As a business owner, you’re likely utilizing online properties and social platforms like Google My Business, Analytics, Facebook, and many more. When considering these, we typically think first of creating content, sharing images, building an audience, getting reviews, and increasing interaction. What would happen if you could no longer do any of these things because you lost access? One of the most important factors to consider is the question of ownership. Do you own or have the login credentials to access all of your online properties?

It is of utmost importance for business owners to also maintain ownership of their online properties. Your digital reputation is at stake.

Here are a Few Reasons Why You Should Own Your Online Properties:

1. You do not want a previous employee to be the creator or Admin and then later part ways, leaving you without access to your accounts.
2. Some third-party contractors or marketing companies don’t give you access to your online listings and website. After you stop working with them, it’s common for business owners to have to create new listings and properties.
3. Both of these could cause you to lose the content and audience you’ve worked so hard to grow, negatively impacting your website’s SEO and even disrupting the flow of business.
4. Another possibility is a disgruntled ex-employee or associate sabotaging your social media profiles, listings or company website.
5. Anyone with top level administrative access could post something unprofessional, remove others’ access, and take content down – perhaps your entire website!
6. You should be the owner and add people as users, editors or admins – whether they are employees or third-party contractors – you should have full control.

JET Advertising has extensive experience in helping new clients regain access to their existing online accounts, so we understand how difficult it can be. To ensure that your digital reputation isn’t compromised, we’ve created a list of ownership best practices for business owners to follow.

BEST PRACTICES FOR OWNERSHIP

Access For Your Team Members:
Create a plan for who and when to grant new team members access to your online accounts, as well as protocols for removing their access if they no longer work for your company. Some questions to ask when creating this workflow:

• How long after working for your company should an employee get access?
• Does an employee’s job position factor in?
• What access level should an employee receive? Are they getting full Administrative access or simply Editor access?
• Who is responsible for removing access and changing passwords if the employee moves on?

Working With Marketing Companies:
When working with a website/marketing company, ensure that you’re asking the right questions:

1. Do I have full ownership to my website in its entirety?

• Website CMS
• Hosting
• Domain
• Website Design and Code

2. Do I have administrative access to all of my online listings?

• Google My Business
• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• And more…

3. If we end our contract, will I retain full access to my accounts/profiles?

• Have an exit strategy if you no longer work together.
• Will you remove your access from my accounts? Or will I need to remove you?
• Who will ensure that all ties are cut seamlessly for a smooth transition?

Duplicate Listings:
Always be aware of any duplicate listing you may have. In some instances, platforms like Google and Bing may apply user suggestions and create new duplicate listings without verifying them with the business itself. Duplicate listings may result in Google flagging you, which will suspend your listings and could negatively impact your SEO. Regularly audit Google, Facebook, and other platforms to ensure that you only have one listing for your business on each platform. In addition, check for accuracy and consistency across all platforms.

If you have questions about your level of access across your vital business accounts or if you’d like to regain ownership, JET can provide step-by-step instructions and guide you through the process. Call 630-782-8100 to learn more and get started.