Most business owners only find out who owns their website when they try to leave their agency. By then, it can be awkward, slow or expensive to find out the answer was “not you”.
Whoever you work with, including us, ask these seven questions before you sign anything. A good agency will answer them in writing, without hesitation.
1. Who owns the website once it’s paid for?
Ask whether you own the design, the content and the website files outright, and whether that changes if you stop paying for hosting or marketing. Some agencies licence the website to you rather than transferring it.
2. Whose name is the domain registered in?
Your domain name (yourbusiness.co.uk) is one of your most important assets. It should be registered in your business’s name, with you listed as the registrant, even if the agency manages it for you.
3. Will I have access to Google Ads, Analytics and Search Console?
These accounts hold years of data about your customers and marketing. They should be created in your name, or you should have full admin access from day one.
4. What is the minimum term and notice period?
Ongoing services like SEO often have a minimum term, which is reasonable because the work takes time. What matters is that you know the term, the notice period and what happens at renewal before you sign, not after.
5. When does billing start?
If you’re buying a new website and marketing together, check whether marketing fees start when you sign or when the website goes live. It makes a real difference if the build takes a few months.
6. What happens to SEO work if I leave?
Content written for your site and changes made to your pages usually stay. Some agencies remove links or other work they consider theirs. Ask exactly what stays and what goes.
7. How do I get my website out if I move?
Ask what a handover includes (files, database, logins) and whether there are any fees. A clear answer now saves a difficult conversation later.
Our answers
We publish our own answers to all of these on our How we work page, because we think every agency should. If you’d like to talk about your website, get in touch.
