In the News

"Similar to the Yellow Pages, Homestead Directory ($99 a year) lists businesses in various categories--and sees thousands of visitors a day."
May 2008

"[Microsoft's] Page Manager is straightforward and requires no technical knowledge, though I found it less intuitive and less flexible than a similar service offered by Intuit's Homestead, which starts at $5 a month."
March 20, 2008

"Over the past decade, Justin Kitch has helped hundreds of thousands of entrepreneurs establish a web presence through his website host and creator company, Homestead.com."
March 1, 2008

"Intuit said the buy will enable it to offer Web-site creation and e-commerce solutions that help small businesses acquire and serve customers through the Internet."
November 26, 2007

"Through Homestead products you can build a Web site (Quicksites), build an e-commerce store (Storefront) or promote your site through search engine advertising (SearchLight). You can also have Homestead build you a custom Web site (Design Services)."
May 23, 2007

"Justin Kitch, CEO of Menlo Park, Calif.-based Homestead Technologies Inc., advises small and growing businesses on the influence of the Web."
May 1, 2007

"After four months she switched to Homestead, which had downloadable software so she could more easily customize the look of the site. And she got an extra site for her photos, all for $19.95 a month. Putting photos up quickly herself, instead of waiting for a designer to do it for her, makes her site seem fresh and up-to-date. Says Kalabokes: 'A lot of wedding planners ask me, 'How did you get your pictures up from that wedding that happened just a week ago? My designer takes a month and charges $150 per hour.'"
February 26, 2007

February 22, 2007

"Justin Kitch, CEO of Homestead Technologies, a Web-site creation company, called the impact of the Internet a 'seismic shift for small business that will only increase over the next five years.'"
February 15, 2007

"According to an expert in Web site design, small businesses' Web sites are failing to leverage the Internet. As a result, many of them won't be around for very long. But there are ways to counteract this trend, said Justin Kitch, CEO of Menlo Park, Calif.-based Homestead Technologies Inc. at Tuesday's Small Business Summit. Kitch offered these 10 clues that will let small businesses know whether their Web sites -- and, by extension, their businesses -- are dead. "
February 14, 2007

"Included with every package is a QuickSite Design. These are professionally designed websites with complete web pages, including suggested navigation, content and images. You can select from over 2000 pre-built sites organized into 100 business categories such as restaurants, real estate, weddings, professional services and more."
February 4, 2007

"One of the most exciting, and untapped opportunities on the Internet is people turning their skills and services into small, web-based businesses," said Justin Kitch, founder and CEO of Homestead Technologies.
February 1, 2007

Homestead CEO speaks with John Jantsch about the fundamentals of online marketing for small businesses.
January 11, 2007

"Menlo Park (Calif.)-based Homestead Technologies, which helps entrepreneurs design and maintain their Web sites, has come up with a list of the best home-based business opportunities for 2007. Manvinder Saraon, the company's vice-president of marketing and business development, discussed a few of them recently with Smart Answers columnist Karen E. Klein."
January 10, 2007

"Looking for a one-stop provider of search engine advertising programs? Check out Homestead SearchLight."
January 1, 2007

"Plenty of big companies started in a garage, a barn or a tool shed. What small idea will burst into a big one in 2007? Homestead.com, a Menlo Park, Calif., software company, has compiled a list of hot ideas for entrepreneurs in the new year. The latest trends involve home-based, service businesses that are inexpensive to set up."
December 28, 2006

"Justin Kitch, founder and CEO of Homestead, expects aspiring entrepreneurs to turn to the Web to launch their service-based enterprises. 'One of the most exciting, and untapped opportunities on the Internet is people turning their skills and services into small, Web-based businesses,' said Kitch. 'Service businesses traditionally have much lower start-up costs and are primarily very local in scope, so they're impervious to national competition and outsourcing."
November 30, 2006

"Here's some holiday cheer for web-based businesses: A record number of shoppers will spend online this year. Online holiday sales are expected to reach $27 billion, a 23% jump over last year, according to Forrester Research. Is your web site ready? If not, it's not too late to prepare."
November 22, 2006

November 17, 2006

"A Web site building tool for the technically unsavvy. The drag-and-drop software lets you create a Web presence with minimal pain. Pick or transfer a domain name, set up e-mail accounts and choose from 2,000 custom Web site design options via a library of one million graphics, photos and clip art. You also get weekday technical support via e-mail or phone."
October 23, 2006

"Just like in any well-run office or home, getting rid of clutter is key. The same applies to your website. There should be lots of white space, no background, and no sounds, says Kitch. 'People aren’t going to a restaurant website to be entertained. They are going there to find out information about eating at the restaurant.' Unless you are running a site made for entertaining viewers, leave the dazzle to Hollywood."
October 17, 2006

"From market research to Web design, some online tools can help improve your site and save you money at the same time."
October 17, 2006

"Thinking of starting a business out of your home? You're not alone. Home-based businesses are appealing to a growing number of workers who long for a better work-life balance, according to recent research by Darrell Zahorsky, small-business expert for About.com."
October 16, 2006

"Small businesses need to have a vibrant Web presence. Plenty of other enterprises are more than happy to exist."
September 29, 2006

Homestead CEO offers top home-based trends, inspiration and advice to aspiring entrepreneurs
September 9, 2006

Justin Kitch, Homestead CEO & founder, discusses the benefits of starting a home-based business.
September 6, 2006

"Now new advances exist for small business owners wanting a basic professional website at an affordable price. I recently built my business website in two hours using the easy-to-use services of a company called Homestead."

