Do you have a existing website (www.oldsite.com) and want to move your site to your new domain (www.newsite.com)? Maybe you have two websites you want to merge into one website? If so, you will want to learn more about htaccess which makes sure any visitors to the old website domain will be redirected to your new website domain.

We recently had to do this for an interior design firm who dissolved their partnership and knew people were still being directed to portions of their old website url. Those who had known their original company name would enter it as keywords within search engines like Yahoo and Google and still see old web pages listed. It’s also quite possible that their current clients haven’t caught on to their company’s name change and are still using their bookmarked web address. Also worth mentioning are all those 3rd party sites that have links to their website. They, too, would have no way of knowing that they changed their site domain name.

Solution: URL redirects (also known as URL forwarding, domain redirection and domain forwarding) help any incoming links to the old URL be directed to the new URL.

1) Domain Forwarding: Where did you register your existing domain?

Login to the account that manages your domain. Select your old domain and find the option to Forward the domain to another domain URL. If anyone tried to visit the main index page of your old site they will automatically be redirected to your new site

2) Always Backup your .htaccess file

You don’t want to damage your website and you don’t know what default settings your web host installed on your .htaccess file. Backup, Backup, Backup!

If you use FTP software such as CuteFTP or WS FTP, your .htaccess file may be hidden. Access your .htaccess file through your Web Hosting File Manager. You should find it on your website’s main directory (usually within an htdocs, httpdocs, www or public folder).

3) Create a new .htaccess file if one does not exist

You will be creating a plain text document (For PC-users, use Notepad) and name and save it .htaccess (don’t forget the file starts with a period).

4) .htaccess and 301 Redirects

A 301 Redirect sends visitors who may visit an outdated page of your website to the new page… especially helpful for updating search engine bots.

Type the following command in your .htaccess file:

Redirect 301 oldpage.html to newpage.html

In our client’s circumstances, we used the following command line for the .htaccess file on their old website (OldWebsite.com):

Redirect 301 / http://www.NewWebiste.com/

When people try to visit OldWebsite.com/contact.html they would be redirected to NewWebsite.com/profile.html.

On the client’s new/current website (NewWebsite.com), we used the following command line for the .htaccess file so that anyone trying to find a page that no longer exists is redirected to the homepage:

ErrorDocument 404 /home.html

** Make sure to upload your .htaccess files as an Ascii file. Remember, if you upload it using FTP software, the .htaccess file might disappear from view but exists (just hidden).

Is This Your First Website?
Lessons on How to Divvy Up the Space

Emma of Red Box Virtual Office asked Maya, “Please have a look at my very first website. Any feedback will be greatly received, though don’t be too harsh! It’s my first!”

Client: Leadership Breakthrough, Inc. (formerly Dessert HR Solutions)

Background: “Dessert HR Solutions – Simple Ideas, Breakthrough Results” changed their name to “Leadership Breakthrough, Inc.” and describes their services as coaching, training and development for the VPs, directors, high performers, executives and top sales teams.

After conducting some interviews, the following taglines were created stressing particular advantages of each:

• Leadership Breakthrough, Inc.
  It’s not all business. It’s personal too!
  (Advantage: promotes the inheret drama and personality about the company)
   
• Leadership Breakthrough, Inc.
  Helping you discover yourself.
  (Advantage: states a benefit of the company’s services)
   
• Leadership Breakthrough, Inc.
  Yes, you can do better.
  (Advantage: a though-provoking action statement)
   
• Leadership Breakthrough, Inc.
  Here to give you a fresh start.
  (Advantage: speaks to their client’s problem and the company’s solution)
   
• Leadership Breakthrough, Inc.
  Take the path and open the door.
  (Advantage: commands people to take action)
   
• Leadership Breakthrough, Inc.
  Be honest with yourself and more doors will open.
  (Advantage: simply states a truth)
   
• Leadership Breakthrough, Inc.
  Your hard work deserves a few more open doors.
  (Advantage: describes why the company is there for their clients)
   
• Leadership Breakthrough, Inc.
  Open your mind and more doors will open.
  (Advantage: states the benefit of the company’s services)
   

After the client’s brainstorming sessions with us along with their collegues, they came up with the following slogan:

• Leadership Breakthrough, Inc.
  The Door to Success

Which also inspired the logo design we created for them:

Have you seen the Sony Bravia TV ad spot who slogan is “Colour like.no.other” The advertisement is beautiful. I can only respect the process to produce the commercial. According to Bravia-Advert.com who writes about The Clean Up, “…took 10 days and 250 people to film… The cleaning took 5 days and 60 people.”

What publicity they’ve generated from sharing a Behind the Scenes look. I think that is why I also love watching DVDs that include “The Making of…” as part of the Special Features of the DVD.