Hello there, vigilant business owner! Having a new website designed is an exciting step, but it can also feel a little daunting—especially if you’ve heard horror stories about web design companies that don’t play fair. We’ve had clients come to us after dealing with shady practices, like companies that hold their domain names and hosting hostage or make it nearly impossible to switch providers. It’s frustrating, costly, and totally avoidable.
At New Web Creative, we believe in transparency and putting you in control of your website. We’ve helped clients get out of these tricky situations, and we’re here to make sure you don’t fall into the same trap. Let’s walk through some common web design scams and how you can protect yourself.
1. Make Sure Your Domain and Hosting Are Yours—Not Theirs
One of the most frustrating traps we’ve seen is when a web design company registers your domain name and web hosting under their own name. This leaves you without control of your own website, and when it’s time to make updates, switch providers, or even transfer your site, they hold it hostage. They might charge you outrageous fees to release the domain or refuse to transfer it at all.
How to Avoid This:
- Always register your domain and hosting in your name. Even if the web design company helps with setup, make sure the ownership is yours. If you’re not sure how to do this, we can guide you through the process.
- We’ve helped clients get out of situations where their domain and hosting were held hostage, so we know the pain it can cause. At New Web Creative, we ensure that your domain and hosting are always registered to you—no exceptions.
2. Be Wary of “Website as a Service” Plans That Lock You In
“Website as a service” plans can seem appealing at first glance. You pay a monthly fee for the website, hosting, and maintenance. But here’s the catch—you never really own the website. If you decide to leave or switch to another provider, they either won’t let you take the site with you, or they make it so difficult that it feels impossible. In some cases, these fees are far from low, making it even more frustrating when you find yourself locked in.
How to Avoid This:
- Ask about ownership upfront. If you’re considering a monthly service plan, be sure to ask if you’ll actually own the design, content, and site files. If not, consider whether the convenience is worth the long-term headache.
- We don’t believe in locking clients into restrictive contracts. When you work with New Web Creative, everything we create for you is yours to keep, whether you stay with us or decide to move on.
3. Watch Out for Hidden Fees
Another common issue we’ve seen is businesses getting lured in with low-cost web design services, only to be hit with hidden fees later. These might include charges for basic revisions, updates, or even just accessing the backend of your site. By the time clients realize what’s happening, they’ve already invested too much to back out without losing time and money.
How to Avoid This:
- Get clear, upfront pricing. Make sure the contract spells out what’s included in the price and what might cost extra. If you feel like something is unclear, don’t hesitate to ask for clarification.
- We’ve helped businesses escape situations like this, and at New Web Creative, we’re completely transparent about pricing. No hidden fees, no surprises—just clear communication from start to finish.
4. Avoid Proprietary Platforms That Trap You
Some companies build websites on proprietary platforms that are difficult—if not impossible—to transfer elsewhere. This can leave you stuck with a provider you no longer want to work with or force you to start over from scratch. If you ever want to redesign or update the site, you may find yourself at their mercy.
How to Avoid This:
- Choose an open-source platform like WordPress. WordPress is widely supported, flexible, and can be transferred to any hosting provider with ease. Avoid companies that push their own proprietary systems, which could lock you into their service.
- At New Web Creative, we build custom websites on WordPress so that you’re always in control. If you want to take your site elsewhere or bring on a new provider, you can do so with ease.
5. Beware of Subpar Hosting and Maintenance Services
We’ve seen businesses stuck with poor-quality hosting that results in slow load times, downtime, or even security issues. Some companies offer bundled services like hosting and maintenance but don’t deliver on their promises, leaving businesses vulnerable to hacks or other issues.
How to Avoid This:
- Work with reputable hosting providers. Make sure your website is hosted on a reliable platform that ensures fast load times, strong security, and minimal downtime.
- At New Web Creative, we work with trusted hosting providers and offer ongoing maintenance services to ensure your website stays secure, updated, and fast.
6. Don’t Let Email Migration Derail Your Website Transition
When switching website providers, email migration is often an overlooked issue that can cause significant delays, especially if your email accounts are tied to your original website host. Without careful planning, this can lead to downtime, missed messages, and lost contacts—seriously affecting your business operations and delaying the overall website migration process.
How to Avoid This:
- Stay ahead by planning your email migration early. Ensure your email accounts are independent of your old hosting provider, and create a clear plan for transferring them during the website move.
- At New Web Creative, we handle email migrations smoothly, including setting up and moving your accounts to platforms like Google Workspace. We’ll make sure your business communications continue seamlessly during the transition.
Key Takeaways
- Always Own Your Domain and Hosting: Register your domain and hosting in your name—not the web design company’s.
- Ask About Ownership: Make sure you’ll own your website’s design, content, and files, especially if you’re on a monthly service plan.
- Get Clear Pricing: Insist on transparent pricing with no hidden fees.
- Stick with Open-Source Platforms: Choose a platform like WordPress that gives you full control.
- Check the Quality of Hosting and Maintenance: Make sure your web design company partners with reputable hosting providers.
- Plan for Email Migration: If you’re moving providers, don’t forget about email. We can help with migrating your accounts to platforms like Google Workspace.
