Your website is one of your business’s most valuable digital assets. It generates enquiries, supports sales, builds credibility and often acts as the first point of contact for potential customers.
But do you actually own and control it?
Many businesses assume that because they paid for their website and own the domain name, they have complete ownership. Unfortunately, that is not always the case—particularly when a website has been built using a closed platform or is managed entirely through an agency-owned account.
A problem that should take minutes to resolve can quickly become a costly and time-consuming dispute over access and ownership.
A Real Example of a Business Losing Control of Its Website
We were once approached by a client whose domain name had somehow become disconnected from their Wix website.
They had already tried contacting their previous web agency for help, but they were not receiving a response. As the website was no longer working correctly, they asked Sitesi to investigate and help reconnect the domain.
At first, the issue appeared to be a relatively simple technical problem. However, it soon became clear that the client did not have full administrator access to the Wix account where their website had been created.
Although the website represented their company—and they had paid for it—they did not have sufficient access to make the changes required.
We contacted Wix support and attempted to resolve the issue on the client’s behalf. Because the client could not access the original account, however, the recovery process became increasingly complicated.
We were advised that the client would need to provide evidence that the website and its intellectual property belonged to them. This evidence would also need to be formally certified by a solicitor or another legal professional.
What should have been a straightforward domain configuration task had become a potentially expensive legal and administrative process.
Owning Your Domain Does Not Mean You Own Your Website
A domain name and a website are two separate assets.
Your domain name is the address people use to visit your website, such as yourbusiness.co.uk. The website itself consists of its content, design, images, functionality and underlying technology.
It is therefore possible for a business to own its domain name while having little or no practical control over the website connected to it.
This often happens when:
- The website is registered under an agency’s account
- A former employee created the account using their personal email address
- The business was never given full administrator access
- The agency controls the hosting, domain and website platform
- Nobody within the business knows the login details
- The website is built on a platform that cannot easily be transferred elsewhere
Everything may work perfectly while the relationship with the original supplier remains positive. The risks only become apparent when the business needs to make a change, move provider or recover access.
The Risks of Closed Website Platforms
Website builders such as Wix can make it relatively quick to create and launch a website. Hosting, design tools and website management are combined into one service.
However, the website is built within the provider’s own closed system.
Unlike a self-hosted website, you cannot usually download the entire website and move it unchanged to another hosting company. The design, functionality and account remain tied to the original platform.
This can create several risks for a business.
You may become locked into one provider
If your website can only operate within one platform, moving elsewhere may mean rebuilding it from scratch.
Even when your content can be exported, the design and functionality may not transfer with it.
Losing account access can mean losing the website
If the account is controlled by an old agency, former employee or unknown email address, recovering access can be difficult.
Support teams must follow strict security procedures and cannot simply transfer an account because someone says the website belongs to their business.
You have limited control over hosting
Closed platforms determine where and how your website is hosted. You cannot simply move it to another hosting provider if you are unhappy with performance, pricing, support or service levels.
Pricing and functionality can change
The platform controls its subscription fees, features and limitations. If prices increase or a feature is removed, your choices may be limited because moving the website is difficult.
Changing agencies can become complicated
Your business should be free to appoint a different web agency when necessary.
If your website exists entirely within an account controlled by the existing agency, changing supplier may involve access disputes, delays or a complete rebuild.
Why a Self-Hosted WordPress Website Offers More Control
A self-hosted WordPress website works differently from a closed website builder.
The website consists of a collection of files and a database stored within a standard hosting environment. These can be backed up, copied and moved between compatible hosting providers.
Provided the business has access to the website files, database and domain name, the website is not permanently tied to one agency or hosting company.
A self-hosted WordPress website can usually be:
- Backed up independently
- Moved to another hosting provider
- Restored following a technical problem
- Managed by another developer or agency
- Expanded with additional features
- Integrated with a wide range of third-party services
- Hosted in an environment suited to the business’s requirements
This portability is one of WordPress’s greatest advantages.
Should your hosting provider become unsuitable, the website can be moved. If your agency stops responding, another developer can take over. If there is a serious server problem, a recent backup can be restored elsewhere.
You retain control over your digital asset.
WordPress Still Needs to Be Managed Properly
Using WordPress does not automatically guarantee ownership or control.
A WordPress website can still create problems if the domain, hosting account and administration access are all controlled by an external agency.
The technology may be portable, but the business still needs the correct credentials and contractual arrangements.
WordPress websites also require ongoing management, including:
- Software and plugin updates
- Security monitoring
- Regular backups
- Performance optimisation
- Malware protection
- Hosting maintenance
- Technical support
The difference is that these services can be provided by a range of hosting companies and web agencies. Your website does not have to remain tied to one supplier indefinitely.
What Website Access Should Your Business Have?
Every business should understand who owns and controls the accounts connected to its website.
At a minimum, you should know how to access—or have a documented route for accessing—the following:
Your domain name
The domain should ideally be registered in the name of your business, with accurate company contact details.
You should know which registrar manages it and who can access the account.
Your hosting account
You should know where the website is hosted, who pays for the hosting and what happens if you decide to change provider.
Your website administration area
Your business should have an administrator account rather than relying entirely on an agency’s login.
Each authorised user should have their own account. Shared passwords should be avoided wherever possible.
Your website files and database
For a self-hosted website, these are the components that allow the website to be backed up, restored and transferred.
Your backups
You should understand how often backups are taken, where they are stored and how long they are retained.
Ideally, backups should not exist solely on the same server as the live website.
Your third-party accounts
This may include:
- Google Analytics
- Google Search Console
- Google Business Profile
- Advertising accounts
- Payment providers
- Email marketing platforms
- Social media accounts
- Plugin and software licences
These should be registered using business-controlled email addresses wherever possible.
Questions to Ask Your Current Web Agency
You should not need to wait until something goes wrong to find out who controls your website.
Ask your current provider:
- Is the domain name registered in our company’s name?
- Do we have full administrator access to the website?
- Who owns the hosting account?
- Can the website be moved to another hosting provider?
- How often is the website backed up?
- Where are the backups stored?
- What happens if we choose to work with another agency?
- Who owns the website design, content and source files?
- Which third-party services are connected to the website?
- Are any accounts registered to an individual employee or agency email address?
A professional agency should be able to answer these questions clearly.
Your Website Should Be a Transferable Business Asset
A website should not become unusable simply because an agency stops responding, an employee leaves or a relationship with a supplier comes to an end.
It should be treated as a genuine business asset—one that can be accessed, backed up, maintained and transferred when necessary.
The key question is not simply:
“Who built our website?”
It is:
“Could we access, back up and move our website tomorrow without relying entirely on one person, agency or platform?”
If the answer is no, your business may be more exposed than you realise.
Take Control of Your Business Website
At Sitesi, we design, develop, host and maintain self-hosted WordPress websites for businesses that want greater control over their online presence.
We can also review your existing website arrangements, check who controls the domain and hosting, assess your current access and help identify any potential risks before they become urgent problems.
Whether you need a new website, reliable WordPress hosting, ongoing maintenance or help taking control of an existing website, speak to the Sitesi team.