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Do you own your own website?
Many companies only discover when they want to change supplier that the domain, the code or the accounts are in someone else's name. Here are the five things you should control, and how to check today.
Short answer
You own your website if you could change supplier tomorrow without losing anything. That sounds obvious, but many discover the opposite only on the day they try.
Five things you should control
- The domain. The address should be registered to your company, not to the agency or to a former employee. Whoever is listed as the holder decides over it.
- The hosting. You should know where the site lives and have your own login there, or a contract that says you get everything out if you leave.
- The publishing tool. You should have your own administrator account, not an account with limited rights that someone else handed out.
- The code and the content. The contract should say who owns what has been built and that you get a copy. Text and images you produced are yours, but make sure you can get them out.
- The accounts around it. Statistics, search engine tools, newsletter, advertising accounts and payment. They often hold several years of data and should belong to your company.
- Accounts around itStatistics, newsletter, adverts, payment
- Code and contentWhat has been built and written
- Publishing toolWhere you change the site
- HostingWhere the site lives
- DomainThe address visitors type
How to check
Make a list of the five points and answer two questions for each:
- Who is listed as the owner?
- Can at least two people on our side log in?
It takes half an hour and shows straight away where you are exposed.
Common traps
| Trap | Why it happens | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| The domain is in a private person's name | It was registered when the company was new | Move it while that person is still around |
| One person has all the passwords | It was the easiest way | Make sure at least two people can log in |
| The contract says nothing about what happens when you leave | Nobody asked | Ask before you sign, not after |
Ask before you hire anyone
Put three questions to every supplier, and ask for the answers in writing:
- In whose name are the domain and the accounts registered?
- Who owns the code once the project is paid for?
- What do we take with us if we change supplier?
A serious supplier answers without hesitating. Hesitation is an answer too.