and People's Choice Awards, Upside's Internet Showcase 1998.

See also

References
  1. "Company profile". Hoover's.
  2. "Homestead Technologies Inc.: Private Company Information". Bloomberg.
  3. Steiner, Ina (2007-02-04). "Homestead Sites for eBay Sellers". Auction Bytes. Retrieved 2007-04-25.
  4. Marx Andy (September 1999). "Take My Content...Please!". Internet World: 53–54.
  5. Babcock, Charles (April 21, 1999). "Homestead Offers Free Publishing System". Interactive Week Online.
  6. Hu, Jim (October 21, 2003). "Homestead adds photo service". CNET.
  7. "United Online Acquires Online Digital Photo Sharing Business from Homestead Technologies" (Press release). Homestead Technologies. 2005-03-28. Archived from the original on 2008-02-09. Retrieved 2007-04-25.
  8. "Intuit Completes Homestead Acquisition". Silicontap. 2007-12-19. Retrieved 2012-01-27.
  9. "Intuit Selling its Web Hosting Business to Endurance International Group" (Press release). TheWhir. 2012-08-16. Retrieved 2012-08-16.

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