In today's digital age, your website is often the first impression potential customers have of your business. But "having" a website and truly "owning" it are two different things.
Many business owners are surprised to discover they don't have full control over their most crucial digital asset.
This lack of control can lead to significant problems if you ever need to make changes, transfer your site, or even just understand if your marketing efforts are working.
So, do you really own your website? Let's explore some key questions every business owner should be able to answer.
Your domain name (e.g., yourcompany.com) is your website's address on the internet.
While you register a domain, it's important to understand that you don't own it outright indefinitely; it's more like a lease that requires regular renewal.
If you don't know where your domain is registered (the registrar) or how to access your account, you risk losing your domain if it expires.
Worse, if someone else, like a former agency or employee, controls these credentials, you could be locked out.
Actionable Step: Use a "WHOIS lookup" tool (easily found online) to identify your domain registrar. Ensure you have the login credentials and that the contact information associated with the domain is accurate and accessible to you.
My website domain is registered with GoDaddy. Wherever your domain is registered, the next step is to log in to that site and find out if you have access and control of your website domain.
True website ownership means having the administrative access to make necessary changes.
This includes updating content, managing user permissions, and modifying website settings.
It's not uncommon for business owners to find out, often at a critical moment, that their web developer or marketing agency holds all the administrative keys.
This can leave you dependent on them for even minor changes and potentially block you from accessing your own data or making urgent updates.
Actionable Step: Confirm that you have full administrative access to your website’s content management system (CMS), like WordPress, HubSpot, Squarespace, Wix, Shopify, etc.
You should be able to add, edit, or remove content freely.
Website hosting is the service that stores your website's files and makes them accessible to visitors online.
Like your domain, you typically rent server space from a hosting provider rather than owning the server itself.
Not knowing who hosts your website or lacking access to your hosting account can become a major hurdle if you need to migrate your site, troubleshoot performance issues, or manage backups.
Actionable Step: Identify your hosting provider. This information might be in your records, or you can use an online hosting checker tool. Ensure you have the login credentials for your hosting control panel.
Fresh, relevant content is vital for search engine optimization (SEO) and keeping your audience engaged.
If you're unsure when your website content was last updated, it could indicate that you lack practical control or a clear content strategy.
Stale content can negatively impact your search engine rankings and reduce your credibility with potential customers.
Answering common customer questions on your site regularly, for example, can significantly improve your visibility in search results.
Actionable Step: Check your website for the last modified dates on key pages. If you use a CMS, it often logs content changes.
Reviewing your sitemap.xml file can also provide clues about when pages were last crawled or updated.
NERD ALERT! Sitemaps can look like a bunch of gibberish.
If you are using HubSpot, you can easily see the latest updates.
Losing control over these core aspects of your website can be more than just an inconvenience; it can be detrimental to your business.
Your website, domain, and associated profiles like your Google Business Profile are valuable digital assets, as important as any other business investment and It's crucial to manage them actively.
Quick Ownership Checklist:
If you answered "no" to any of these questions, or if this raises more questions than answers, it's time to take action. Understanding and securing these elements of your online presence is fundamental to your business's success.
Feeling unsure about where you stand with your website ownership or how to get the answers you need?
Phil Wiseman of Analytics That Profit specializes in helping businesses navigate these very issues. He can help you understand your current situation and ensure your digital marketing efforts are actually driving customers, not just vanity metrics.
Schedule a 15-minute virtual call with Phil Wiseman today to get your questions answered and gain clarity on your website's true ownership and performance.
Analytics That Profit is dedicated to helping businesses like yours take control of their digital assets!