WebPlus X5: Multiple Domain Names

[PaulineBish]

Hi Guys

I am in the process of creating a legal website using x5for a client in France.
So as to increase his presence on the web he wants to purchase mutiple domain names (in fact he has already purchased them), but he wants to point each of them to the same file.
First question is this possible - my instinct tells me not to do it.
Also if not, is it possible to have muliple copies of the same html file (giving each file a different name)- or is this frowned upon by search engines and could lead to adverse effects on the page rankings.

Once again any advice would be greatly appreciated.
I do so love my french clients .......

Many thanks
PaulineBish

[TAE]

Originally Posted by PaulineBish Hi Guys I am in the process of creating a legal website using x5for a client in France. So as to increase his presence on the web he wants to purchase mutiple domain names (in fact he has already purchased them), but he wants to point each of them to the same file. First question is this possible - my instinct tells me not to do it. Also if not, is it possible to have muliple copies of the same html file (giving each file a different name)- or is this frowned upon by search engines and could lead to adverse effects on the page rankings. Once again any advice would be greatly appreciated. I do so love my french clients ....... Many thanks PaulineBish

Yes, it is possible

It requires a hosting account that allows multiple domains, and then from the control panel, you can set up a redirect... your visitors will always be pointed to the respective page

e.g., If I have www.example.com
and www.example.co.uk

and you have a redirect set up to example.co.uk, then when a vistor visits www.example.com/mypage.html, they will automatically be sent to www.example.co.uk/mypage.html


Hope this helps

[doughboy]

Originally Posted by PaulineBish Hi Guys I am in the process of creating a legal website using x5for a client in France. So as to increase his presence on the web he wants to purchase mutiple domain names (in fact he has already purchased them), but he wants to point each of them to the same file. First question is this possible - my instinct tells me not to do it. Also if not, is it possible to have muliple copies of the same html file (giving each file a different name)- or is this frowned upon by search engines and could lead to adverse effects on the page rankings. Once again any advice would be greatly appreciated. I do so love my french clients ....... Many thanks PaulineBish

How about a simple one page redirect on all but the main site?

[TAE]

Originally Posted by PaulineBish Hi Guys Also if not, is it possible to have muliple copies of the same html file (giving each file a different name)- or is this frowned upon by search engines and could lead to adverse effects on the page rankings.

And, yes this is frowned upon by the search engines, but I think a redirect is fine by them

[TAE]

Originally Posted by doughboy How about a simple one page redirect on all but the main site?

How do you mean... do you mean to redirect one specific page, but not any other pages? You can usually set this up.

[doughboy]

Originally Posted by TAE How do you mean... do you mean to redirect one specific page, but not any other pages? You can usually set this up.

As the domains are already owned I'm suggesting one page on each of them, each containing a redirect to the main site. This could be immediate or it could for example say something like "you are being redirected to -mainsitename-" with a suitable delay for viewer to digest that brief message.

[TAE]

Originally Posted by doughboy As the domains are already owned I'm suggesting one page on each of them, each containing a redirect to the main site. This could be immediate or it could for example say something like "you are being redirected to -mainsitename-" with a suitable delay for viewer to digest that brief message.

In WebPlus, you can edit a page so that they redirect after x seconds, however, I would be inclined to just set up an insant redirect... I used to have a site that I'd show you how it works, but I let it expire

[Foxy]

Originally Posted by PaulineBish Hi Guys I am in the process of creating a legal website using x5for a client in France. So as to increase his presence on the web he wants to purchase mutiple domain names (in fact he has already purchased them), but he wants to point each of them to the same file. First question is this possible - my instinct tells me not to do it. Also if not, is it possible to have muliple copies of the same html file (giving each file a different name)- or is this frowned upon by search engines and could lead to adverse effects on the page rankings. Once again any advice would be greatly appreciated. I do so love my french clients ....... Many thanks PaulineBish

Hi Pauline,

not sure what he will achieve by all this, it could be to his detriment as you say - but take a look at the URL below if you like.

