domain name

Best Domain Name For You

by Nancy Fields Leave a Comment

What Is A Domain?

A domain (domain name) is your unique internet address.

Your domain name includes:

https: Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (Protocol)
It can, but does not need to include www
NOTE: www stands for World Wide Web but it’s no longer necessary
TLD: Top-level domain such as .com, .net, .org

domain name protocol and TLD illustrated for fieldsgraphicdesign.com

Want a website but not sure where to begin? Click here to download my website start-up cheat sheet.

http vs. https

Have you ever stumbled upon website with a “Not Secure” notice to the left of the domain name?

That’s because the website Protocol began with http, not https.

In order for your site Protocol to begin with https you need an SSL Certificate.

What is a TLD?

TLD stands for Top-level domain.

The most common TLDs are

.com
.net
.org

But those aren’t the only ones. I have one that’s nancyfields.design.

domain name protocol and TLD illustrated for nancyfields.design

You will also need to choose a TLD when you choose your domain name.

To see a complete list of over 1,000 TLDs click this link.

What Domain Name Should You Choose?

So many industry descriptive domain names were purchased years ago such as realtor.com it’s best to choose your first and last name, or your company name.

But what if my name is already taken?

In 2000 my first and last name were already take, so I chose nancyfieldsdesign.com and also fieldsgraphicdesign.com.

I use both domain names so if someone types in NancyFieldsDesign.com, it redirects to FieldsGraphicDesign.com.

A few years ago I bought nancyfields.design, but it’s still “parked” meaning I own the domain but have not yet used it.

Using a different TLD

I were an author and my name was not available I could choose something else, such as nancyfieldsauthor.com, or nancyfields.blog.

If I were a coach, nancyfields.coach. An artist, nancyfields.art.

How to Find a Domain Name?

There are lots of ways to find domain names. Most hosting companies sell domain names, but I prefer logging onto https://who.is/. This website tells me within seconds if a domain name is available and at what price.

You can buy your domain from who.is, but, if you have not yet purchased a website hosting account you might want to check with them because many web hosts, like bluehost, also offer one free domain name for your first year of hosting.

Need Help Getting Started?

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P.S. I also design websites and have group trainings. Sign up below so I can keep you in the loop.

New Domain Name? How To Point Your Domain Name To a Different Web Host

by Nancy Fields Leave a Comment

finger pointing to text that read New Domain Name? How to Point it to Your Web Host so you can start building your WordPress website — Check out the video below that shows how I pointed a domain name purchased at NameCheap to Bluehost

“I just bought a new domain name,” she said. “How do I set up a WordPress website?”

“Did you buy your domain name from your web host?” I asked.

“No.”

“In that case, you will not be able to set up your WordPress website until you propagate your domain name.”

“How do I do that?”

What is domain propagation?

Every domain name is associated with a web server. A web server is basically one computer that has lots of data on it.

When you buy a domain name, it goes into a web server belonging to the company you purchased the domain name.

Likewise, if you get web hosting from a different company, that company has its own web server, too. When you choose a web host, you are renting space on their web server.

Before you can setup a website that shows up with your new domain name, your domain name company and your website host company have to talk to each other.

It’s call domain propagation and it can take up to 72 hours for the two different companies to communicate.

Once that’s done, you can install WordPress on your web host with your new domain name.

Propagating your domain name

It is NOT a problem if you purchased your domain name from one company and your web hosting from another. In fact, a lot of people do it this way. Especially if they have a lot of domain names and want them all under one roof.

The problem for many people is, domain name propagation is a bit tech-y.

Steps to propagating your new domain name

Log into your domain name host
Log into your web host
In your web host, find your web host name servers
Copy your web host name servers in a text document
Go to your domain name host name servers
Replace you domain name host name servers with your web host name servers
Wait up to 72 hours
After 72 hours log into your web host and confirm your domain name is listed under “domain names”

If your new domain name is not showing up in your web host

Log into your domain name host and confirm your web host name servers are the one’s displaying
Contact your web host and ask them to activate your new domain name

Technology is ever changing. It seems every time I log into my web host, or my domain name host, things are in different places. That’s why I don’t waste my time hunting and pecking, or trying to find the right “help document.” Instead, I go into Live Chat with my web host and ask them to activate my new domain name.

Then it’s time to install and start building a new WordPress website!

Check out the video below ri see how I propagated a domain name that was purchased on NameSilo with a website hosted on Bluehost.

Video: How To Point Your Domain Name to Your Website Host

Web Design Money Saving Checklist

by Nancy Fields Leave a Comment

Imagine finding just the right person to design your website. You may have tried to design your own website, or thought someone on your staff was up to the challenge — but they were not — it just wasn’t their “thing.” It doesn’t seem to be your “thing” either. No shame in that. The good news is you’re finally ready to take the leap, and financial commitment, to hire a pro to do it for you. Can’t you just feel the weight of the world being lifted off your shoulders?

Oh, there’s just one more decision you need to make. How much money do you want to save?

Your Money Saving Checklist

Time is money, so if you can have all these items ready to hand over to your web designer, you’ll save a bundle.

• List of best times for meetings and questions as website develops

• All website copy in a final, edited version in MS Word

• Headshot: 72 dpi 300 px width minimum

• Product images if you’re selling something

• Cover graphic for your IFO (Irresistible Free Offer) for list building

• Other images you would like to use on your site

• Your domain name registrar Username and Password (your website name)

• A contract with a web host plus c-Panel Username and Password

There are copy writers, virtual assistants, lots of stock photo companies, as well as your web designer who can help you pull all these things together. It all comes down to how much money you want to save.

