The first thing we do when we partner with a new business client is to look at their website, but we go much deeper than a general view. We start with the domain name by looking it up on dnc.org.nz. What we are looking for is who owns the domain name. This can be found under “the registrant” heading. If our client’s name is not shown there, then they don’t own their own domain name. That’s the first challenge we need to overcome for them.
Secondly, we find out who is managing the website and who makes changes and updates. This person is known as the web developer. When we start asking questions, often we find that the web developer is unable to be contacted, unable to access the website to make changes or, worse still, is not a professional web developer at all. Discovering problems in this area usually leads to problems with the website hosting. The usual challenge is to find out where it is hosted as well as finding the admin codes. It is not unusual for us to find it stuck on a server overseas where the company providing the hosting cannot be found.
The importance of easy access to your website is the ability to add Google Analytics code as well as other tracking codes like Facebook Pixels. We are unable to show our clients the results of our marketing campaigns if we are unable to embed this coding in their websites. Another type of website where we strike problems adding code, is the sites made on DIY template-based structures like WIX and Squarespace. Often the person who made the website is not a web developer therefore is not proficient enough to access the coding. Some template sites do not allow you to embed coding into their code. These sites are just too restrictive when it comes to modern marketing techniques. When you possess a DIY website then you do not have full control of that website.
Here are the 10 most important requirements for business website management:
- You own the domain name i.e. you are The Registrant.
- You know the company who hosts the domain name.
- You have the admin code to access the domain name registration.
- You know the company who hosts the website.
- You have the admin code to access the back end of your website.
- The website is made by a professional web developer.
- The website is not on a DIY platform but is a purpose-built website on a recognised CMS.
- You can contact the original developer.
- You can move the website easily, to another hosting provider.
- You have all these details recorded both in the cloud and on hard copy.
If you need advice on any of the above, then call us, because we have specialists in our team who know how to track down the information you need.