Your Website: A Piece of Digital Real Estate Worth Protecting
Your website is your piece of online real estate - are you treating it like that? Just as you would carefully select the location and design of your dream home, so too should you put thought into the creation and upkeep of your website. It's where customers will go to learn more about you, access your products and services, and make purchases. Don't risk neglecting this valuable digital property.
In this article, we'll explore the crucial elements of website ownership and maintenance, ensuring you have complete control over your digital real estate.
Domain: Owning Your Online Address
Any business, big or small, needs a website. It's an essential way to reach customers, promote your products and services, and build your brand. While there are many ways to create a website, the best way to ensure that you have complete control over your site is to buy your domain name and host your site. When you own your domain, you have the comfort of knowing that no one can take it away from you.
Domain names still require an aspect of monitoring as you need to ensure it is renewed annually and your billing details remain current so that renewal can go ahead. If it is not renewed on time, there is a possibility it is listed as available for sale and a third party could purchase it from under you without you realising it. Typically these buyers attempt to sell it back to you for a huge resale markup because they know you'll probably want to back.
And if you ever need to move your site to another hosting service, you can do so without losing any visitors, since they'll still be able to find your site at the same address. In short, ownership gives you independence and control over your website - two things that are essential for any business.
Hosting: Choosing a Reliable Home for Your Website
Not all hosting is created equal. When you entrust your website to a hosting service, you are placing a great deal of trust in that company. Not only are you relying on them to keep your site up and running smoothly, but you are also giving them a certain amount of control over your online presence. This is why it is so important to choose a hosting service that you can trust. After all, you don't want to hand over ownership of your website to someone who might not have your best interests at heart.
Fortunately, there are a few simple steps that you can take to ensure that you are comfortable with the company that is hosting your website. First, be sure to read reviews from other users. This will give you a good idea of what others have experienced with the company. Second, take the time to contact customer support and ask questions about the service. This will help you get a feel for the level of support that the company offers. Finally, remember that you can always switch hosting services if you are not happy with the one that you are using. By taking these steps, you can be sure that you are comfortable with the company that is responsible for your online presence.
Maintenance: Keeping Your Website Secure and Up-to-Date
Website maintenance is often viewed as a necessary evil - something that needs to be done regularly but is often seen as a chore. However, it is important to remember that your website is an extension of your business, and as such, it is important to ensure that only those who are authorized to do so have access to it. This not only helps to protect your ownership of the site but also provides a comfort level for those who may be concerned about the security of their personal information. In addition, by being proactive in monitoring who is accessing your site, you can help prevent any unauthorised changes from being made. As a result, taking the time to monitor who is doing maintenance on your website can save you time and money in the long run.
Content: Maintaining a Strong Brand Voice
Lastly, it's important to be aware of who is creating content for your website. Not only do you need to be sure that all the content is accurate and up-to-date, but you also need to be comfortable with the style and tone of the writing. After all, your website is an extension of your brand, and you want to make sure that it accurately reflects your company's values and voice. Furthermore, by monitoring the content on your website, you can ensure that it remains independent and objective. This is especially important if you're using customer testimonials or reviews on your site. By monitoring the content on your website, you can protect your brand and maintain a high level of control over your online presence.
As you can see, there are a few things to think about when it comes to access and ownership of your website. It's important to be comfortable with the host you choose, as they will be responsible for maintaining your site and ensuring that it is available online at all times.
Ready to take control of your website? Contact our team to discuss service options or view our maintenance & concierge plans here.