I would think adding content to his site continually would/should have better results than having so many duplicate sites out there with the same content, if that is what he really wants to do.

http://support.google.com/webmasters...n&answer=66359

George

[alspar]

Originally Posted by PaulineBish Hi Guys I am in the process of creating a legal website using x5for a client in France. So as to increase his presence on the web he wants to purchase mutiple domain names (in fact he has already purchased them), but he wants to point each of them to the same file. First question is this possible - my instinct tells me not to do it. Also if not, is it possible to have muliple copies of the same html file (giving each file a different name)- or is this frowned upon by search engines and could lead to adverse effects on the page rankings. Once again any advice would be greatly appreciated. I do so love my french clients ....... Many thanks PaulineBish

First, Website Domains do not point directly to a html file, they point to a Host Server which in turn points to a folder on the that host and a default webpage is opened (usually index.html) from that folder.

You can point all the domains to one folder, provided your host supports mutiple domains (either internal or external) AND your host supports you deciding the folder the domain(s) point to. This would be acceptable to users if only the domain extension is different (e.g yourdomain.fr, yourdomain.com, yourdaomain.eu etc.)

If the domain names are different (e.g. yourdomain.com, otherdoamin.com) (this may not be acceptable to users) or the host does not support you setting the folder - then you will need to re-direct as outlined in earlier posts.

[AlfredP]

Originally Posted by alspar You can point all the domains to one folder, provided your host supports mutiple domains (either internal or external) AND your host supports you deciding the folder the doamin(s) point to.

Isn't your deciding the folder(s) only an issue for addon domains, Alan? If you want to have multiple domain names pointing to the same web space (so that the same pages are displayed regardless of whether your visitors go to example.com, example.net or example.org) I think you just need to 'park' the additional domains.

Alfred

[TAE]

Originally Posted by AlfredP Isn't your deciding the folder(s) only an issue for addon domains, Alan? If you want to have multiple domain names pointing to the same web space (so that the same pages are displayed regardless of whether your visitors go to example.com, example.net or example.org) I think you just need to 'park' the additional domains. Alfred

"park"... that's the word I was looking for earlier when I said "a host that allows multiple domains" (or whatever I said)

[alspar]

Originally Posted by AlfredP Isn't your deciding the folder(s) only an issue for addon domains, Alan? If you want to have multiple domain names pointing to the same web space (so that the same pages are displayed regardless of whether your visitors go to example.com, example.net or example.org) I think you just need to 'park' the additional domains. Alfred

The way various hosting providers handle multiple domains varies - and I accept my earlier description is simplified.

Some hosts/domain registrars allow you to purchase a domain without hosting - you then need to re-direct it to another domain via their Control Panel, if you want to use it. (This is what is usually considered 'Parking' (no host)).

Some hosts/domain registrars point additional domains to a folder based on the domain name created within your hosting space - if you can't change this, you have to re-direct.

As you say, Alfred - some hosts will point additional domains at the root of your hosting space - in this case what you indicated is true - they will all point to the same folder and files.

Some hosts (like the ones I use) allow multiple domains and I can determine the folder in my webspace that each points to. None of my Websites run in the root of my Webspace.

This list of possibilities is probably not exhaustive.

Parking see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domain_parking

[Meg]

Originally Posted by PaulineBish Hi Guys I am in the process of creating a legal website using x5for a client in France. So as to increase his presence on the web he wants to purchase mutiple domain names (in fact he has already purchased them), but he wants to point each of them to the same file. First question is this possible - my instinct tells me not to do it. Also if not, is it possible to have muliple copies of the same html file (giving each file a different name)- or is this frowned upon by search engines and could lead to adverse effects on the page rankings. Once again any advice would be greatly appreciated. I do so love my french clients ....... Many thanks PaulineBish

I have several domain names that point to the same site. For some sites, I "purchase" both the .com and the .co.uk version of the domain name I want. I use a domain name provider and separate hosting with a number of other companies. With ANY domain name, I go into my account with the domain name provider and edit the "nameservers". My host tells me what these should be. A made-up example of a nameserver might be xy123.hostcompany.com and xy124.hostcompany.com (Usually, you are given 2 nameserver addresses).

I upload my website to my hosting company and then, within the domain name company, edit the nameservers to what the host company told me they should be. I could point every single one of my 3 pages of domain names to the same nameservers if I wanted!

If you are a famous company, you might want to buy up ALL the domain names for your company.

try this:
In your web browser, type in
www.serif.com
www.serif.co.uk
www.serif.net

to see why

ADDED
I just tried www.serif.info!!!!!

