Domain Name change - Issues - Tips - Tricks

You were blogging in a free domain like blogger, wordpress etc(yourname.blogspot.com)... One fine morning you decided to choose your own name for the blog.
A new domain... Have you ever thought of the issues you are gonna battle against?

Here are the things I've battled and the battle is still going on...

1. Choosing the name.
a. I've the name in mind and i've chosen the same. But look at the name. Doesn't that provides you with the info like geographic location? Is my blog for those people from this location alone?

b. Cheaper names to choose from: I went by this banner as well, and it was 1.99 per year as they said, and I spend around 17 USD for a couple of years.

c. Domain for life : Dont go by this word. The domains are to be renewed every one/couple/5 years/ 10 years. This package comes with hosting plans. So as long as you are with this hosting company, you get a domain for life. But make sure that you are through the agreement. Like the conditions, whether the domain is under your name, whether you have the right to resell / transfer the same.. etc.. etc..


2. Hosting plan:
Are you going to choose your own hosting plan? Or going to rely on blogger/ blogging platform for the same?
i relied on blogger.


3. Site wide issues.
Before introducing my domain my PR was 3. After that its all gone.. a new domain.. a new activity.. everything is to be started from scratch.. from feed burner to the link building..

a. For feed burner: I was using http://feeds.feedburner.com/Beautifulminds and I still use the same.. I deleted the earlier entry and added this new, under the same name.. so that is solved.

b. Page Rank: I've lost the same and now i've to start from the scratch. (is any one hearing this? )

c. Link submission: From directories to search engines, I've to submit my link for Beautiful minds. And with some automated tools, some manual submissions, I'm able to do the same to some extend.

d. Technorati base.: As of now I don't have a person favoring me in technorati : What should I do?

e. Redirection from the old blog: Thanks to blogger, as it doesn't leave my readers behind.(blogger handles auto redirect)

f. Paid for blogging: I was having membership in Pay per post, sponsored reviews, smorty etc.. smorty rejected my submission, I've contacted PPP and they replaced my old link with my new one(Thank you PPP). sponsored review too accept the link Even though I've got in to these two, I wont be getting High paid opps as of now, coz MY PR and link backs are less.

g. Blogcatalog: I've tried adding in blog catalog and they readily added me to the network :)

h. Updation: I've the link in some of my other blogs, and I went ahead and updated the same, manually.

i. Blogrolls.: i was a member in some of the blogrolls and I need to get the url updated in them as well.. thank you tricia (of feverishthoughts/ tricia's musings) for helping me in that.

j. Alexa. I was able to increase my alexa ranking by 52 lakhs and now, I've to start from the scratch. ( Who are gonna help me? none :( )


So if your blog is with a decent PR, alexa rank, and is established, then better stay where you are.. If is relatively new, go ahead and change the domain name... and yaa.. if you are confident (like me.. he he he) then also change in name is for you...