Within the past month, two insurance professionals have told me about their dissatisfaction and frustration with their current Web hosts and Webmasters. Despite formal service agreements, specified updates and changes remain unmade. To complicate matters, communication between the site owners and Web hosts appears to be strained. The insurance professionals also say they feel that they are at the mercy of their Webmasters -- held "hostage" of sorts -- with little hope for having a Web site that they are truly in control of.
Of course, an unsatisfactory relationship isn't the only reason why you might want to change Web hosts. Your agency's needs or circumstances might change. Your Web host may change its services and prices, or go out of business. Worse yet, your service provider may be struck by an untimely disaster. The person who created your site and/or your Webmaster may no longer be available. At some point in the life of your Web site, you will likely need to find new service providers. Regardless of the reason, you do not want to be left in the lurch with little or no control over the management of your Web site. What, then, can you do?
Accessing your site
When your site was initially created (assuming you hired third party services instead of doing the work yourself), you should have received the ability to access to your Web site. Access to your Web site consists of the exact address of your site (the name as it appears on the host server), a user name or ID, and a password. Your agency's ability to access its own Web site on the server where it resides is the first step in recovering it. If you do not have the know-how and the tools to recover (and download) your site yourself, you can enable someone else (your new Web designer, Web-master, host, or whomever) to do the job for you.
Downloading your site
Once you have accessed your Web site, the next step is to download it to your computer's hard drive. Downloading your site will require having an appropriate software program, which will likely vary depending on the tools used to initially create it. Further-more, once your site has been recovered, you will need appropriate authoring software to open and modify your site. Be aware that if you have a copy of the original site design, the site you have downloaded will likely be different. If you've made changes or updates to your site, what you've recovered is your site's most current iteration.
Finding new providers
When moving your Web site, regardless of the reason, you will need to find new service providers. Now would be a good time to evaluate your previous experiences and re-think new options and possibilities.
If your Web host was also the site builder/designer and/or Webmaster, you may want to consider different providers for different services. While one-stop service providers may offer convenience and package deals, they may not perform all services equally well or to your satisfaction. On the other hand, finding separate providers may require more time and effort, but can more precisely yield the services you want or need.
Regardless of the route you choose, start by defining your needs. Then, take time to shop around for just the right providers. Know who offers what. Get agreements that spell out services, fees, update frequency and timeliness, and the various details that will keep your site's operation and appearance at the level you want.
You own your Web site and foot the bill -- make sure you get what you want. Rethink your options and develop a contingency plan for moving your site before the need arises.
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