Justin Kitch, CEO & founder of Homestead Technologies, Inc. discusses why online visibility will help your business grow and remain competitive.
August 4, 2006

"Four years after shifting the focus of its "do-it-yourself" web site building business from the general public to small businesses, the strategy is bearing juicy fruit. The profitable Menlo Park company is boasting high-speed revenue growth, packing new employees and giving giant rivals something to worry about."
July 28, 2006

"Small businesses are setting up web sites and tackling e-commerce, but most get lost among the millions of other business sites…Do-it-yourself web site creator Homestead Technologies, Inc., in Menlo Park has just introduced SearchLight, which helps small-business Web sites improve their search engine results starting at $29.99 a month."
July 17, 2006

"According to Kitch, small businesses are losing valuable sales because potential customers simply cannot find them online. 'Their business Web site is not visible within search engine results, or they're buried in the results by the national chains, making them virtually non-existent to qualified and motivated customers.' "
July 06, 2006

"Homestead SearchLight is a solution for you to consider if you want professional help in getting your web site listed on search engine rankings."
July 02, 2006

"SearchLight is an effort to 'level the playing field' with larger, national businesses who reap most of the benefits from internet advertising. The service makes small business websites appear more prominently and frequently within appropriate search results, enabling potential customers to access the products or services more quickly and easily."
June 28, 2006

"SearchLight provides key-word selection and management of bids to optimize search-engine returns, development of advertising copy and reporting. Searchlight can be set up in less than an hour, and packages start at $30 per month for 240 clicks."
June 19, 2006

"I can even sell on the site, since Homestead allows a PayPal secure payment option. So far as I have used it, the site has been able to offer me all the bells and whistles I want, and still keep their price within an acceptable range for me. No, they're not paying me to write this article. I just felt that other photographers might be in the same place I am and this would be a good route to follow."
Spring, 2006

"Every business must have a website. If you want to start out with a very simple site that's more like a digital brochure, that's fine for now. But consider having a website filled with relevant information for your customers, partners and employees. You can easily build a website on your own using tools from Homestead Technologies, Microsoft Office Live or many other web-hosting companies."
May 15, 2006

"Kia Ferguson, owner of the Plain Jane Soap Co. in the Bronx, decided to use Homestead Technologies to help her design and, ultimately, host her e-commerce site. That decision hinged on cost, she says. Courtesy of online tools and a special introductory offer, the actual design was easy and free, Ms. Ferguson says. She pays only $19.99 a month for hosting and can make changes to her site at any time. The package also includes technical support, maintenance and upgrades--which is important."
May 08, 2006

"Web site design can be done inexpensively by you or your staff with the help of online authoring companies and tools. One of the most popular is Homestead.com."
May 01, 2006

"For a non-techie, small-budget retailer taking its first steps onto the Web, the best bet may be a turnkey operation from a well- known company."
April 19, 2006

"There are decent small-business site-building tools from a few companies, including Yahoo and Interland (now Web.com), and there's also well-established player Homestead, which has just updated its small-business site builder. I think it's worth checking out."
April 04, 2006

Justin Kitch, Homestead CEO & founder offers small business advice and discusses the importance of developing an online strategy on the nationally syndicated radio program.
April 04, 2006

"It's refreshing to know there's still old fashioned little house on the prairie like companies, such as Homestead, that believe in the telephone yet still use advanced programming techniques and PPC online marketing services."
March 27, 2006

"'We always try to go out of our way to come out with cool and unique ways to show our employees they're doing a good job,' says David Wu, chief operating officer. 'People loved them. Productivity is as high as it's ever been.'"
March 23, 2006

"Homestead has tried to avoid the 'everything to everyone' model, by offering what we feel are essential and customizable online marketing products and services."
March 15, 2006

Justin Kitch, Homestead CEO & founder discusses web site design and the importance of search engine advertising for small businesses.
March 03, 2006

"'I completed the Web site the evening before the expo and received an order for 400 units a few days after the expo,' Safkow says. 'By building the site with a do-it-yourself tool, I went from launch to profit in under a week. My cost was under $100, plus my time.'"
February 27, 2006

"The templates are OK, but they aren't nearly as varied or attractive as those available at Homestead.com, another site that offers quick Web page creation for small businesses."
February 23, 2006

"The hosting service, Homestead Technologies, throws in analytical tools from Media Highway International's RealTracker. I can tell the order in which visitors viewed pages, what Web sites they came from, and what search terms they used, among many other things. This information is invaluable for designing effective Web sites."
February 09, 2006

"Armed with little or some HTML skills and a few Web tools, newbies should start with an account at a site such as Yahoo GeoCities or Homestead. Both hosts provide simple step-by-step design tools and templates, as well as modest amounts of storage, bandwidth, and e-mail addresses. For example, Homestead's basic $9.99-per-month package gives you a 10-page site with 50MB of storage and 15GB of bandwidth."
December, 2005

"True to its name, Homestead QuickSites whips up Web sites in a hurry. As with Bubbler, you can establish an attractive, functional Web presence without knowing the first thing about Web hosting or HTML. But whereas Bubbler uses a blog-tool-on-steroids approach (operating entirely from a local client), QuickSites is better thought of as a full-blown—though approachable—Web site creation tool and hosting service."
September 20, 2005

September 8, 2005

"While the naysayers were turning away from consumer Web hosting businesses, Homestead Technologies has quietly built a robust enterprise on delivering exceptional value to individuals and businesses who have modest needs for a Web presence. While most hosting companies are satisfied to keep the Web server running and the spam filters clear, Homestead continues to deliver strong value to its portfolio of loyal customers. The company takes its biggest leap forward this Spring by offering [QuickSites], a turnkey offering of best-in-class Web site design and architecture, fully customizable, yet targeted to specific business types. [QuickSites] goes beyond hosting to deliver the look and feel of professionally created Web presence."
February 15, 2005