Hunting down log in credentials is the bane to every developers’ and SEOs’ existence. Usernames and passwords are passed through many hands and are often not kept in one secure place. With that said, I encourage all site owners to identify the account information referrenced below and understand why each are vital to the maintenance of your site.
1. Google Anlaytics
What Is It?
Google Analytics is a free service offered by Google that provides detailed metrics about your site. Metrics include how visitors are finding and using your site- what search engines they’re using, the keywords they’re searching, the pages they’re landing on, how long they’re staying on site, how many pages they’re viewing per visit…you get the picture.
Why Do I Need Access?
You need access to your account so that you can put the data it provides to good use! Knowing how your visitors interact with your site will help you make strategic decisions to improve the overall user experience.
Where Can I Find It?
Retrieving the log in credentials for Google Analytics can actually be a bit of a challenge. The biggest issue is waiting for their support team to get back to you if neither your username nor password is available. I’ve waited up to two weeks for a response for one of my client’s account information. Some options you have are:
→ Access the Account Recovery page and enter your information
2. Google/Bing Webmaster Tools
What Is It?
Google/Bing Web Master Tools is home to some of the most valuable information a website owner could ever have. Both allow you to check the “health” of your websites by showing which pages are being indexed by the engines, any errors the crawlers are encountering, duplicate meta data and more.
Why Do I Need It?
Webmaster Tools is your key to finding out how the search engines view your site. Think of Webmaster Tools as a “checkup” of your site’s health. Wouldn’t you want to know if search engines couldn’t access different parts of your site? I would!
Where Can I Find It?
The process is the same as finding your Google Analytics account info. There is a good chance that your Analytics account information will be the same for your Webmaster Tools. Request that your username/password change be sent to your recovery email via the Account Recovery page.
3. Google Places
What Is It?
Google Places is a free local platform that offers company information including location, phone number, hours of operation, pictures, reviews, and more. This is a local listing from The Southern, a local restaurant.
And here’s the expanded view
Why Do I Need It?
Google Places offers business owners a valuable opportunity to provide relevant information to searchers. Local has become a HUGE player in search, if you haven’t noticed, and having access to this account allows you to provide the right information to searchers. Google Places can be edited by anyone, pending a review, so you want to make sure that the information is accurate.
Where Can I Find It?
Your places listing will be listed under a Google account, so you’ll have to go through the same process as Analytics and Webmaster Tools. If you absolutely cannot find the verified owner account information, then you can edit it when you’re signed in to any general Google account. However, changes may take longer to be approved without being logged in as the verified owner of the listing.
4. FTP
What Is It?
FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol. FTP allows you to move files from one computer to another or from your computer to your server and vice versa.
Why Do I Need It?
Developers upload HTML, CSS, and image files to the FTP and use it to install files for content management systems, like WordPress. In order to make changes to a website beyond the capabilities of a CMS, a developer needs access to your FTP to upload those files and push them live.
Where Can I Find It?
You can access your FTP information by contacting your hosting provider. Once requested, your hosting provider will send the credentials to the emails listed under the account. This is what you’ll receive:
→ ADDRESS: ftp.example.com (can also be an IP address)
→ USERNAME: example.com
→ PASSWORD: example
5. Domain Registrar
What Is It?
A domain registrar is simply where you purchased/registered your domain. Popular registrars include GoDaddy.com, NetworkSolutions.com, and Domain.com
Why Do I Need It?
You’ll need account information for your registrar so that developers can point the DNS (Domain Name Server) to the hosting server. Confusing? Sometimes a site will purchase their domain from one company and host with another. So a developer needs to access your domain registrar account so it can coordinate servers.
Where Can I Find It?
Domain registrars will have a “Who Is” searchable database that lists every single registered domain, who owns the domain, and how to contact them. This is public information that anyone can access. Once you’ve identified where you’re hosting your site, you can call and request that your account information be sent to the email addresses listed on the account.
6. CMS
What Is It?
CMS stands for Content Management System and it allows people to quickly and easily update text, images, and other features on your site. Popular CMSs include WordPress, Expression Engine, Drupal, and Joomla
Why Do I Need It?
You need access to your CMS so that you can make basic changes to the text and images on your site without needing a developer. Using a CMS doesn’t require any knowledge of code and pushes changes live immediately.
Where Can I Find It?
Many CMSs like WordPress will send a link to create a new password if you have the email/username that is associated with the account. This is WordPress’s lost password screen.
7. cPanel
What Is It?
cPanel is a Linux based control panel for your hosting provider where you can control various aspects of your website and server administration.
Why Do I Need It?
You’ll want to have access to your cPanel so you can create subdomains, email accounts, FTP accounts, MySQL databases and manage files. cPanels make challenging webmaster tasks quicker and easier. Don’t you want to save your developer time?
Where Can I Find It?
To access your website’s cPanel, contact your hosting company and ask them to send the credentials to the emails listed on the account.
I highly recommend keeping all of the account information I just mentioned in one place. Calling hosting providers, waiting for Google to respond, and sifting through old emails can be very time consuming. Having this information readily available will make your lives and the lives of your developers and SEOs much easier.
