I call them Jodi’s rules of web sites. They’re lessons many of my clients have learned the hard way.

Own your own code

Try to avoid templates created by your web host. If you want to change hosts, you’ll lose your Web design! Also, keep a backup copy of all the pictures and the HTML (This is the language that web sites are created in, roughly like a word doc, but a lot of it looks like a jumble of strange symbols. Those symbols are the instructions that tell the Web and your computer to display bold, make columns, etc.).

Register the site in your own name

If the consultant leaves town, goes out of business, or you have a disagreement, you’ll still have control of your own site.

Use a different host and registrar

The company you pay to display your site on the web is the host.  The registrar is the company that you pay for the actual domain name.  Many companies will do both.  It’s a good idea to keep them separate (just in case there’s a dispute).

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Related posts:

1. Rate Your Web Site: 10 Ways to Tell if It’s a Wow or a Flop
2. Is Your Web Site Search Broken?
3. Does your site speak plain English? or gobbledygook?
4. Why Following the Rules Can Be a Bad Idea