When a client asks us the question, “What options are there to host my website?” we usually lie. We say, “You should pay to host all of your own work. That is the only option. We’d be happy to set you up with a wonderful web host.”. And then we quickly leave the room.
This is not the truth, and we are shame-filled ninjas. But we lie because we care.
Last week Journalspace was in the top 100,000 websites on each with over 14,000 visitors per month. With six years of experience under its belt there was no need to believe that would change…
Yesterday Journalspace announced they had lost all user data. Every single article, image, and user was gone. After trying to restore a corrupted server the owners officially threw in the towel, citing the end of the website.
And here is why we lie. I’m not concerned with the future of the owners of Journalspace. They’re talented programmers who made a big mistake in not backing up the website more securely, but they’ll move on. I am concerned about the thousands of people who built a writing audience that will never get these readers back. Honestly, how do you console an author that lost six years of writing? How can they connect with their readers again?
This is why digital ownership is important. When you trust others too much you can lose everything. Don’t take that chance with your business.
