What Malaysian Small Business Owners Need to Know Before Investing a Website

If you’re a small or medium business owner thinking about getting a website, you might not realize all the little details that come with it. We’ve talked to a lot of customers who found themselves caught off guard when they wanted to ditch their existing website agency. To help you avoid those surprises, here’s what you should really know before handing over your project to a web designer.

1. Do You Really Own Your Website?

This one often trips people up. One of our customers, let’s call him John, thought he owned his website because the domain name was registered under his company’s name. That, technically, was true. But what John didn’t realize was that he didn’t have access to the domain registrar account or the hosting dashboard. That meant if he wanted to move his website to another provider or make changes, he had to go through the original agency that built it—sometimes dealing with slow responses, extra fees, or just plain frustration.

It’s important to clarify ownership and access rights upfront—ask if you will receive full source files and backend access. Most agencies will not hand over all the backend access, mainly because they’re worried about you accidentally breaking something. If you don’t have full access, making updates, switching providers, or even just understanding how your own website works becomes way more complicated than it should be.

Even more common, some agencies use proprietary technology or custom-built systems. The website runs on their platform, and while it looks like it’s your website, you’re actually kind of “locked in.” While the upside is often a unique site and a user-friendly content management system (CMS), you remain dependent on that company indefinitely.

Bottom line: Just because the domain is under your name doesn’t mean you have full control. Always ask upfront—“Can I move my site if I want to? Will I have full access to the domain, hosting, and website files?” This little conversation early on can save you a big headache later.

2. Renewal Costs: Hosting and Domain

One of the most common surprises for business owners new to websites is that the costs don’t stop once your site goes live. Your website needs a domain name and hosting to stay on the internet, and both come with ongoing fees that usually happen every year.

Think of your domain name as your website’s address—something like yourbusiness.com. If you register your domain locally in Malaysia, you can typically expect to pay around RM60 to RM80 per year for a standard .com.my or .my domain.

On top of your domain, your website files need a “home” on a server that’s always connected to the internet. Hosting fees can vary widely depending on your website size, features, and traffic, but as a minimum expectation, you’ll usually pay somewhere around a few hundred ringgit per year for reliable hosting.

Both domain names and hosting are typically billed annually because they represent ongoing services. If you don’t renew, your website and email could become unreachable. On top of these basic renewal fees, if you want ongoing support, updates, or technical help to maintain your website, these usually come with additional costs. It’s a good idea to budget for these yearly expenses so you’re not caught off guard.

3. Keeping Your Website Healthy Takes Work

Whether your website is built on WordPress or custom-coded from scratch, it’s important to know that websites aren’t “set-it-and-forget-it” projects. They need regular care to keep running smoothly, stay secure, and deliver a great experience to your visitors.

If your website uses WordPress, maintenance usually means updating the core software, plugins, and themes to patch security holes and fix bugs. Plus, there’s backing up your site, cleaning up the database, optimizing speed, and monitoring for malware or hacks. Skipping these tasks can lead to a broken website or vulnerabilities that hackers love to exploit.

But what if your site is custom coded by a developer?

Custom-coded sites aren’t necessarily easier to maintain—they often require even more specialized care. Instead of just updating plugins, your developer may need to regularly check all the underlying code and scripts to ensure they’re compatible with server updates or security practices.

Whichever platform you use, maintenance isn’t as simple as clicking an “update” button—it’s more like routine checkups and fixes that need a skilled professional. And you will have to pay for that!

4. Beware of Premium Plugins with Hidden Costs

If your website is built on WordPress, this is something you absolutely need to watch out for. WordPress itself is free, but many designers rely heavily on premium plugins—these are add-ons that unlock extra features, better designs, or advanced functionality.

Here’s the catch: often, the web designer will use their own premium plugin licenses during development. When they hand over the website to you, their license is removed. Without the license, you generally can still use the plugin, but you lose access to updates and support, which may break your site in the future. If you want to keep using those plugins and all their features, you’ll need to buy your own license, which can be an unexpected expense. Sometimes these plugins require yearly renewals for updates and support, so it’s an ongoing cost.

Also, your future website developer may not have access to those premium plugins without purchasing a license, meaning maintenance or upgrades might become more expensive.

Because these costs can stack up, affecting your total website budget both upfront and long term. It’s crucial to ask your WordPress web agency whether there is any premium plugin that requires ongoing licensing. Knowing this upfront helps you avoid sticker shock later and ensures you budget realistically for website ownership.

5. Website Speed Matters More Than You Think

Before you hire a web designer, it’s important to know how website speed can impact your business. A slow website frustrates visitors and can make them leave before they even see what you offer. This isn’t just a problem for older users; younger people, who expect instant, lightning-fast Browse, are often even less patient.

Here’s a real-life story: I once met a customer who engaged us for website redesign—an uncle running his own small business. I asked him if he thought his website was a bit slow. The site was built with a popular page builder, and when I tested it, the page speed score was around 50+, which is pretty slow. Watching him navigate the site, I could feel the lag myself. He said, “Maybe it’s my internet connection; sometimes it’s slow.” But the real issue was the website—its heavy, unoptimized code made the experience sluggish, no matter the connection.

Many websites today rely on tools called page builders or AI site builders because they’re easy to use and look nice. But these tools often add extra code and features that slow down your site. Images might not be optimized, and there could be too many add-ons loading in the background. This makes your website load slowly, which can lose you visitors and hurt your Google rankings.

When talking to your web designer, don’t just focus on how your site looks. Ask about how they will make sure your website is fast and runs smoothly. Good designers optimize images, use efficient coding, and pick reliable hosting to keep your site speed up.

Final Thoughts: Be Informed, Ask Questions, and Take Control of Your Website

Your website is often the first impression your customers get of your business, so it pays to be well-informed before you hire a web designer. As we’ve covered, knowing who really owns your website, understanding the ongoing costs for renewal and maintenance, being aware of hidden charges like premium plugins, and insisting on good website speed are all crucial.

Don’t be shy about asking your web designer the tough questions upfront. Clarify who will have access to your site and domain, what costs you’re responsible for annually, how your site will be maintained, and how they plan to keep your site running fast and smoothly.

Remember, a website isn’t a “set and forget” asset—it’s a living part of your business that needs care and attention to work well for you. By understanding these important factors, you’ll avoid headaches, protect your investment, and build a site that truly supports your business goals.

If you ever feel unsure or overwhelmed, don’t hesitate to reach out to Solbright Digital Services for advice or a second opinion—better to be informed than caught off guard.

Your website should empower your business, not hold you back. Ask the right questions early on, and you’ll be on your way to a successful online presence!