The Website Ownership Checklist Every Small Business Owner Needs

The Question Most Business Owners Never Ask

You paid for a website. You have a website. But do you actually own it?

For many Australian small businesses, the answer is more complicated than it should be. Domains registered under agency ABNs. Hosting locked behind agency accounts. Analytics you can’t access. Code you can’t take with you.

This checklist helps you audit your digital assets in 10 minutes. No technical knowledge required.

The Ownership Checklist

Domain Name

• Do you know your registrar? (e.g., GoDaddy, Crazy Domains, VentraIP)
• Can you log into your registrar account?
• Is the domain registered in your name/ABN? (Check at whois.auda.org.au)
• Do you control the DNS settings?
• Is auto-renewal enabled and billed to your card?

If you answered “no” to any of these: Your agency may control your domain. Request full access in writing today.

Hosting

• Do you know who hosts your website? (e.g., SiteGround, Cloudways, Cloudflare)
• Can you log into the hosting control panel?
• Can you access your website files (FTP/SFTP or file manager)?
• Is the hosting account in your name and billed to you?
• Do you know how much hosting actually costs?

Benchmark: Quality shared hosting in Australia costs $15-$70 AUD/month (SiteGround). Managed cloud hosting starts at $11-$30/month (Cloudways). If you’re paying $200-$500/month for “managed hosting,” ask what the actual hosting costs and what the markup is.

Google Analytics

• Is Google Analytics installed on your site?
• Can you log into analytics.google.com with your own Google account?
• Do you have Admin access (not just Read access)?
• Is GA4 configured (not the old Universal Analytics)?

Why it matters: If your agency set up Analytics under their Google account, they own your traffic data. When you leave, that history disappears.

Google Search Console

• Can you access search.google.com/search-console?
• Is your website property verified under your own account?
• Can you see your search performance data?

Why it matters: Search Console shows which keywords bring traffic to your site. This data is critical for SEO. If you can’t see it, you can’t verify what your agency claims.

Google Business Profile

• Can you log into your Google Business Profile?
• Are you listed as an Owner (not just a Manager)?
• Is the profile linked to your Google account?

Why it matters: Your Google Business Profile drives local search results and Google Maps visibility. If your agency owns it, they control your local search presence.

Website Code & Content

• Does your contract say you own the code upon full payment?
• Can you access the source code (e.g., via GitHub, cPanel, or FTP)?
• Do you have copies of all original content (text, images, videos)?
• Could another developer pick up and maintain your site?

Why it matters: If you can’t take your website with you, you’ll need to rebuild from scratch — at your own expense.

Contract Terms

• Is the contract month-to-month or project-based?
• Are there early termination fees? If so, how much?
• Does the contract auto-renew?
• Does the IP clause transfer ownership to you upon payment?
• Is there an exit clause that specifies what you keep?

Scoring

Count your “yes” answers:

What to Do Next

Score 15+: Request access for any items you don’t have. A good agency will provide it immediately.

Score 10-14: Have a formal conversation with your agency. Put requests for access in writing. If they resist, consult a lawyer.

Below 10: You’re likely in a lock-in situation. Review your contract, document what you don’t have access to, and consider your options under Australian Consumer Law.

How We Handle Ownership

At Striking Web Design, every item on this checklist is a “yes” from day one:

• Domain registered in your name
• Full hosting access provided
• Analytics set up under your Google account
• Code ownership transfers upon full payment
• No lock-in contracts, no exit fees

Our Terms of Service guarantee it in writing. Because your digital assets should be exactly that — yours.