So last week, when I was talking to a friend who runs a small bakery in my hometown, our conversation swiftly moved to how business is and everything. She was thrilled about finally establishing and having some returning customers. However, she found it difficult to find customers who needed big or event orders. Now, I have seen right through the problem and have suggested how about taking your store online. She was very sceptical but listened to what I had to say. So what about a website? And she could use a website builder to make one, even if she is a beginner.
But her next question kind of stunned me (probably because I did not see that coming, and I don’t have an answer for it as well).
So if I make a website through a Website Builder, won’t they own it?
Well, the question loomed and nagged my mind after that, so i went digging for some answer.
Now, before I answer the main question, “Do we own It?” Let me brief what a Website Builder is. They are online platforms where anyone can create simple and easy websites without coding. Yes, there are ways to build a website without needing to code. It is like a drag-and-drop UI with a lot of templates and hosting solutions as well. It's a complete package. Some famous website builders include Wordpress.com, Wix, GoDaddy, Hostinger, Shopify, Squarespace, and Weebly.
So, when discussing website ownership, we are not just talking about one aspect. It encompasses several sets of elements.
Now, there is domain name, design and customisation, content, data, and platform independence.
Now, the good news is that you have total content authority over the content you create for your website. So, you own the original materials like content, images, videos, product descriptions, etc., and the website builders usually don’t. Remember that you use their service, and by using their service, you are permitting them to use your content for activities connected to providing and enhancing their services.
When it comes to a business, a domain address is quite important as that is the online identify which establish and achors it.
Now about the domain ownership of the name:
Now, this is more rustic ground, as you might own the content you create, but since you integrate with the theme, template, or overall design functionality, the builder owns it. Now, this could get complicated.
The templates and themes would remain intellectual property owned by the platform.
This might sound vindictive, but it is kind of a gray area. The customisations you make on your site with the tools provided by the platform make it a bit impossible to give you ownership over this creative effort you put in.
While researching this topic, I saw a negative impact that websites made through website builders are highly platform-dependent. This can greatly affect the ownership issue as well. The problem is that your website is displayed and functioning with the help of the website it is built on. This is like building a home on someone else's land (which is impossible). So, the issue is that although the house might be yours, the landowner can invade anytime.
So, at some point, if you decide to leave the platform, you need to be able to take your website’s data with you. This is called Data Portability, and picking a website builder with High data portability is important.
Now, if you take Wordpress.com, which allows you to easily export your content, the process and policy regarding exporting are easy and clean.
Other website builders might not have or limit the option of exporting, and you have to manually copy all the content.
Now that we have learned a bit on the ownership part, my honest advice, if you are going to build a website on a website builder, it is check on the Terms of Service or ToS of any website builder you are considering. Yes, it might be very annoying to read through, but you should, as it outlines your rights and the company’s rights regarding your website. This is in the best interest as it can protect your business in long run.
Check on aspects like content ownship, what happens to your site if you stop paying, the company’s rights to terminate your account , and data portability and export option. Do review it from time to time as this could change from time to time.
So the answer to the question is its complicated. You are getting partial ownership of everything related to your website. A full authority on content, and partial ownership on domain name, from there onwards its a bit of decline. The authority to display and functionality of your site is instilled and controlled by the platform on which it is built. So my suggestion is when planning to build a site for a web builder, pick one that thinks of long-term goals that would eventually suit your business interests best.
