buying a domain name

[flatyre]

just bought a newer van and am about to get the graphics done for it, I don't have a web site yet but am looking into getting one. Is it possible to buy a domain name like habitatservices.co.uk for example then get a site made up later? I have been playing about on WIX and with a bit of work its possible to create a decent looking site, but I don't know if firms like WIX let you use your own domain name? Sorry if its a daft question but its something I know nothing about!

[Lowestoft Firewood]

Your best bet is to purchase your desired domain name from somewhere like heartinternet.uk and then also buy hosting from their and build a site on wordpress.

endless possibilities with the design then, you can use free templates to get a real quality site for not a huge amount each year.

[Steve Bullman]

i buy all my domain names at fasthosts.co.uk(i have a fair few), you dont have to buy hosting with them, you can host your site wherever you want and point the domain name to the server.

[Marko]

I'm with steve - Fasthosts. Be very careful with other vendors as the small print might mean you are locked in. You can hold the domain name or host it and any self respecting web designer will not mind setting it up in the space you control.

 

Back to the main point. DO get your domain sorted first. No point in getting the van wrapped or signwritten if your anticipated name is not available.

 

As you have a free reign don't be palmed with anything other than .co.uk - keep searching until you find one that suits, register it then roll out the artwork and headed notepaper. Good Luck!

[Marko]

Forgot to say that if you use Fasthosts (and some others) for the hosting then all the popular self publishing platforms like WIX, WORDPRESS etc are easily added on so you don't need any expertise to set it up and get going. Getting the name secured is the most important thing, setting up email second, and then getting an easily found web presence third. A simple (but presentable) one page of contact details that can be found by someone who googled you after they saw the van go by is all that is needed in the first instance.

[Richard 1234]

I've bought a .co.uk and I've also bought a .land domain. I having both link to the same place.

I thought the .land one was quite good for my business

[Marko]

If you look at your stats you will probably find 99% of traffic will be delivered by one of the two names due to the (ever changing) way google works. It doesn't really matter if you hold both but if you had to choose one...

 

For me the vast amount of the new domain extensions are the industry inventing additional real estate that no one other than the unsuspecting will buy.

 

Other may well beg to differ but just choose a trade you have never ever searched for before and look at the domain extensions of the first 3 pages.

 

The saying location, location, location remains true.

[Richard 1234]

If you look at your stats you will probably find 99% of traffic will be delivered by one of the two names due to the (ever changing) way google works. It doesn't really matter if you hold both but if you had to choose one...

 

 

 

For me the vast amount of the new domain extensions are the industry inventing additional real estate that no one other than the unsuspecting will buy.

 

 

 

Other may well beg to differ but just choose a trade you have never ever searched for before and look at the domain extensions of the first 3 pages.

 

 

 

The saying location, location, location remains true.

 

 

I know what you mean I spent a lot of time picking the company name (rebranding my business) so that I could get a .co.uk address I bought the .land as I thought it was interesting and it was cheap too!

[flatyre]

thanks for the advice guys, just bought "habitatservices.co.uk" for two years for under a tenner! Just need to get onto wordpress and make the site. I opted for getting the van graphics through thesignbuilder.co.uk. They have templets for most vans and you just add your text, logo, images etc and they cut them out and post them to you, saves on paying a sign writer to stick them on which is the expensive bit. Its a hell of a lot cheaper and I can hold off fitting the web address until the site is up and running. Sounds good, but has anyone used these online vinyl graphic firms before, are they any good?

[Richard 1234]

thanks for the advice guys, just bought "habitatservices.co.uk" for two years for under a tenner! Just need to get onto wordpress and make the site. I opted for getting the van graphics through thesignbuilder.co.uk. They have templets for most vans and you just add your text, logo, images etc and they cut them out and post them to you, saves on paying a sign writer to stick them on which is the expensive bit. Its a hell of a lot cheaper and I can hold off fitting the web address until the site is up and running. Sounds good, but has anyone used these online vinyl graphic firms before, are they any good?

 

 

A mate of mine did the online stickers thing for his van. The vinyl was great the end result was rubbish as he made a complete cock up if sticking them on!!

If you can stick straight and in the right spot go for it😁