Making the move to my own domain name... what do I need to know?

[katef]

OK I have been thinking about it, reading about it, planning it and sometimes dreaming about it (yes I live a sad sad life) for a while now. I told myself I had to finish all of my Christmas design obligations first, which I have done (well mostly)... so now the time has come and I think I am ready to do this.. but I am a tad nervous!!! LOL

I want to split my blog into one just for my design and digi scrap work and keep my picklebums blog just for personal and Mamma blogging type things (I have some ideas of how to grow it, I hope!) - so I have decided on my two domain names and they are both available. I have looked at Godaddy for the domain name registration... unless anyone can give me a better option? Is there anything I need to know before going through the process and paying my money?

I think I have found a decent web host... recommended by a friend. I need them to be able to host both domain names on the one hosting package and to offer a little more in terms of storage and bandwidth than just a blog. But can anyone give me a rough idea of how much bandwidth your blog uses? Just so I can make sure my calculations are ok? And is there anything I need to look out for hosting wise specifically related to a wordpress blog?

I have some basic web host experience from setting up this site www.pickleberrypop.com and I have a good friend who can help with technical stuff I can't manage but I want to pretty much be able to manage it all on my own as simply as possible. I want to use wordpress as pretty much a CMS for my design work... so it will be my main page on that part of the website and then link off to a gallery page and other info.... that is doable yeah?

Hmm.... I think I have covered all my bases and got as much info as I can before I do this.... so what am I waiting for?? someone give me a kick up the bum and tell me it will all be ok ok!?!

Kate

[Leigh]

Congratulation on making the leep! Blogger is becoming such a pain, I have all but given up trying to comment on blogger blogs these days.

Firstly, your domain. Godaddy is great, use this coupon code and get your domains for $6.95 OYH3

Hosting, go for a Linux server..not windows. As for bandwidth, not sure on the average blogs. You probably won't need much to start with, but I'd say allow about a gig each.

Wordpress is a great CMS..wordpress is just great for everything! So what are you waiting for woman...just do it!! You will be so glad you did.

[katef]

Oh thanks for the godaddy coupon... ok I am going through the godaddy process now.. a few questions...

Do I need to do anything about nameservers now? or can that wait until I have my hosting sorted and I just leaved the domains 'parked' at godaddy for now?

I am also buying the privacy option... I assume that is worth the money as I don't need my phone number or home address up on the net! :)

thanks for your help

Kate

[Leigh]

Yes, you can just leave the nameservers and change them later.

The privacy option is good, if you don't have a PO Box to use.

[katef]

ok domain names purchased.... now to sort out hosting.. but first a trip to the post office! argh wish me luck!

[Megan]

When I first started blogging, I didn't really understand the difference between blogging on a free platform like blogspot and having your own domain name and hosting. I soon learnt!!!

My number one comment to people starting would be do it right from the start - go buy a domain name and some hosting space.....then you can be indexed in Leigh's Top 50 Women's blogs list and Meg's Top 100 Aussie bloggers.

I won't leave comments on blogger blogs anymore - it is too hard and takes up too much time. I can leave comments under my old google account from when I had a blogger blog, but why Would I do that?

Looking forward to your new name and adventures Picklebum. I'll link to you once it's all done. The linking will assist you to get onto Leigh and Meg's top lists quicker.

[tianakaesha]

blogger has now upgraded it's blog commenting system so any blog log in will work...

[katef]

ok So I am all domain named up and have my web hosting.. even have wordpress installed yay for me! Now I need to find a spare oh I dunno 50 days without children or sleep, to choose and customise a theme and then edit all my old posts at blogger and drag them across and... and... and.... :)

You know... I like blogger for what it is... free! ROFL. I had had friends blogging on livejournal etc for a few years and always thought it was so terribly geeky and boring and that I would never do that, but then things changes and I thought 'hmm I might give it a try' then I discovered how much I really enjoy it... writing that is... who would have thought it as I really sucked at it at school and uni! So yeah I am glad I started out with blogger, 'found my feet' so to speak but I do think that now I feel I want to get even a little bit serious... now is the time to make the move... so I have.... still a bit freaked out... but yay!

Kate

[tianakaesha]

I am so excited for you Kate! :D

[katef]

gah! Why does it take so long for my domain name to propagate with telstra?? I can see my loaded up WP and I can sometimes see the WP admin page... but mostly the link to my WP admin takes me back to my godday parked domain page! Grrrrr just when the baby was asleep and I was going to have a quick play... driving me nuts!

Come on Optus get your new wireless out the highway I am SO over not having any choice in net providers!

Kate

[imported_Lightening]

I hope it goes well Kate! :) Let me know when you're all set up and I'll give you a link too. I know how hard it is to work your way up again when you start from the bottom. Not that I had achieved anything significant before I moved so it wasn't as painful as for some.