British firms losing control of their websites

Small firms are at risk of losing control of their websites, as many are becoming too reliant on external web professionals, according to new research.

A study of 410 UK small businesses by web hosting provider, Fasthosts, found that 43% are reliant on external web specialists, and of those over half are unable to publish any changes to their site themselves.

Furthermore, two thirds of those reliant on web consultants are without contact details or passwords for their host provider, while 70% do not have all their domain names registered in the name of their business owner. This suggests that many small companies risk loss and disruption by failing to guarantee their legal ownership of online assets.

Marketing director of Fasthosts, Steve Holford, said: “It is vital that all businesses take simple measures to retain some basic control of their website and protect their investment. Should arrangements suddenly change, business owners should be equipped to make changes to their online identity and maintain contact with their online audience.”

The research found that 80% of firms that rely on external web specialists have no facility for switching their website on and off independently, further highlighting the risks they face by failing to safeguard their web presence.

Holford added: “Too many small companies are failing to ensure that their valuable domains and their web hosting are registered in their names and are accessible to them. As external parties can come and go, it is vital that businesses protect themselves from potential disruption, losses and reputation damage that an offline or out-of-date website can cause.”

© Crimson Business Ltd. 2010