Bought a business? Update its website information first

Key takeaways

After buying a business, update its website information early: legal entity and disclosures, ownership and team, contact routes, privacy notice and data controller, terms, credentials and insurance, and any claims that depended on the old owner. Secure logins and domain ownership first. Customers and regulators judge you on what the site says.

• Secure domain, hosting and website logins first.
• Update the legal entity, disclosures and privacy notice.
• Check credentials, insurance and claims still apply.
• Tell customers what changes and what stays the same.

What website information should change after buying a business?

Change anything tied to the old owner or entity: company details and disclosures, ownership and team information, contact routes, the privacy notice and data controller, terms, credentials, insurance and claims. Global Bridge Labs (GBL) recommends doing this within the first few weeks, after securing access.

• What information should every business website have?
• Company number on your website: where and how
• Should your own name be on your business website?

What should be secured first?

Secure the domain registration, hosting, website administrator accounts, Google Business Profile, analytics and email first. Make sure they are in the new owner's name and that former owners or staff no longer have access. Losing the domain is one of the costliest mistakes after a sale.

• Website security for small businesses: the basics

What legal details need updating?

If the trading entity changes, update the disclosure line, terms and invoices. If personal data passes to a new controller, update the privacy notice to say who now controls it. If the business is regulated, check whether registrations transfer or need new applications.

• What a UK website privacy policy must include
• Show your regulator and registration number online

Which claims might no longer be true?

Check claims that depended on the old owner or team: years of personal experience, named qualifications, awards, accreditations, insurance and client lists. Some transfer with the business; some do not. Remove or reword anything that is no longer accurate.

• 'Established in' dates on your website: do they help?
• Inaccurate information on your website: the legal risk

How should customers be told?

Tell customers plainly what changes and what stays the same: the team, prices, guarantees and how to get support. A short 'new ownership' note on the about page and a customer email build continuity. Honour commitments made under the old ownership where you have taken them on.

• Warranty information on your website: what to state
• A support page for existing customers

When should you leave things unchanged?

Leave the brand, design and content customers value unchanged at first, unless it is inaccurate. Many acquisitions lose goodwill by rebranding too fast. Fix facts and legal details now; consider bigger changes once you know what customers value.

What does this look like in practice?

A pattern we see after acquisitions: the website still shows the seller's photo and 'I personally handle every job', months after they left. Updating the people, ownership and claims, while keeping the trusted brand, maintains trust and avoids misleading customers.

• See client work
• Website Design & Development for UK businesses

New owner website checklist

• Transfer domain, hosting and logins.
• Remove former owners' access.
• Update disclosures and terms.
• Update the privacy notice and controller.
• Check credentials, insurance and claims.
• Tell customers what changes.

• Google Business Profile vs website: what goes where
• What filling your website's information gaps costs

Next step

Before completion, list every website login and account the seller holds. Make their transfer a condition of the handover.