Are you locked out of your own website?
Over the years we have helped many clients gain access to their own website that was being controlled by their current or past web designer. Sometimes we get little to no cooperation from that web designer, which is unfortunate. We have been very fortunate to host and maintain most of the websites we have ever built for our clients. Every so often we get a call from a client who wishes to have someone else manage their website for them. This is no problem at all. We know that situations change and businesses evolve in different ways. When this does happen, we make sure their new web developer has access to anything and everything they need to be able to do their job. We not only owe that to our client, we owe that to the next web developer. It is the right thing to do and it is what being a professional is.
We just had one of these such transitions happen with one of our long time clients. We helped the new developer with whatever he needed. We were very happen to get this email from him.
I wanted to thank you for making this process as easy as you have. When the shoe is on the other foot I always do the same. However, there are some people I’ve dealt with during a transition that make it such a difficult process. Dragging their feet and doing anything they can to make it harder on me. You’re a testament to our profession.
Thanks again
A few things to consider when you have a website developed. You will be putting both time and money into not only developing your new website but also to advertise your website.
The last thing you want is be “locked out” of your website.
When having a website developed, there are 3 main items related to the website itself.
Your domain name: Example www.wallfrog.com
Your email address: Example info@wallfrog.com
Your website hosting: Your new website needs to “live” somewhere so that it can be viewed on the internet. When you purchase hosting for your website, you are paying for server space for your website to reside.
These three services can be all in one place or they can be provided by three different companies.
Typically you would either purchase these items directly from a company such as GoDaddy or from your web development company. Either way, you want to make sure that you ultimately “own” these services so to insure you don’t get locked out of them in the future.
Typically you would get “locked out” for three different reasons.
1. The person or company you originally hired to develop a website for you handled these services for you. They may have had good intentions but for whatever reason they are no longer around or they are out of business.
2. The person or company you originally hired to develop your website never informed you that you were actually “renting” these services from them. This is the case often where the web developer technically owns your domain name and controls your email system and website hosting. As long as you keep paying the monthly fee, it is yours but the day you want to make a switch, you find out that nothing you have can be taken with you.
3. You may have hired a non professional, non ethical company that wants to control everything to hold you ransom and make sure that you always need to come back to them for service.
How does Wallfrog handle these services?
We realize that every business is different and every owner wants to have a different involvement in their internet presence. We do offer a package where we register our clients domain name on their behalf, host their website and set up their business email. These clients are typically not involved in managing these services as they are the type that does not want to be involved. The hire us to handle this for them. We do however, make sure that they know they own their own domain name, their own website and their email system. If they ever need or want to make a change to another provider, we will work with that provider to ensure a smooth transition.
For those who may be a little uncomfortable with giving another company control , we help our clients set up their own domain and hosting accounts through GoDaddy.
In this case they pay directly to GoDaddy, the account is in their name, they have access to it and they control it. We just help them set it up properly and make sure we get their new website working in their own godaddy account. For email, we recommend Google’s G Suite. We have set this up for over 250 businesses and also use it for Wallfrog. Not only is it a great email system, it is not tied to the company that either hosts the website or registers the domain name. I have seen too many companies need to switch hosting providers and then have to set up a whole new email system again.
Just to review….
When having a website developed or redesigned, make sure that you…..
Own your own domain name, know where it is registered and how to access it.
Own your own website, the images on that website along with any graphics or content. Be sure to know where it is hosted and how to access it.
Control your own email system, be sure that it is in your name and you know how to access it.
If you ever need help answering any of questions related to your current websites, we can help.
