Small Business Websites

Many webmasters rent space on a server in order to provide hosting to their customers for a fee. This way, they have more control over the technical aspects of the server, can load certain software easily and keep your site running optimally. While this sounds like a good idea, I do NOT recommend it for four reasons:

1. If you decide to change webmasters, you’d be ill advised not to transfer hosting out of their control and transferring hosting can be a hassle, especially if your webmaster isn’t being cooperative.
2. If your webmaster decides to move or go out of the business, you will likely need to transfer your hosting and with them focusing on other things (packing, starting a new business, etc.), it may be difficult to get what you need to make this easy and successful.
3. If you have a disagreement or a falling out with your webmaster, they control your hosting and can literally shut your site down at their will. Because the server space they’re renting to you is under their name, it belongs to them and they can do whatever they wish while you have no legal recourse under which to file a complaint.
4. If only one person has your entire website’s files (on their computer and their server) , and something happens to them, you may lose your entire site. On the other hand, if something happens to your webmaster, and your site is being hosted with another company, those files can be accessed and changed by someone else. All has not been lost.

Too many times, I’ve seen problems like these occur and it’s best to protect yourself or just be aware of the risks. While it’s necessary for your webmaster to have access to your server, it does not have to be something under their legal control. Have them recommend an independent company. If you have a difference of opinion, you can contact your host and change your password so only the people you give the password to have access and previous people are locked out.

For myself, I’m a reseller for a local hosting company. This isn’t my personal server space and I can’t kick you off. While it’s under my umbrella of accounts, I have access to much of the back-end of the server, so I can make changes, add software etc. If a client of mine ever chooses to switch webmasters, they just call the hosting company and put the account in their name. Since they’re already set up, nothing else needs to change, so there’s no hassle. Simple. Safe. No problems.

So, while your webmaster may offer their own hosting and it’s cheaper and makes so much sense in so many ways, I still do not recommend it. You may never have any problems and everything may go fabulously, but I prefer to go with the age old, “It’s better to be safe, than sorry.”

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