5 Ways You Can Lose Your Website

All articles written by a human.

In the past couple of months I’ve had several clients who have called me in a panic because their site was gone. Disappeared. So I’ve compiled this list so your website does not suffer the same fate.

1. You didn’t renew your Domain Name. Your domain name/web address is extremely important, as it’s tied to your business name and branding. You must renew your domain registration yearly (or better yet, pay for multiple years). The fee is usually about $11-$15 per year. If you lose your domain name, your site will go down and you are vulnerable to “Domain Squatters” – people who just wait for them to expire so they can scoop it up and try to charge you thousands to get it back. Or sell it to the highest bidder. Even if you’re on the Moss Web Works Care Plan, we are not responsible for this charge – it’s between you and your domain registrar. If you’re not sure who that is or when your domain expires, I’d be happy to look it up for you.

2. You didn’t renew your Web Hosting Plan. Your web host may or may not be the same company where you registered your domain – they are two separate charges that you have to pay each year. If you don’t pay this fee yearly or your credit card expired, your web host will take down your site. Some of them will keep the files and backups for 30 days, but some won’t. Even if you’re on the Moss Web Works Care Plan, we are not responsible for this charge – it’s between you and your web host. If you’re not sure who that is, I’d be happy to look it up for you.

3. You got Hacked. If you don’t consistently keep your WordPress software up to date, as well as your software plugins, hackers can get into your site and install malware and adware. Many times your web host or a security service can help clean the malicious code (for a fee). Moss Web Works does not fix hacked sites, however our Care Plan will keep your software upgraded and make sure you have a firewall installed to deter hackers.

4. You don’t have a Backup. If you’re not on the Moss Web Works Care Plan, make sure you’ve purchased a backup plan with your web host. Whoever is maintaining your site could mistakenly delete your home page, or all of your images, or just tweaked the code and suddenly everything is gone…it’s happened. Offsite backups are also necessary in case of malware (see above), natural disaster, or if you ever want to change web hosts.

5. You get Sued. Do you have a Privacy Policy, yet? A Terms of Service? Is your site ADA compliant? If not, you could be open to litigation. Your company could be fined $2,500-$7,500 per user if you are not protecting the personal information of your website visitors. Examples of personal information include asking for a name and email on a contact form or just using Google Analytics.

We highly recommend Termageddon – a service I’ve implemented on many client sites, as well as my own! Not only do they help generate a custom Privacy Policy and Terms of Service for your business, but the policies automatically update when the laws change. Termageddon is $99/year, and I charge a one-time setup fee of $100, which covers setting up the code on your website and testing. This is a pittance considering the protection it gives you and your company. Click the link above or use Discount Code MOSS to get 10% off your first payment.

Moss Web Works can also provide a basic ADA compliance review on your website and then implement those changes, as needed. Fees vary.

Are you thoroughly scared now? Good! Because I hate seeing friends and clients lose their most important marketing asset – their website. Please contact Moss Web Works if you want further information about any of the above.