Removing Your Business from the Internet

When someone starts a new business, it can get overwhelming getting the word out online. Social Media accounts are set up. Google Map Pins are created. Listings are added to online directories. Perhaps your logo is added to someone else's site as a sponsor, or advertiser. A lot of that can take help to get done, and it can take time.

But, what happens if you are closing a business? (And not transferring ownership to another party)

There have been a few instances where I have either driven around or walked around an unfamiliar town for ages, looking for a business that Google Maps told me existed. Only to find out the business had closed years prior.

Removing your business from the internet is a good practice to employ, if you are shutting a business down.

Social Media

If you do not plan to keep your social media accounts after closure, then the best practice is to make a post about the date of your final day of business, then again once you are closed, and make that the last post of the account so it's the first one people see if they come across you. Then you delete them some time after your business closure.

Facebook Business Pages can have the open hours of your business, and to prevent confusion of someone not finding you, you can set all your hours to closed, and keep the page around for a few more months. It costs nothing for a Facebook Business Page, and you can delete it at a later time. 

Google Maps

Provided you still have access to your Google Business Profile, you can change your hours, and even your Business Status to closed. Google has added tools where people can make suggestions for changes to your profile, including that the business has closed. But it's best to make the changes yourself so that it's accurate at the time of closure.

Google Business Profiles are also free, and can always be deleted at a later time.

Website

Depending on where your website has been created / hosted, you can leave the website for your business up and running for a period of time. 

If you are using a monthly subscription service, you may want to cancel the subscription and have the site removed at the end of that month's term in order to save money.

If you are using a hosting company and had your site built by a developer, then likely you are on a yearly contract. The website can be altered with a 'Closed' notice on the home page so that people can see it easily. Then once your year runs out, the site will be removed once your account is deleted. If there are emails attached to that account, and your domain name, then you will need to make a decision about keeping those emails longer or letting them lapse with the account.

Warning: Once you lose your domain name, it may not be possible to get it back later if you change your mind. There are people / organizations that purchase recently expired domains, in the hope that the previous owner changes their mind, then they will charge you way more than the domain is worth to get it back.

For Example: The domain from an old business of ours that closed almost 13 years ago was purchased by someone else, and still have it listed for sale for $1400 USD!