When you are a small business owner, your website is your storefront. Even if you have a physical location, many clients will search for you online before they come to your store. That’s why tracking and recording the information you need to build and manage your website is essential. By carefully managing your domain name and other critical components, you will have complete control over your online assets, safeguarding your digital identity and brand.
Domain Name
Your domain name (e.g., mycompany.com) is also called a website address or URL (uniform resource locator). You purchase a domain name from a Registrar (e.g., NameCheap). Your domain controls your website and your email addresses, so it is essential that you own and control access to it. Think of your domain as equivalent to a physical store’s keys and security code. Here is what can happen if you don’t know who has the keys…
A few years ago, a fellow business owner, Mary* fired her office manager, Kaleb.* (She had very good reasons!) A few months later, the company website disappeared. That’s when Mary discovered that Kaleb had purchased the company’s domain name with his personal contact information. Mary had to hire a lawyer and work with the registrar (in a foreign country) to transfer the URL to her company. It was expensive and time-consuming.
*Names have been changed to protect privacy.
I advise my clients to buy their own URLs (if needed, I talk them through it using screensharing). Often, web developers will purchase URLs for their clients. If your developer does it for you, ensure they set you up as the owner. Then, you can grant them user access. Should you and your developer part company later, you can easily revoke their privileges and retain control of your domain.
Hosting Service
A hosting service is where your website files live. Generally, web developers have access to or can recommend a hosting service. But, like the domain name, you should control access to the space with your own logins and passwords. (Be wary of web developers who won’t provide access to the hosting service). You can choose your own hosting service if you want. Many registrars (e.g., NameCheap, etc.) offer reasonably priced hosting. Alternatively, you can choose a managed hosting service like WordPress.com. In any case, ensure you are the owner and then add your web developer as an authorized user.
If you choose a self-hosted service, you must log in to your control panel (cPanel) to access your website files. Depending on which hosting service you use, you may also need the login credentials for the file transfer protocol (FTP).
When you have access to the login information for the hosting service, cPanel, and FTP, you can “port” (transfer) your website to a different hosting service in case the fee increases or you decide to stop doing business with a particular web developer.
Website Platform
In the early days of the internet, websites were static – meaning we couldn’t change them easily. Designers would create a website and upload the files onto the hosting service’s server. Then, every time you wanted to change something on your website, you contacted your designer, and they made the change and uploaded the files directly onto the server.
Today, developers build websites using a content management system (CMS). The developer loads the CMS software on the server, which creates an interface so you can easily manage your website’s content – add images, post blog posts, or change the text on any page quickly and easily.
The more popular CMS platforms include:
- WordPress (over 60% of websites use this platform)
- Shopify (excellent for online stores)
- Squarespace
- Wix
Most website designers have a preferred CMS platform, so you must be comfortable with their choice. Discuss your preferences, knowledge, and skill level when interviewing developers to get a CMS that meets your needs. Ideally, the developer should provide some basic training or point you in the direction where you can learn the basics yourself.
Again, to build and manage your website, you should be the CMS owner (admin) and log in with your own login information. Then, give your developer access. It is common for developers to build your site as if they are the owner and then turn ownership over to you once you make the final payment. However, it is a good idea to confirm their plan before doing business with them.
Business Email
Free email addresses (Yahoo, Outlook, Gmail) are great, but for business purposes, they can only take you so far. Ideally, you should have a domain-specific email address (e.g., YourName @ YourDomain.com). Domain name email looks professional and can be authenticated – a way to prove your email address is not forged. For example, anyone can set up a free email account using your company name (e.g., ScammerName-YourBusiness @ freemail.com). Creating Betty @ MyBusiness.com ensures your authenticity to potential clients and suppliers.
Therefore, you need an email service provider. You can often add email services to your website hosting plan. Most web developers can set this up for you. However, some choose Google Workspace or Microsoft Exchange as their email service. The benefit of the latter is that you have access to other productivity tools that easily sync with your email (e.g., calendar, reminders, tasks, etc.). That is not always the case when using a mail exchange server provided by your website host.
For businesses that need secure, encrypted email, Proton for Business offers GDPR- and HIPAA-compliant data protection, secure calendars, cloud drives, and a VPN service at a highly competitive price.
Plugins, Add-ons, Extensions
Plugins, add-ons, and extensions are software applications that improve website functions or add new features. Some plugins help you with search engine optimization (Yoast), track your website visitors (Jetpack), compress images so they load faster (Imagify), and more.
Generally, plugins require a separate subscription. However, some managed hosted platforms like WordPress.com include many plugins with a business subscription. Often, website developers purchase a multi-site subscription at a discount and pass the deal on to the clients they host on their servers. However, if you and your designer part ways, you lose access to any plugins they provide, so ensure you know which plugins you use on your site. If the designer does not include plugins in their hosting fee, ensure you have control of the subscriptions – i.e., the name of the plugin and logins and passwords.
Other Information to Build and Manage Your Website
When you build and manage your website, you should also have the login credentials for other marketing tools that connect to it, such as:
- Newsletter system (MailPoet, MailerLite, MailChimp,)
- E-commerce platform (WooCommerce, Shopify)
- Social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram)
- Search engine tools (Google Search Console, Bing Webmaster)
- Website analytics (Google Analytics, Semrush)
Managing Your Website Login Information
I recommend using password management software (e.g., 1Password) to keep your usernames and passwords secure. Additionally, record other information related to your website, such as two-factor authentication details, renewal dates, and fees. Also, note the payment method you used because you might wish to cancel a service before the next payment is due or update the credit card data on file.
Remember, your website is your storefront. Beautiful and branded is excellent, but by keeping track of the information you need to build and manage your website, you protect your digital assets and secure the foundation of your business’s future in the digital landscape.
This post originally appeared on Metropolitan Organizing. It is reprinted with permission.