1. Register your domain name yourself

It is easy to do and can avoid lots of headaches should you ever wish to part company with the person or company who registered the domain name on your behalf and may hold all the information. This way all communications regarding your domain name will go straight to you, rather than someone else, and there is less chance of loosing the domain name because someone forgot to pass the renewal notice on.

If your domain name is already registered you can easily check who is listed as the registrant on most domain name registration websites, such as Discount Domains or Domains 4 Less. If it isn’t registered to you, and you think it should be, you can request the registrant transfer the domain name to you.

2. Know your site host FTP details

The FTP details are the ‘keys’ to your site, make sure you get them from your developer or whoever has organised the hosting for your site.

FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is used to download and upload your website files to and from the host server (the place where your website lives).

FTP details typically consist of three sets of information; an IP address (a series of numbers separated by full stops), a login and your password. Keep them in a safe place. Should you wish to change developers you will need to have this information available so your website files can be downloaded from the host server and worked on, then the new files uploaded.

3. Make sure your host company is regularly backing up your website

Websites are meant to be dynamic, meaning the information on them changes over time. If your hosting company is not backing up your site and they have a problem resulting in your website files being lost or damaged, you could be faced with having to build your website again from scratch.

4. Know how to access and best use your website’s statistical data.

Most commercial hosting packages come with access to historical information on who, where and when visitors came to your site. Google Analytics is also a wonderful tool that can be easily integrated into most sites. Ensure you know how to access this information and also how to best use the data they provide. If in doubt ask your developer or hosting company.

Information such as least and most popular site pages and downloads, entry and exit pages, referrers (search engines and other sites directing visitors to your site), can help you to make improvements to your site in key areas.

For more useful information on websites, design and marketing issues check out our archive of ‘Hot Gossip’ newsletter articles.

Posted on February 9th, 2010 by Wendy Riley-Biddle
Filed under: General, Websites