Does Your Website Belong To You?

I did a podcast episode in May 2007 about owning a domain name in which I mentioned that you should make sure that your domain name is in your name. My goal was to help you make sure that someone else does not have control of your domain name — which means that they ultimately have control of your website as well.

A recent post at Mom Masterminds though reminded me that there are several other ways in which dishonest or greedy web designers and hosts might hold your website hostage.

Apparently, some web designers want to ensure that you can’t go elsewhere for any of your web services, so they use tactics in their contracts that give them control of your website, that someone who is brand new to the Internet and web design would never spot. Other designers and host are ignorant of proper procedures themselves and end up doing things to your site that can jeopardize your business.

Here are some things to look out for:

1. Make sure your domain is registered in your name. Do not allow your designer or host to register the site in their name. If the host or or designer disappears or decides to hold your domain hostage, you may not have any recourse.
2. If you want your domain registration information private (as in, your name and address aren’t listed in the WHOIS registry), don’t post bogus information in the contact fields of your domain name. This is against ICANN regulations and could result in having your domain name revoked. Make sure you use a domain privacy service to mask your information, instead. These services can be purchased for a small additional fee at your registrar.
3. Make sure you have all usernames and passwords needed to login to your website. I am amazed every time a client comes to me and has no idea how to access their website — and apparently never received the login information. If the host or designer decides to without that information, you’re out of luck.
4. Always make sure you can backup your website via a web-based control panel and download the backup to your computer. Even if you have the best web host and designer in the world, servers have been known to crash — and you don’t want your site to go with it.
5. Consider whether or not it is worthwhile to pay more to be able to take your website with you. Some companies provide content management or ecommerce systems that can only be hosted with them. If you decide to move elsewhere, you’ll need to rebuild your site. (Of course, if you’re not wanting to use their software any more, you’d need to rebuild anyway.) At the very least, make sure you’ll be able to download all of your files for safe keeping and that you keep copies of your textual content in files on your computer.
6. Be very careful when telling your current web host that you’re moving elsewhere. I recommend doing this in writing and giving the host a specific date on which you’ll have all of your stuff removed. Some hosts take cancellations personally and respond in a none-to-pleasant manner, by cancelling your website immediately. Always make sure you have your site backed up and downloaded, at least, before you cancel. Even better, make sure your new site is ready to go and your domain name has been pointed at the new server before you cancel.
7. Review your contract to see what copyright provisions have been made. Are you the owner of your graphics and site design, or have you just been given the right to use them?

I strongly recommend you closely review any contract you sign or TOS that you agree to, to ensure that you are not giving up the rights to your website. Also, make sure you closely read the payment requirements in the terms of service, and closely follow the company’s payment rules.

This will ensure that your site is in your control, not someone else’s.

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