Many entrepreneurs rely heavily on web designers. In addition to designing and updating the web site for the entrepreneur, web designers also often assist with areas such as domain name registration and hosting.

Some entrepreneurs have found that this heavy reliance can turn into a nightmare in the event their relationship with their designer sours or they just want to make a change. In some cases these entrepreneurs have found that their web designer controls access and even ownership of their web site and domain name!

Here are some ways that entrepreneurs can protect themselves.

Can you update your web site yourself?

It is important that you retain the capability of updating the web site yourself in the event of emergencies. This allows you to quickly correct errors and update information on your web site.

An excellent software program for this is Macromedia Contribute. Macromedia Contribute allows beginners to update their own web site without learning web design, in an easy-to-use ?what you see is what you get? interface similar to Microsoft Word. At a cost of only $ 99 US, it is affordable for most entrepreneurs.

Who owns your domain name?

If you aren?t sure how your domain name is registered and whose name it is in, check it out at www.betterwhois.com. Your name and contact information should be in the administration area. Make sure your contact information, particularly your e-mail address is up to date as it is very difficult to make changes if the e-mail address on record is obsolete.

If you are planning on registering a new domain name yourself, we recommend Dotster. Their web site makes it easy to register your own domain and it handles both the .com ($14.95 US per year) and the .ca registrations ($20 US per year) as well as many others. They also offer a special rate on .com transfers of domain names to them for only $8.95 US for the first year.

Who owns your web site?

Some web designers and programmers feel that they own your web site as it is a creative work. This can restrict you from moving your site and making changes.

Make sure your contract with your web designer specifies that you own your own web site and the programming that has been done for you and that there are no restrictions on your moving or changing the site.

Can you change hosting?

Make sure that you have the full ftp (file transfer protocol) access to your hosting so that you can upload files, make a copy of your web site, or move your web site to another provider.

Can you change designers easily?

If you have the full ftp access to your system, you should be able to change web designers fairly easily if you decide it is time to make a change.

It is important that you also have a list and the passwords of all the related products and services that your web designer may have been used on the web site such as:

• Shopping carts
• Databases
• Tracking systems
• Newsletter signup and management systems
• Payment systems
• Auto responders

While we hope this never happens to you, it is just good business sense for entrepreneurs to have full access to their own web site and related properties.

After all, you?ve paid for them!

Garland Coulson, ?The E-Business Tutor? is an acclaimed speaker, author and coach in the field of Internet marketing for small business and home business. For more information, visit The E-Business Tutor web site at www.ebusinesstutor.com or call toll-free in North America at 1-866-413-0951.

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Last Updated Wednesday, December 29 2004 @ 02:06 PM CST