Hiring an agency for your new web project or redesign can be exciting! But before you begin, it's important to know who will own what aspects of the site after the work has been completed. Policies regarding ownership rights vary from company to company, so you will need to know what to look for in your contract. To avoid a costly dispute, here are 6 parts of your site you want to make sure you own before you sign on the dotted line.

Analytics

The vast majority of companies use Google Analytics to track data on their websites. While many website vendors or agencies will offer to set this up for you, it is crucial that you own the account as Google Analytics does not transfer ownership of analytics accounts for any reason. Should you part ways with the company developing your site and your account was setup under the developer’s name, obtaining ownership of your website’s analytics data will be impossible.

Design

Once you have a site that is functional and aesthetically pleasing, it’s hard to think of changes you may want to make later on. But as companies grow and change, so do their branded designs. If you don’t own your original designs and hire a new designer, making small changes can cost thousands of dollars. Make sure once your project is completed that you have ownership of your creative assets because recreating art files is much more expensive then editing them.

Images

Using great photos can turn an otherwise mediocre website into an attractive, engaging, and effective tool in conveying your company's message and purpose. However, not all stock images have identical terms of use. Although your web developer may be the one choosing the imagery for your site, it's imperative that you make sure you don't violate the terms of use. If a copyright infringement dispute were to arise, the blame could fall on you - not the designer, and likely result in a costly lawsuit and legal fees. Read Cool Blue's article for more in-depth information about the use of stock photography for websites. 

Written Copy

Just like the images on your site, you must ensure that the written copy on your site is yours. Even if the written content is created by the development agency or a professional copywriter, problems could arise should you decide to use the content of your site elsewhere or hire another designer. It's best to know beforehand that the words on your website belong to you and/or your company. 

Code/Hosting

In most cases you won’t want to make changes to code or hosting yourself, but ensuring that you own your code and have access to your hosting account is imperative. Most developers will reuse basic code for simpler sites. But if you are having a developer create an especially innovative web application or unique site, you should make sure that your contract explicitly states that the programming code belongs to you once the project is completed.  Also, make sure you understand any upgrades you may need going forward, as well as any recurring licensing fees.

Domain Name 

Probably the single most important item on the list is: who owns the domain name (e.g. http://www.CompanyName.com)? Domain names are purchased and managed through a registrar, like GoDaddy.com; DNS, also called Name Servers or Zone Files, controls the domain records, where the website and mail servers should point. It is critical that you own and have access to your domain name. Otherwise, the agency can claim the address and thus, your company's online brand. 

Make the process of choosing a web designer or development agency easy. Before you meet with your designer or developer, create a checklist prioritizing the most important items to be discussed. Making sure that policies regarding analytics, code, design, images, written copy, and domain names are explicitly stated understandable in your contract can save you time and money.