Do You Own Your Online Presence? The Importance of Full Access to Your Business’ Digital Assets

Watch this video or read the article below

If you're a small business owner with a website, we need to discuss something vital.

Do you have complete access to your Google Analytics and Google Search Console?

Can you modify your website at will?

Do you have control over your domain registrar where you registered your domain name, and your hosting where your website lives?

These questions may sound technical, but they have significant implications for your online presence and business health.

Why Full Access Matters

 

I've been in this industry since 2001. Before founding TechCare, I established Executive Pages and have been building websites since 1994. As more web developers and SEO companies entered the scene, I noticed a disturbing trend:

many of these professionals argue that you, the business owner, shouldn't have access to your own digital assets.

The rationale they give is that you may not know how to handle the software or that you might inadvertently mess up your website. This mentality implies that as a business owner, you don't matter.

I strongly disagree with this sentiment.

After all, it's your material, your website, your hosting, your domain name, your Google Analytics, and your Google Search Console.

 

Important: Check Your Access LEVEL

 

You may think you have access, but have you verified it? Log into each of these accounts and verify that you have access:

1. Registrar (where you registered your domain name)
2. Hosting (where your website files live)
3. Website (may be the same as hosting in the case of Wix, etc but in the case of WordPres, this will be different)
4. Google Analytics (you should try all gmail and all email addresses you have access to)
5. Google Search Console (same as Google Analytics)

After you verify that you indeed have access, you have one more thing to check: It's CRUCIAL to ensure you have administrator-level access.

This means that you're a verified owner in Google Search Console and you’re an administrator in Google Analytics.

You must verify that you have full control over your domain name, including the ability to make any necessary changes.

Regarding your hosting account, it's essential to ensure you can perform actions like use SFTP, add a user or a collaborator.

If you use WordPress or any other website platform, verify that you're an administrator and have control over who else has access to your account in the Users area.

Don’t Wait Until You Need This Access Urgently

 

Don't wait until the last moment to figure out if you have this access.

Run through all the items mentioned above today, and ensure you have control over all of them. I'm providing a helpful checklist in this post to guide you.

Remember, these digital assets are YOURS.

YOU paid for them;

they belong to YOUR company.

Dealing with Web and SEO Agencies Who May Have Control Over Your Online Accounts

 

It's unacceptable for a web developer, web agency, or SEO agency to have full access and not grant you the same. If you're asking for this access and they're resistant, it's a sign you might need to find another company to work with.

To illustrate this point, imagine having a new house built, but the builder restricts access to some rooms or demands you call their office before having guests.

Would this be acceptable to you?

Probably not, and the same goes for your business and your digital assets.

The Importance of Administrative Control over Your Digital Accounts and Assets

 

Lastly, often a web agency or developer will refuse to provide full administrative access because "you might mess it up." Well, it's better to make a mistake and learn from it than not having the control over your own business assets.

It's comparable to hiring an interior decorator for your home. It's still your home, and you should be free to move the furniture, change the curtains, or adjust the pillows if you want.

The same principle applies to your website and your online presence.

If You Need Help

Please, today or in the next week, verify you have access to all of these.

If you run into any problems or if you can't access something, feel free to book a time slot with me. I can help you untangle any access issues and provide you with the necessary language to address the issue with the agencies that didn't grant you access.

I've been championing the importance of ownership in the digital realm for years.

As a business owner, you should have full control over your website and your other digital assets.

I'm on your side, and together, we can ensure your website is under your control.