Why It's Important to Own the Rights and be Involved in Your Website!

Being involved in the creation of your websiteand taking a role in the registration of it is a big deal. Currently there are major issues with leaving EVERYTHING up to a web designer or developer... here's why:

DOMAIN NAME:

Owning your own domain nameis EXTREMELY important. Currently I have a client who had a (so-called) web designer working on his website for 6 months. This designer purchased the domain names for both of the clients' companies and paid for the domain names with his own credit card (being then reimbursed by the client) and putting own his own information as the contact person on the account. 6 months after this "designer" was working on the site, he disappeared... money in hand... adtook the omain names with him... not even finishing the website. Now, the client as to PROVE that the domain names belong to him and has to go through a lengthy process to get back those domain names. The worst part of it all? The domain names were dot com's. Dot com domain names are the most commonly used domain names for businesses. If someone is going to type in your URL into the search box on their browser , they will automatically put a .com before they even think about entering a .biz, .net, or .org. THis client has had to purchase .org domain names for both of his businesses in the meantime while he attempts to retrieve his .com domain names. Make ure that YOU are the contact on the domain account! ou should register it yourself, pay for it with you own credit cardand make sure that your email address is on the account. Domain companies like GoDaddy will ask for the in number or last four digits of the credit card used to open the account. If you do not ave that info, you're S.O.L. Having you as the "point person" on the account is easy... you receive all the info and don't have to worry about getting it from a web designer.... AND there is no reason for a web designer to have themselves as the sole contact person on an account as they can literally call in, say they're the designer for the client, and they prety much have immediate access.

HOSTING:

Make sure that you are hosting your website with a company whose sole purpose is to host your websitea nd doesn't offer you tons of other add-on services (like GoDaddy). A client of mine was hosting with a company who provided them with a website template design to use on their website. Once the hosting company starte charging them not only a monthly hosting fee but a yearly hosting fee on top of that, in addition to other strange charges, the client decided to go elsewhere... the problemwas that the hosting company owned the right to the template, which forced this client to hire me to create a whole new web design for their site. Host with a company that doesn't tie you down with yearly contracts and outrageous fees! ERT offers month-to-month hosting that will allow clients to "get up and go" if they had the need to. This is a fantastic option.

WEB DESIGN/TEMPLATE:

Make sure that when you hire a web designer or developer that you will own the right to the design when the project is completed. THis means that you should be able o "get up and go" and take the design with you wherever you choose without resistance. If you pay for it, you should own it... at least that's my opinion.