So, You’ve Purchased a Website—How Do You Onboard the Website You’ve Just Acquired?

As a new owner of a website, it’s essential to take the necessary steps to ensure a smooth transition and set the site up for success under your ownership. Here’s a practical guide to help you onboard successfully and make the most of your new website.

1. Establish Key Points of Contact in Your Organization:

First, identify who in your company will be responsible for key areas related to the website. This will help streamline communication and ensure smooth operations going forward:

• Technical Contact: Who will manage the domains, hosting, and email accounts? (Will it be you or a third party?)
• Marketing Contact: Who will handle digital marketing moving forward?
• Accounts Contact: Who will be in charge of paying bills and handling payment-related inquiries?

2. Build a Great Relationship with the Agency:

One of the most important aspects of onboarding your new website is building a strong, ongoing relationship with the agency that originally built it. They hold invaluable insights into your brand, the website's development, and future opportunities. Here’s how to approach this:

• Collaborate with the Agency: The agency that developed your site often has in-depth knowledge about your brand, your target audience, and the design decisions that were made. They may have great ideas that were never implemented due to the previous owner's priorities or lack of resources. Meet with the agency to understand their vision for the website and the brand. Be open to their suggestions and insights—they may have solutions that will improve the site’s functionality, performance, or user experience.
• Learn from Their Experience: Ask the agency about any challenges they faced during development and whether they’ve had ideas or plans that were left on the table. They might have suggestions for improvements or marketing strategies that could still be implemented now that you own the business.

Building a strong rapport with the agency ensures that you’re not just inheriting a website but also the agency’s long-term expertise. This relationship will prove valuable as you take your business forward.

3. Identify Necessary Website Changes:

Once the website is under your control, there are a few updates you'll need to make to reflect your new ownership:

• Update Contact Information: Make sure the contact information in the footer and other areas of the site is updated to reflect your company’s details.
• Update Email Addresses: Ensure that contact forms are directed to the appropriate email addresses within your organization.
• Update Phone Numbers: Ensure all phone numbers listed on the site are current and correct.

4. Review or Replace the Following Documents:

To ensure legal clarity and compliance with your new business operations, review and update these documents as needed:

• Terms of Business
• Cookie Policy
• Privacy Policy
• Modern Slavery & Human Trafficking Statement
• Any Disclaimers

Make sure you sign a transfer agreement with your agency, confirming that you accept their terms of business moving forward.

5. Sign Agreement with New Agency:

It’s important to establish a formal agreement with the agency that will continue supporting your website. Here’s what to consider when finalizing the contract with your new agency:

• Backup & Maintenance: It’s critical to understand the technical side of your website to protect its security and performance. Here are some things to consider:
• Client Support & Training: If your website has been maintained by an agency, it’s helpful to understand the ongoing support options available to you and how you can maintain the site yourself:
• Legal Compliance and Ownership: To avoid future legal headaches, make sure you’ve addressed the following points:

6. Make Sure You Have Access to:

There are several systems you need to access and manage. Make sure you have control over:

• Domains and DNS
• Google Analytics
• Google Ads / Marketplace
• Google Search Console
• Email Marketing Platforms
• Microsoft Marketing Console
• Other Third-Party Tools

7. Consider Additional Features:

• Cookie Consent: If your website collects personal data, you might need to implement a cookie consent banner.
• Live Chat: Consider whether a live chat feature could improve customer service on your website.
• SEO Review: Schedule an SEO audit to ensure your website is optimized for search engines.
• Paid Advertising: Explore the possibility of running paid ads through Google Ads or Microsoft Bing to drive traffic to your site.

8. Ensure You Have Access to Social Media Accounts:

Make sure you have access to all relevant social media accounts connected to the business, including:

• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• YouTube
• Bluesky

9. Looking to the Future:

Now that the website is in your hands, it's important to align the site with your business’s long-term vision and goals.

Digital Strategy Review:

Many new owners don’t always have a deep understanding of digital strategy. This is an opportunity for you to assess and refine the website's role in your business. Consider reviewing or creating a digital strategy to ensure your website is serving your business objectives. This should include:

Business Ethos:

• Your company’s vision and values
• Key stakeholders of the business
• A detailed review of products and services—how have they changed under new ownership?
• New business goals and how they will be measured
• The sales process
• Unique selling proposition
• Current marketing performance
• Your brand image

Your Customers:

• Has your ideal customer changed?
• Review customer demographics and behaviors
• What problems are you solving for them?

Your Market and Competition:

• Has your market size or location changed?
• Which key phrases should customers use to find your business?
• Review your competition and any synergistic businesses that complement yours.

Strategy and Tactics:

• What systems are you using? Can they be integrated or automated for better efficiency?
• Does the site structure need to change to support your growth?
• What content do you need to add, and how will it be generated?
• Are there new website features you need to implement?
• What are your email marketing and social media strategies?
• How will you improve your SEO and PPC campaigns?

Future Growth Considerations:

As your business grows, your website will need to grow with it. Consider the following:

• Scalability: If you plan to expand your business, ensure your website’s infrastructure can support future needs, such as additional products, services, or features.
• Long-Term Strategy: Develop a long-term strategy for the website. Whether expanding internationally, adding e-commerce capabilities, or improving customer engagement, having a scalable plan will help you avoid roadblocks.

The points above are a starting point—each business is unique, and some areas may require deeper exploration. If you take the time to properly onboard and align your website with your business goals, not only will you ensure your website’s success, but you'll also position yourself for future growth and success.

Transitions can be challenging, but with the right preparation and planning, you’ll be set up for success. Good luck!