registering a domain name and email

[PP HR Consulting]

Hi,

I am just starting a new business in HR Consulting for SME's & am ready to register a domain name and web site, however I'm not sure where to start - is there anyone who can give me a quote or advice about how to proceed?

Cheers,
Penny.

[Couple It]

I would start here and then when you're ready to register your domain name, google "registering a domain name". There are plenty of services...myself, I went with Crazy Domains.

Wendy

[clintmaher]

Yep Crazy Domains are really good and Australian based, if you stay on hold long enough you can even talk to a real person

Their domain management interface is nowhere near as functional as say godaddy, but for most people it has everything needed.

[King]

or even netregistry

choose a webhost with cpanel so you can administer your emails easily

[Couple It]

I only registered my domains with Crazy Domains. My host is WebCity and I've found them great...so far

Wendy

[clintmaher]

Hostgator provides outstanding value at any level.

They have 24 hour live chat - super important.

[The Infotainer]

Originally Posted by Couple It

I only registered my domains with Crazy Domains. My host is WebCity and I've found them great...so far

Wendy

I use webcity for 3 of my sites, and didn't have much problem with thme until they upgraded my server without telling me and then

my email webscript stopped working, it's just not compatible with the server anymore and back when I bought the interspire email marketer at just under $700.

customer service is crap for anything technical

if you have a basic site webcity is OK

if your going to have a site that runs cron jobs and needs a bit of processing ower to process whatever is going on with your site then don't use webcity.

you can register your domain name with them and get your server as well very easily.

webcity good for basic websites not the best for cron job style websites (like email marketing, autoresponders, directories) unless you get one of their expensive hosting packages

customer service is Shight

[bluepenguin]

I wouldn't recommend Crazy Domains. They are really, really cheap... but in my experience with them, you get what you pay for.

Their service is just too unreliable for a serious business. I have a personal website and email hosted with them, and the site just disappears every now and again and the email service goes down several times a day.

Personally, I use smartyhost and have never had an issue.

[clintmaher]

Don't host and purchase a domain name from the same supplier.

Get a domain name from a dedicated domain registrant and hosting from a dedicated hosting company.

Each are good at their core business but not their cross sales product.

[Ytelco]

Hi Penny.

My recommendation is to get the domain name ASAP to avoid it being taken by someone else. I recently had a customer miss out by a matter of days! You can add the website and hosting later.

If you are looking at a .au domain (eg pphr.com.au), there are eligibility rules. Take a look at schedule C on this page: http://www.auda.org.au/policies/auda-2008-05/

If you are looking at a .com (eg pphr.com) it's generally first in, best dressed (although Trade Marks can come into play).

When comparing prices, ask if DNS hosting is included. Some include it in the price and others charge extra. DNS lets you redirect the web address to your site if you ever change hosts.

Websites come in all shapes and sizes. You can sign up for a free DIY service such as www.weebly.com (works a lot like a word processor) or get a web designer to do it for you. You'll often get what you pay for so if you're in a position to have it done professionally, I recommend that you do! There are a few web designers on FS who should be able to help. Make sure you get a scope document outlining exactly what the finished product should be to avoid any issues later.

Feel free to get in touch if you need any more info.