Domain Name / Web Hosting

[Sandi]

I have a domain name "jellyandcustard" & already have web hosting through Crazy Domains. I haven't done anything with it though so it's sitting there.

I don't want to call my photography business Jelly & Custard & at the moment am calling myself "Captured by Sandi" (does that sound corny?)

If I got another domain name & have it redirected to the jellyandcustard domain name, do you think that would confuse people?
Or is it best to get a new domain / hosting package?

[kiwi]

dont you mean it's setting there ?

Do you intend to register either names as business names ?

[ricktas]

your domain name has to represent who you are and what you do, thus it is a personal choice. We see many of these threads on AP, and in the end, the replies are all that you need to choose a name that suits you, and quickly tells anyone using a search engine, what your site is about as well.

If you are setting this up as a business, you need to consider a lot more. Insurance, more gear (one 50D will not cut it). I think you need to do a lot more research before you start setting up a business. May I suggest you post some of your work, so we can guage the standard.

[Sandi]

Thanks for your replies.
That's why I'm asking the questions as it's all part & parcel of doing my 'homework'. I by no means intend to be running a full on business - not yet anyway. I want to start small & grow as I improve.

I will be posting some work towards the weekend when I have more 'computer'. At the moment, I'm dashing off to work & don't have my images on my work computer.

[paullivo]

If I got another domain name & have it redirected to the jellyandcustard domain name, do you think that would confuse people?

Yes it would confuse people BUT you may find that not only can you do a redirect with the new domain name but you can also set it to be the display new domain name in the URL bar. I did that for my wife when she had a free Yahoo Geocities account and then purchased a domain name.

[dche5390]

Register a new domain name. It is cheap, especially at crazydomains! Wish I had gone with them, but I'm very happy with my provider anyway.

[Rob Fraser]

Has anyone who registered with CrazyDomains set up their website with them also?
Or any other suggestions for creating a website?
Thanks.

[kiwi]

I used www.servage.net for all my hosting and use their free website builder, dead easy

[MarkChap]

You shouldn't need to get a new hosting package.

You should be able to have the new domain name set up as an add-on domain with you your current package, so when people get to your new domain that is where the get.

[crystalflair]

Captured by Sandi is a catchy name for a business but is it a wise domain name? Will it help in the future when you are up and running with SEO results, your domain name doesn't have to be the same as your business name (though that said for the little cost of a .com I would grab it also). As metioned you can have a URL that points to another and you can set up a page so that if someone searched for your business name, as it is unique it would come up high in the search.

Just my two cents worth

Ooops I forgot to mention I use two web hosts and by and far the best I have come across is GoHosting, very reliable indeed.

[geoffsta]

G'day mate.
I use http://www.powweb.com/ . You get a domain name and they have all the apps you might possibly need for your site, at a reasonable price.
Really think about your domain registration. If not company name, something that represents what your company does.

Geoff

[SteveB]

I find it is always good to keep things consistant, same name all the way through clients dealings with a business. Otherwise they may start wondering how legite a business may be.

[darkmerlin]

I'm only new to photography but I'm ancient when it comes to the internet.
I've been running my own web hosting servers in Sydney and Brisbane for over 10years.
Here's a couple of the mistakes that I see businesses (new and old) make when choosing a domain name and host.

• Your domain name should be easy to remember and spell
• Don't use acronyms, underscores, numbers etc in a domain name
• Use a keyword in the domain name
• Keep the domain name as short as possible
• Make sure the .com.au and .com version are both available, you'll want both.
• If you like the cheap prices of USA hosts at least check Whirlpool forums to understand that with web hosting "you get what you pay for"

The goal of having a website should be to create the best (perceived) business image that you can in the mind of your visitor.
It doesn't matter if you actually run your business out of a shoe box from the boot of your car, it's all about that first impression as it's key to developing a trust relationship which when established will lead to sales.

[Natsky]

My 2 cents…

Short & sweet is easy to remember (and type) and then be consistent and use it everywhere.
My full name, Natalie Barovsky, is a little long…take first and last 3 letters and you get Natsky…easier to remember and it has worked really well. Darkmerlin's advice is worth taking.

On Crazy Domains…have used them for a few years now for our business websites with no problems. Because of this, there has been no need to try elsewhere, so I have nothing to base a comparison on. Their help desk is efficient and fairly quick, and they're not even phased when I tell them I am using a Mac!