Ending website contract - keep domain name?

[Strommer]

We have a website for our business that was created by a NZ company 'web-maker',
and we have a domain name (URL) that ends in '.co.nz'
Now we no longer want to stay with the company that made our website and
instead I will create the website using Weebly - I have made two great websites
for local groups that I belong to, on a volunteer basis - members are most impressed .

Weebly offers a free site using the word 'weebly' in the URL, or an annual fee can be
paid to remove the 'weebly' word, with the URL ending in '.com'
Having our business URL ending in '.com' is OK with us, but it would be better to have it
remain the same (.co.nz)

Questions: When we end our contract with the web-maker company (end of this month as
that is when the annual fee is due), is our current URL (.co.nz) available for us to use?
Also, if we instead use the '.com' URL, is there some way that when people look for our
old (.co.nz) URL that they are automatically redirected to our new website (.com)?

BTW, SWMBO went ahead and organised the company to make the website even though
I said that I would do it; no big problem as it is more her business than mine and a friend
of her's has the web-maker company. While their annual fees are not exorbitant, I know that
by doing the website myself it will save us $100's each year, plus I can update the info
and photos on a regular and frequent basis - for no extra charge and at greater convenience.

Thanks.

[Edit - Moderators, if this post is better in the PF1 forum rather than here in Chat, go ahead and move it.]

[pctek]

Questions: When we end our contract with the web-maker company (end of this month as
that is when the annual fee is due), is our current URL (.co.nz) available for us to use?

Also, if we instead use the '.com' URL, is there some way that when people look for our
old (.co.nz) URL that they are automatically redirected to our new website (.com)?

You would hope so.
The domain name is NOT connected to a website, you can own a domain with or without a website.

Any reputable hoster would have ensured you are the REGISTRANT of the domain (The legal owner), but alas some arses register it under their name instead and then there is a bit of process to go through to prove your ownership of it.

Yes you can have both .co.nz and .com f you wish and just add a redirect on the .com so that it takes people to the .co.nz.
Again, a reputanble hosting compnay can help you with this.

If you want weebly.....use a normal hosting company, you don't actually have to use Weebleys (or wordpress or whoever) actual hosting to make use of their build it yourself software.

[CYaBro]

Just to expand on what pctek said.
If you want the .com domain to match your .co.nz domain you will need to purchase it, and it possibly is already owned by someone else.

Just because you have the .co.nz domain doesn't automatically mean you have the same domain at .com or .org etc.
.com domains usually cost more than a .co.nz domain name and I wouldn't bother if your business is NZ only.

You need to get the UDAI from the existing host and that will allow you to transfer the domain name to any other host, usually at no cost.
Be aware that once you do that your website won't work and probably not your emails for that domain either, as they would all be part of the hosting package with the current host.

[Webdevguy]

We have a website for our business that was created by a NZ company 'web-maker',
and we have a domain name (URL) that ends in '.co.nz'
Now we no longer want to stay with the company that made our website and
instead I will create the website using Weebly - I have made two great websites
for local groups that I belong to, on a volunteer basis - members are most impressed .

Weebly offers a free site using the word 'weebly' in the URL, or an annual fee can be
paid to remove the 'weebly' word, with the URL ending in '.com'
Having our business URL ending in '.com' is OK with us, but it would be better to have it
remain the same (.co.nz)

Questions: When we end our contract with the web-maker company (end of this month as
that is when the annual fee is due), is our current URL (.co.nz) available for us to use?
Also, if we instead use the '.com' URL, is there some way that when people look for our
old (.co.nz) URL that they are automatically redirected to our new website (.com)?


[Edit - Moderators, if this post is better in the PF1 forum rather than here in Chat, go ahead and move it.]

You would definitely expect to keep your website name is it is part of your companies identity. Normally you just transfer the url over from the old domain host to your new domain host. They give you a special code that you use to transfer the url over. You can also go to a .com name if you wish you just use a url redirect to direct visitors to the .co.nz address.

[Kame]

I wouldn't spoil your domain with weebly, just find you a host and transfer it, if you have access to the domain management tools of your site, its easy to do and not necessarily needed to be transferred just redirect to your hosts nameserver.

You can still use weebly without using them as a host.

Cheers,

KK

[johcar]

I wouldn't spoil your domain with weebly, just find you a host and transfer it, if you have access to the domain management tools of your site, its easy to do and not necessarily needed to be transferred just redirect to your hosts nameserver.

You can still use weebly without using them as a host.

Cheers,

KK

Not if you're with someone like Zeald... Their websites are DB-driven and although you can change the host away from Zeald, you also lose all the content of the site.

[kahawai chaser]

As webdevguy says it's important to retain identity, i.e. branding, baclink profile, and rankings in search engines, especially for the behemoth Google. They recommend a 301 redirect (from G's chief engineer), though normally for a complete url name change.

I would check your backlinks using Moz's open site explorer or Ahefs tool or majestics. Or install Google webmaster tools for checking backlinks, crawl errors, googlebot, diagnostics, url checks, etc. Maybe also Google Analytics for visitor checks, top visited pages, etc. Depending on the nature of your website implementing structured data - again from Google may help.

[Strommer]

everyone for all the information

There are a number of issues that you have raised that I wish to comment on,
and I do have a few more questions, but this evening I am busy with work and
family so will get back on here tomorrow.

[Webdevguy]

everyone for all the information

There are a number of issues that you have raised that I wish to comment on,
and I do have a few more questions, but this evening I am busy with work and
family so will get back on here tomorrow.

You shouldn't need to create a new website when moving to a new domain. Just move the existing website to the new host. If you do decide to build a new website, don't use a templated one, plan your new layout to fit your business requirements, then get a graphic designer or somebody with some graphic design or design/art experience ( maybe an art student from student job search who wants to earn $100 cash) to design you a decent mock up of what the site will look like based on your new layout requirements. Then give that mockup to a web design company.

Sometimes it is good to invest $1000 - $1500 in a decent website to promote your business as this is who people see your business when they "walk in the front door".

Just my 2 cents.