Who Owns Your Website, Content, and Google Profile?

Some agencies build your website, write your content, and set up your Google profile under their own accounts. It looks fine until you want to leave. Then you find out you have to start over.

Before you sign with any web design or SEO company, get clear answers on ownership.

What you should own

• Your domain name. It should be registered in your name or your company’s name. See who should hold your domain name.
• Your website files and content. Text, images, and design you paid for.
• Your Google Business Profile. You should be the primary owner. Agencies should be managers, not owners.
• Your reviews. Reviews live on your Google profile. If you own the profile, you keep the reviews.
• Your analytics data. Google Analytics and Search Console accounts should belong to you.
• Your phone number. If the agency uses a call-tracking number, ask what happens to it if you leave.

Red flags in contracts

• “Website is licensed to client” instead of owned by client
• A large fee to “release” your site or domain
• The agency is the only owner of your Google profile
• Content belongs to the agency
• No clear exit terms

Questions to ask before you sign

1. Whose name is the domain registered under?
2. If I cancel, do I keep the website? In what format?
3. Am I the primary owner of my Google Business Profile?
4. Who owns the Google Analytics and Search Console accounts?
5. Is there a fee to take my site with me?

Get the answers in writing.

How we handle ownership

At Business Design Innovations, you own your domain, website, content, Google Business Profile, and reviews. If you ever leave, you keep everything with no rebuild fee. See our plans and pricing.