Red Flags Your Web Provider Hopes You Ignore
Not every web provider is bad. But some of them rely on your trust (and your lack of technical knowledge) to keep you paying for more than you should. If you've ever felt uneasy about the bills, the communication, or the quality of what you're getting, that instinct is worth paying attention to.
Here are five patterns I see repeatedly from business owners who are ready to switch.
1. They Charge You for Every Small Change
Updating a phone number shouldn't cost $75. Swapping a photo shouldn't require a support ticket and a three-day turnaround. If your provider treats routine updates like billable projects, they've built a business model around your inconvenience.
What normal looks like: Small content changes should be included in your service agreement or handled quickly at no extra cost. A monthly plan should cover the kinds of updates a business naturally needs throughout the year.
2. They Won't Let You Access Your Own Site
You should be able to log into your website, see how it's built, and make basic edits if you want to. Some providers lock everything behind their own systems and give you no access at all. When you ask, they tell you it's "for security" or that the platform "doesn't work that way."
The worst version of this is the exit fee. Some agencies claim copyright on the site they built "for" you, then charge a five-figure "lifetime use license" if you want to keep it after leaving. I've heard numbers as high as $25,000. If you don't pay, the site comes down. That's not a service relationship. That's a hostage situation.
What normal looks like: You should have admin access to your CMS, your hosting dashboard, and your domain registrar. If your provider set those up for you, they should hand over the credentials. You're the owner, and leaving should never come with a ransom.
3. They Upsell Services You Don't Understand
"Your SEO is dropping, you need our $300/month SEO package."
"Your site needs a security upgrade, that's $500."
"We recommend adding our premium analytics dashboard."
If your provider regularly pitches services with urgency but can't clearly explain what those services do or show you measurable results from them, that's a sales tactic, not a recommendation.
What normal looks like: Any service recommendation should come with a plain English explanation of what it does, why you need it, and how you'll measure whether it's working. If they can't answer those questions, the service probably isn't for you.
4. They Don't Answer the Phone
You send an email about an issue with your site. Three days go by. You follow up. Another two days. Eventually you get a response that says your request has been "logged" and someone will "circle back."
For a small business, your website going down or displaying wrong information is urgent. If your provider treats your communication like it's optional, they've got too many clients and not enough attention for yours.
What normal looks like: You should have a direct line to the person managing your site. Response times should be measured in hours, not days. And when you call, a real person should answer. That's how we work.
5. Your Site Looks Like Everyone Else's in Your Industry
Open your competitor's website. Then open yours. If the layout, the section order, and the general look feel suspiciously similar, you're both using the same template. Some agencies specialize in a vertical and sell the same design to every client in that space. You're paying for custom work but getting a production line product.
What normal looks like: Your website should reflect your business, not your agency's template library. The layout should be built around your specific goals, your content, and your customers.
What to Do If You Recognize These Patterns
If two or more of these sound familiar, it's worth having a conversation about your options. Switching providers feels intimidating, but it's more straightforward than most people expect, especially if your new provider handles the transition for you.
I've helped business owners move off locked platforms, reclaim their domains, and get onto sites they actually own and control. The process usually takes a few weeks, and the relief on the other side is real. You can read more about what managed websites look like in practice.
If you're not sure whether it's time to switch, a consultation costs nothing and takes about 30 minutes. I'll be direct about what I see and whether I think I can help.