Best wishes for attaining a site you truly desire.

Time to tell Bluehost (or any host) you’re in business

by Nancy Fields Leave a Comment

Part 2 of a 2 part series: Your very first steps to a 1-Click WordPress Install

The first steps to setting up a WordPress website can be a little intimidating. If you purchased a domain name from GoDaddy and want to move it to Bluehost (or any host), last week you learned how to point your nameservers to Bluehost – which is the very first step toward getting your WordPress website installed. Now that the 36 hour verification process has passed, you’re ready to move onto step 2, and complete the domain name transfer.

Follow the instructions below, or, if you’re easily overwhelmed with the technical side of things, don’t hesitate to phone Bluehost customer service and ask them for help.

The important thing is to get your WordPress website up and running so you can attract your perfect customer, and increase your sales.

Before you begin you’ll need to have this information at your fingertips

BlueHost cPanel login (emailed from BlueHost when you first signed up)
Domain Name and Authorization Code (email together, from GoDaddy, after you pointed your name servers to BlueHost
Verification Code (sent in a separate email from GoDaddy, after pointing your name servers to BlueHost)

HOW to transfer a domain name purchased from GoDaddy, to Bluehost

go to Bluehost: http://www.bluehost.com/
click on the Control Panel Login in the upper right corner and log into your account
Make sure you are on the cPanel tab
Scroll down to the “Domain Management” category and click on “Transfer Domain”
Enter the Domain name you would like to transfer and click Continue
NOTE: this is your GoDaddy domain name which will become your website URL
Enter the Authorization Code (EPP Code) and click Continue
NOTE this code is alphanumeric and case sensitive
Enter the Admin Contact Verification confirmation and click Continue
If you have followed all the steps from the previous lesson on pointing your nameservers to BlueHost, your Domains Transfer page should look like this:

You can choose to keep “Autorenew” checked
“Contact information” can be edited
“Domain Privacy” can be checked to help prevent theft and spam, or you can use WordPress anti spam plugins to help prevent theft and spam
“Terms of Service” check this and then click Add to Cart

Congratulations! You can now move onto your WordPress 1-click Install on Bluehost.

About Nancy Fields

Nancy Fields is a graphic designer who specializes in print and WordPress. Nancy is dedicated to empowering all her clients with great graphic design, and teaching them how to use and update the WordPress web sites she builds for them. Her weekly e-zine features How To articles on WordPress, design, and marketing.

SEO Part 5: How to choose a great domain name

by Nancy Fields Leave a Comment

SEO Part 5 of 6

In SEO Part 4 you learned how to add SEO rich keywords to your images so search engine robots don’t skip over and ignore your site relevant pictures. The article below was written in response to a question from my client: how to choose a good domain name at a time when it seems that everything has already been taken.

Avoid hyphens when choosing a domain name

I had just finished an on-line training session, How to Choose a Domain Name (link: http://www.wordtracker.com/academy), when my client, Jane, e-mailed to say she bought a domain name for her new on-line business, and asked if it was a ‘good’ name?

Jane is a theatre director. For over 20 years she’s worked with actors and amateurs, helping them improve their diction, delivery, and believability. I’m in the process of helping her launch and build her new website so that she can use these same skills to help small business owners improve their delivery, message and overall quality of their online videos presentations.

Jane had been struggling for weeks to find just the right name. When she told me she chose “be-reel.com,” I hesitated to break the bad news.

Of Wordtracker’s (link: http://www.wordtracker.com/academy) eight tips on how to choose a great domain name, “avoid hyphens” is right in the middle of the pack:

Make it memorable: Because many people shop around before buying, so remembering your name is important

Make it short: (1) Short names are easy to type and easy to remember and share. (2) Short names fit into search results before being cut off after 69 characters (3) Short names fit more easily on a business card

Make it easy to spell: Avoids mistyping your name

Avoid hyphens and numbers: See below

Include keywords: Keywords can help improve your click-through rate: more people clicking through your site instead of landing on one page and exiting

Avoid trademark names: Once you’ve decided upon a name check it to make certain it’s not copyrighted

Choose a top level domain: (1) .com (2) .net (3) .org

Support your Marketing: Making sure your name helps people know, like and trust you

Avoid hyphens in your domain name

“Be-reel” is short and easy to spell, but the big problem is the hyphen. Hyphens make website names less memorable and more difficult to spell, causing you to loose traffic.

Write about what makes you unique

Instead of racking her brain to find one unique and clever word, Jane took my suggestion to write about her business and describe her services. Soon “onlinevideodirection” emerged which accurately describes what she does (it supports her marketing), is keyword rich, avoids hyphens, is not trademarked, contains a top level domain, and it’s memorable:

• online
• video
• direction

In the process, Jane also created a business name that is a long-tail keyword: long-tail refers to search terms that are 3 or more, very targeted words people would likely use when searching for your product or service.

Take away: When in doubt go for the obvious instead of trying to dream up something slick or mysterious. It will help you get found, and may even close the deal.

SEO Part 6: Long tail keywords

In Part 5 I’ll be talking more about long-tail keywords, and why you will want keep them in mind when writing your website copy.