[alspar]

Originally Posted by Meg I have several domain names that point to the same site. For some sites, I "purchase" both the .com and the .co.uk version of the domain name I want. I use a domain name provider and separate hosting with a number of other companies. With ANY domain name, I go into my account with the domain name provider and edit the "nameservers". My host tells me what these should be. A made-up example of a nameserver might be xy123.hostcompany.com and xy124.hostcompany.com (Usually, you are given 2 nameserver addresses). I upload my website to my hosting company and then, within the domain name company, edit the nameservers to what the host company told me they should be. I could point every single one of my 3 pages of domain names to the same nameservers if I wanted!

Yes indeed, Meg. - But I believe you have missed out a step:
You need to tell your hosting company the domain names of the websites you are pointing to your hosting space.
Nameservers on their own will only point to the host - not your website folder/files.

[Meg]

Originally Posted by alspar Yes indeed, Meg. - But I believe you have missed out a step: You need to tell your hosting company the domain names of the websites you are pointing to your hosting space. Nameservers on their own will only point to the host - not your website folder/files.

I am going to try out an experiment later today, haven't time at present, to check out the steps for this.

[PaulineBish]

Hi Guys

Thank you for all the very useful advice (as always).

The problem that I have is that the client has bought all different .com domain names, for example abc.com xyz.com and 123.com ect ect.

Would the advice already given above be the same in this instance.

The reason that he has done this is that one of his main competitors has muliple different domain names each with a slightly different version of the website. When you search using specified phrases his sites appear on page 1, 2 and 3 of google. In his mind this gives him a bigger presence on the web. I agree that you are better having a site that has current content and regular updates, but his mind is set on mutiple domains

Many Thanks
Pauline

[TAE]

Originally Posted by PaulineBish Hi Guys Thank you for all the very useful advice (as always). The problem that I have is that the client has bought all different .com domain names, for example abc.com xyz.com and 123.com ect ect. Would the advice already given above be the same in this instance. The reason that he has done this is that one of his main competitors has muliple different domain names each with a slightly different version of the website. When you search using specified phrases his sites appear on page 1, 2 and 3 of google. In his mind this gives him a bigger presence on the web. I agree that you are better having a site that has current content and regular updates, but his mind is set on mutiple domains Many Thanks Pauline

Yes, the same applies. My two websites are .com (kilmorewebdesign and kilmorewebhosting), and when I first bought the hosting one, it was "parked" and was identical to the design one; sharing the same files.

You can do exactly the same thing with the multiple .coms

[alspar]

Originally Posted by PaulineBish Hi Guys Thank you for all the very useful advice (as always). The problem that I have is that the client has bought all different .com domain names, for example abc.com xyz.com and 123.com ect ect. Would the advice already given above be the same in this instance. The reason that he has done this is that one of his main competitors has muliple different domain names each with a slightly different version of the website. When you search using specified phrases his sites appear on page 1, 2 and 3 of google. In his mind this gives him a bigger presence on the web. I agree that you are better having a site that has current content and regular updates, but his mind is set on mutiple domains Many Thanks Pauline

Hi Pauline

Setting aside the previous technical debate about multiple domains - suggest you confirm which of the domains the client wants as the main one, then build the best possible website for that domain. Only then come back to the decisions on where and how the other domains are used.

Good luck.

[PaulineBish]

Originally Posted by alspar Hi Pauline Setting aside the previous technical debate about multiple domains - suggest you confirm which of the domains the client wants as the main one, then build the best possible website for that domain. Only then come back to the decisions on where and how the other domains are used. Good luck.

Hi Alan

That is what I am doing, just trying to answer this question for the client at the same time.

Many thanks
Pauline

[Meg]

Originally Posted by Meg I am going to try out an experiment later today, haven't time at present, to check out the steps for this.

OK,
Hostgator - host - uses CPanel

I have a website there which is just in the process of being created, only a holding page at present. It's on fitness as you get older.

I have 2 domains that I am not presently using, one on stopping snoring and one on muscle fitness. They were previously parked at my domain name provider but I have moved them across as PARKED domains at Hostgator. They point them to show the content of my primary web site, so both are currently showing the holding page for fitness as you get older.

Not all hosts will do this. Some put adverts on parked pages and share the proceeds with you.

But for this particular host, parking the other domain names would be a very quick and easy way of showing the page.

I have done other things for other sites but it was quite a while ago, so don't remember and they were not CPanel sites either. Just learning CPanel at present.

Remembered!
The other way I used multiple domains was by using Web forwarding through my domain name provider. This is a type of redirect and my particular domain name provider offers masked, redirect 301 and redirect 302 for this. It is simple and easy to do this.