If you're thinking, "Why should I care about owning my website?", we get it, you don't need another thing to worry about. But owning your website is like having the keys to your storefront; it's about control, flexibility, and ensuring your business runs smoothly both online and offline.

Your website is the digital extension of your business, showcasing your products, services, and unique story to the world. But what if you didn't have full control over it? What if every tweak, update, or redesign required jumping through hoops? That's the reality for many small business owners who don't hold the reins to their own sites. Having full ownership of your website is not just a technical detail but a strategic necessity for your business.

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What is Website Gatekeeping and Why It's a Problem

Picture this: You've hired an agency to build your dream website. Everything's going great until you decide to make a small change or check some analytics, and suddenly, you hit a brick wall. That's website gatekeeping. It happens when someone else holds all the keys to your website, controlling what you can or cannot do with it.

Why is this a problem? Well, without access, you're essentially a guest in your own digital space. You can't make updates, track your performance, or switch providers if needed. It's like owning a car but not having the keys—frustrating, right?

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The Gatekeeping Dilemma

Unfortunately, a lot of web designers are unresponsive after your site has launched. They don’t take the proper steps to offer support post-launch.

Picture this - 6 months after you’ve worked with a designer and your site launched, you want to add an online event calendar but found out you couldn't access the backend of your site. The designer was unresponsive, and you were stuck. You couldn't update you events or even change your contact information without their help.

Your business suffered because you couldn't engage with your customers online and provide accurate information. You eventually had to rebuild your site from scratch just to regain control. Not fun! (We know, because we’ve been there!)

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The Importance of Full Website Ownership

So, why is it crucial that you, as a small business owner, have full ownership of your website and all related accounts? Here's the deal:

• Flexibility: You can make changes when you need to, without waiting on someone else's schedule.
• Security: You have control over who can access your site, protecting your business and customer data.
• Freedom: Want to switch to a different provider or make a major redesign? No problem because you own everything.
• Cost Efficiency: Avoid unexpected fees for changes or updates.

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Adding Users or Guests to Your Accounts

Having ownership of your website means that you have the keys to all of the accounts associated with your website (Webflow, Google Analytics, Google Search Console, etc.) And that means you’ll have to go through steps to add us as guests to your accounts, but trust us, it's worth every minute. You'll have peace of mind knowing that your digital storefront is yours to own. Here are some other perks to adding users to accounts:

• Security
  • By adding an agency as a user, you maintain control over your account. You can set specific permissions, ensuring they only access what they need. Your password stays safe with you, reducing the risk of unauthorized access.
• Accountability
  • When an agency has their own user account, you can easily track who made changes and when. It ensures transparency.
• Flexibility
  • Need to part ways with the agency or adjust their access? No problem! You can easily remove their user account or modify permissions without the hassle of changing your password everywhere.
• Peace of Mind
  • Knowing that you have control over your account lets you focus on what you do best—running your business—while the agency handles their tasks.

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Ownership Doesn’t Mean You’re On Your Own

Remember, having full ownership of your website is about ensuring you maintain control, but we're here to help you every step of the way. We’ll keep in touch post-launch and help you manage your site to ensure that you’re getting the most out of it.

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