Website Help/Advice

Hey again..ok, another question.

I created my website on Google Sites, as it was free, and had everything I needed to do it solo. However, the name is crazy long and clumsy for remembering. So where and what do you all do for a 'front page' site or your actual site. Are there any 'fairly reasonable' sites with a nice short domain and not too much money per year? All I need now is a 'www.whatevernameIwant.com' type site, and I can use it as a redirect to my actual site.

Any suggestions?

I have a friend that is supposedly getting me set up on his site, but it's been giving him a hard time and it's been over two weeks...and I really need my business cards finished before my upcoming events for Halloween!

Thanks for any other ideas.

Hiya,

I don't know how far you have gone into designing your site, but I will tell you who I use and why. I used Yahoo. For $12 per month it includes the domain name, a site builder program, hosting and email.

I know there is cheaper out there, but I couldn't find another that was so seamless. The website builder they have is great. It is like laying out something in MS WORD. I am not technically inclined and managed to get through it.

They have tons of templates or you can design you own graphics and upload them.

I am sure they also have a way of redirecting your site, but I don't know how that would work when you go to update it. It is worth checking out, plust their technical support was pretty good.

Good Luck!
-Metina

Metina, are you using Yahoo Geocities? Or is it another Yahoo website builder? I use Geocities' free site builder and LOVE it. I'd like to switch to their paid site, but I couldn't find out whether they use PageBuilder, which is why I love Geocities so much.

Heather, my site (www.facesalive.com) is a free site with Yahoo Geocities, and I really like it. The original address is still very long, so I purchased my own domain name, and use it as a "cloak" for my website. This is what I would suggest for you. You can buy your domain for $9.95 at GoDaddy.com, and then have it forwarding people to your free site.

Oh yes...I'm just looking for a 'cheap' site to use as a cloak.

I actually loved the Google sites (very very easy to use) and the gmail is free too...they just make you take on a horribly long name for it.

So I really just need a 'pretty name' website that is going to redirect traffic.

I will look up godaddy.com

Definitely purchase your own domain name. See if www. catsmeow .com or similar is available, and if so, snap it up! For $9.95 a year, it's a great investment, and you will always have it even if you decide to host your site elsewhere.

I use Yahoo Small Business (same as Metina) I've had my site for 3 years 9 months now!! Started at $8.95 a month but is going up to $11.95 in October as they are upgrading things. When I signed up they also registered my domain name so that is part of the cost.

Their PageBuilder program is easy to use - there are templates or you can use html etc. it all depends on your skills. There are lots of options and add-ons too.

I highly recommend it. No software required and you edit your site on-line so everything is live as you save it!

It is very easy to use, but....they just updated and now it had bugs! Just with any update. Yes they templates are SO easy to use. Yahoo has an option to transfer what you have and I just thing all the templates they have are so professional.

But......if it ain't broke, don't fix it. But, YES, get your own domain name! It is a must.

Metina wrote: Yahoo has an option to transfer what you have and I just thing all the templates they have are so professional.

So, if I had a site with Geocities for free, and signed up for Yahoo's paid plan, I could transfer my existing site over to the ad-free site without starting over? Because that's exactly what I am wanting to do. (I do NOT want to start over, or have to learn a new web design software.) Do you have statistics on how many hits you are getting, etc?

whoo hoo! I was able to get www.CatsMeowInfo.com !! It's 9.95 a year (i'm paying for two years in advance). It comes with a bunch of free stuff too.

I still like the google site, as it's free and I have everything I need...but jic, now I have a back up site, and a really short and memorable 'cover page' to redirect my traffic. I can always upgrade the GoDaddy site to include the gee gaws if needed!

Now to go mess around and get it working!!


Thank you ladies!!

Edit: It's up and running. It's just a 'park page', that redirects folks to click the 'real' link. But this will be much easier to remember!!

Thanks again!!

Congratulations! Can't wait to see it!

Gosh! I'm so glad I came across this discussion. I just registered my name MissKittyKreations on Go Daddy! But now I have to re-read everyone's comments and decide how to get a website up and running!

So now, do I have to go to Yahoo to get a site and pay for that and have my GoDaddy domain name linked to it? I am so confused now.

Kitty needs food and drinky.

Yahoo will help! I'm sure there are FAQs that cover that!

Yahoo is pretty helpful and if you are willing to dig, you can find the answer. I am sure if you have a Yahoo product, you should be able to transfer ok, but I wouldn't know for sure. But they want your money and I am sure they will do what they can to get it.

Yahoo has an 800 and the wait can be a bit long, but the help is great.

As to statistics, I put a counter on the site, but honestly, I need help promoting my site and all that meta tag stuff. I haven't a clue and don't know where to start. Any thoughts?

I don't know about Yahoo, but Geocities has a statistics page that will tell you all sorts of things - who is visiting the site, when, what pages they view, even what system they are using. It may be different for paid sites, but I can't imagine that they wouldn't offer something similar or even better. Here's the page for Geocities:

http://geocities.yahoo.com/stats

I am sure they do, but honestly between being mom, producing this site, my business site, marketing and running a business blah, blah, blah, blah and a 4 month old puppy that everyone wanted and I am left to potty train, I just can't take advantage of all that.

But, now that I know it is there.....I HAVE to. I also have to figure out how to get my site up in searches.

This is how we can all lean on each other for.

So GLAD you are all here!

-Metina