Existing free website, buy a domain name?

[tigtiggerific]

Hi, i have created a website for my friend who has started as a self employed driving instructor, but i am no budding webmaster! lol, so we did it using piczo as, i am familiar with the site, and with it being free and able to pick ur own web address, it was a great option for starting with.

We have now realised that in order to get more traffic from people who are passing the car etc with the web address, that they may not be able to remember the web address with the piczo bit on the end, so we wanted to buy a URL from someone, and give them the current piczo site (which i have worked pretty hard on, and it is just what we need, and we are pretty high in the google search rankings now ) and then have the new shorter easier to remember URL.

And i dont really want to start again using a new host and stuff, and one other thing i would do, is create a new piczo site with the old web addy on, then a link redirecting it to the new site incase anyone cliks a new link. our aim is not proffessional perfection, as he is solo, and the website is miles better than a lot of the bigger companies in our area anyway!, we just want to be able to get more traffic who just see the web address written down (plenty of traffic from links we have posted all over the directoies and stuff) and then resulting in more customers who can get on easily with the site, and it appeal to them


I will PM the current site for anyone that wants to view it, as there are tunz of ppl on here, and i dont want loads of hits on it who arent potential customers u see
hope i have made sense, and someone can help me, thanks

 

[OldWelshGuy]

if it ranks, then just buy a domain name from 123reg, and do framed forwarding on it.

 

[tigtiggerific]

thanks for ur quick reply! ok, i have got 123reg site up, framed forwarding? im confused! lol, im not too good at the technical words n stuff yet, iv learned things as i have gone along.
so will it be straight forward enough to do what i want from that site? looks like a good easy to use site, although im still slightly unsure! lol!

 

[KingPin36]

In your forwarding options you should see what OWG is talking about.

Edit - Of course you need to create an account first!!

KP

 

[tigtiggerific]

OWG???:sorry: argh im lost! sorry

 

[OldWelshGuy]

on NO ACCOUNT use their site builder etc. Just register a domain name with them, then go into the control domain page, and do web forwarding. I would just send it over and let them see the shonky piczo url. that way if they bookmark a page they get the right page bookmarked. If domain in the browser url is important then framed forward it.

 

[tigtiggerific]

so i can buy a domain name from that site if it is available, then what happens, is it registered to me by password and email or something? then i register it on the 123reg site?, then i can transfre it onto my piczo site at a later date? (like in a few days or so)

ur being a great help guys, im just a first timer in this area, so not able to fully understand abbreviations etc yet! x

 

[KingPin36]

Go to the website OWG suggested.

Buy a domain name and put in all your details as it requests. The domain will belong to you.

Then go to the domain control panel and do as OWG said.

Within minutes that domain you registered will redirect to your site when someone types it in the browser.

Done.

KP

 

[tigtiggerific]

oh right OWG (old welsh guy) i thought it was an abbreviation of something to do or something, lol. confused me, sorry

right, ok, it all sound pretty simple to me now

i need to go and get the business owner and his bank card now then, lol,

u guys have been fab and helped me loads. im very grateful

cheers x

 

[KingPin36]

cheers x

Oooo, we even get a kiss for our troubles OWG :blink:

Lol, your welcome fella.

Just remember us when you make a bazillion quid.

KP

 

[tigtiggerific]

oh actually, another thing, (OWG what did u mean by send them the "shonky piczo URL"? and u know now with my piczo site, each page is the URL then /each page name, all the domainname.piczo.com be changed to newdomainname.com then /each page, or just the home page? does that make sense?

edit, im a lady, n u can have loadsa kisses 4 helping x x x x x x x x x

edit, and i will link this site from mine too x x

 

[KingPin36]

I think the old boy just meant shonky as in crap (he's Welsh, you have to forgive him sometimes )

Nope, nothing in your site needs to be changed at all.

Just redirect your new domain to your crap domain.

KP

 

[tigtiggerific]

ok, thanks

im pretty scared tho! i trust u, but if it doesnt work im fired! lol (its not a formal thing, its a favour for a friend by helping him) but i still dont want to do it wrong!

do u know if anyone clicks on the old link, it will take them straight to the new link and the actual website, or do i need to set up a new piczo account with the old name, and a link to the new site on the front page?

im so glad there is a way to promote a business thru a website without having to learn all the fancy code ways of doing stuff, as i really dont have time to do things "proffessionally" coz im a full time mum, just doing this when i can!

cheers KP x x
and of course cheers OWG x x

 

[KingPin36]

Being a Mum is a job in it's self :scared:

All you have to do is follow the instructions OWG and I have given you.

Nothing more nothing less.

If someone clicks on the old domain that will just take them to the current website which the new domain will forward to.

KP

 

[tigtiggerific]

lol, its not easy being a mum, but its worth it

great stuff, what a bonus about the redirection thing!! wowee! i looked into that 301 redirection stuff, but it wouldnt have worked coz u cant upload .htaccount files, or whatever it is! to piczo

right, just waiting for him to get back to me,so he can pay! then off we go!! thanks again x x

 

[tigtiggerific]

also, will it affect the google rankings? and will it say the new domain name in the search engines where it currently says the old one?

sorry 4 all questions, but he will be asking me them, so i need to know! lol! x

 

[KingPin36]

Well that depends.

When you obtain back links, point them to the new domain and that will help rank the site/page.

But as for having any impact on current rankings, no.

KP

 

[tigtiggerific]

cool thanks

thats it for now i think, no doubt i will be back

take care x x

 

[tigtiggerific]

I'm back!!!

Hi, I said I'd be back, lol. well we are going thru with the 123-reg thing. Iv just found about the hidden costs grr! the VAT is excluded and theres a £5 registery fee too, never mind.

ok, when it asks for the meta details so it can still be found by search engines, which bit shall i put?

i can PM anyone the meta tag details, as dont want them on public forum, coz not sure if i should or not?

also is it true that when iv done framed forwarding, any link they save will just save to home page? theres only 6 pages, so its not too much trouble

is there anything else i need to remember with framed forwarding?

Thanks guys

 

[KingPin36]

Don't worry about META Keywords are they are pretty useless.

All I'd worry about is getting your Title element right and your META description right for CTR (click through rate) purposes.

KP