Web designer Ashleigh Atkinson explains why small businesses must retain control over their digital assets – and how to spot the warning signs before signing on with a website provider.
If you need to ask permission and pull out your credit card just to change something on your own website, something’s not right.
And I see it happen way too often. Small business owners sign up for these shiny, all-inclusive website packages because they sound easy. Everything is “done for you.” You don’t have to think about it. It’ll “save time” and “streamline your systems.” But hidden in the background? You get no logins or access, and you have no idea where your website is hosted. And when something needs updating, you realise you’re completely dependent on someone else to do it for you.
All you wanted to do was change your opening hours or swap out a photo of your ute. Now you’re stuck waiting days or being charged a ridiculous amount for someone to do it for you.
I recently had a business owner call me who could not access his website and the person who built it had actually died. So there was no way to get into the hosting (that was in the website designers name and login) or get control of it again.
Red flags to look for
If you’re a small business owner thinking about working with a marketing agency, website provider, or digital platform, here are a few things you need to look out for.
1. If they don’t give you your logins, walk away: This is the bare minimum. If someone builds you a website, or sets up a platform, and doesn’t give you access, it’s not really yours. You’re paying for something you can’t control. It doesn’t matter how slick it looks if you need to send an email every time you want to fix a typo.
2. Ask what’s actually included: Be wary of terms like “unlimited support” or “monthly maintenance” if they’re not clearly explained. Can you add a new page? Can you update a gallery? Do you get help if something breaks? Is there a cap on how much support is “unlimited”? Don’t be afraid to push for detail. If it sounds vague, it probably is.
3. Find out what happens if you leave: You might love the service now, but things change. Ask what happens if you stop working with them. Can you take your website with you? Do you get access to your files? What systems are you tied to? I’ve seen people lose everything because they didn’t know the fine print until it was too late.
4. Read the contract properly: Watch out for minimum terms, sneaky renewal clauses, and weird cancellation rules. If you have to give 90 days’ notice just to get out, or there are extra fees to “release” your content, that’s not right. Good providers should want you to stay because it’s working, not because you’re stuck.
5. You should be able to do the basics: Even if you don’t plan to be hands-on, you should still be shown how to make simple updates like change a price or update your phone number. You don’t need to be a web design genius and completely update your site, but you should at least have the option to do things yourself when needed.
Questions to ask your service provider
Here are a few questions to ask upfront:
- Will I get full admin access to the website and platforms?
- Can I make updates myself? Will you show me how?
- What happens when the contract ends?
- Are there extra fees I should know about?
- What do I get to keep if I choose to move on?
At the end of the day, you shouldn’t have to jump through hoops just to make a small update and then receive a $500 bill. Your website is an asset of your business and you should have full ownership of it, you shouldn’t feel like a guest in your own business.
