How to Edit the Name of a WordPress Website
The Pros and Cons of Choosing a Different Domain Name
When you purchase a domain name, you usually have the option of using a subdomain of the website or establishing it as a completely separate entity. The key difference between the two options is that a subdomain can only exist within the parent domain. So if you own awebsite.com, you can only use.com,.net, or.org as your subdomains.
A standalone domain can exist anywhere you please, and you have complete control over what happens with it. You can establish it as a catch-all for your email addresses, or use it to take credit for your blog posts. The decision is completely up to you.
The Benefits of Establishing a Separate Entity
Although you may not see this at first glance, having a standalone domain can have many advantages. The first is flexibility. You can establish whatever name you please for the domain, instead of having to use a subdomain of one of your existing websites. So if you want to give your blog a try, but don’t want to use a subdomain of your personal website, you can establish a domain with a name like “wptuts.com” and use that for your blog.
A second advantage is that you can keep your existing social media accounts when establishing a separate entity for your website. Many companies offer services where you can connect your social media accounts to a brand new website, but that can be difficult to do if you already have existing ones. Having the ability to connect social media accounts to a brand new domain is extremely useful when trying to establish or rebuild your online presence.
How to Establish a New Domain Name
If you’ve decided that the advantages of having a separate entity outweigh the risks, all you need is a place to host it and a little know-how on how to set it up. Establishing a new domain name is very easy to do, and there are many helpful tools online that can make the process much simpler. Just remember that you’ll need to have a place to host the site and some patience to go through the process legally establishing the domain.
The Legal Processes Involved in Establishing a New Domain Name
When you purchase a domain name, you’re usually given the option to either establish it as a subdomain of an existing website or to create a standalone entity. The process of legally establishing a new domain name is called “domain registration” and it requires you to go through a series of steps to prove that you’re the rightful owner of the domain. This is different from simply purchasing the name, which is a simpler, less formal process known as “parking” a domain.
To begin the process of registering a domain, you must contact the domain registry of the TLD (Top Level Domain) you plan on using. The two most popular TLD’s are.com and.net, so if you’re looking to establish a website using those, you’ll need to make sure to register your domain with one of those registries. (You can’t register a domain with the.org registry if you’re using a.com or.net TLD.)
The first thing the registry will do is check to see if the domain you want to register is already registered. If it’s not, they will give you a code to enter into the website you’re about to establish, which will let you create a new account and activate this domain. When they detect your domain is parked (i.e., it’s been bought without being registered), they will notify you that it’s been detected and give you the option of paying a hefty fee or negotiating a cheaper price for it. Most people choose the cheaper option, which is often under a thousand dollars. Negotiating a lower price is usually the key to getting a good deal. After that, you must continue the process by filling out more information about yourself and paying the registration fee.
The Important Things to Remember
Once you’ve successfully registered the domain, take the time to read over the “Terms of Service” and the “Privacy Policy” that came with it. These two policies will form the basis of your online relationship with customers and establish how you’ll handle any personal information that’s collected online. (It is extremely important to read these documents carefully before you establish any kind of relationship with customers or potential customers.)
The Terms of Service will outline the general guidelines for using the domain you just registered, while the Privacy Policy will explain how the information you provide online will be used by the website owner.
If you’re looking to establish a blog or a store, the next step is to pick a quality theme for the site. A quality theme will make all the difference in your site’s appearance, and you won’t be able to tell the difference between a blog with a basic theme and one that’s been customized with a good theme. When choosing a theme, make sure that it’s versatile and can be used to create different types of sites.
Once you’ve picked out the theme you want to use, install it on your site and play around with it a bit to see how it works. If you’re stuck for ideas, check out the WordPress theme directory to see what’s available.
How to Customize Your Blog or Webstore
Once you’ve picked out the theme you want to use and it’s installed on your site, you can begin to customize it. (Make sure to backup any original themes before doing any customizing.)
The best way to customize a blog or webstore is to use a tool that allows you to make quick and easy changes to the theme without needing any programming knowledge. Some of the more convenient tools for making changes to WordPress themes are: