eXtra For Every Publisher

Nearly every day I have a new idea for a site, and one of the first steps I take is to try to figure out a domain name that is available. Sometimes the domain that would fit my original idea best is taken and so I need to slightly adjust my idea to fit the domain that I can get. I do this so that the branding, and idea are harmonious, but finding available domains can be a pain.

I use the Instant Domain Search website in order to quickly figure out if a domain is available.

Why is this the Best Domain Search Tool?

Simplicity: The design is simple and focuses on the main use of the site, the tool couldn’t be easier to use, and the follow through to register with one of the major registrars is right on the page.

Fast: As you type in each letter of what you want, it checks to see if it is available. This can sometimes result in shorter domains than you originally assumed you could get. It also allows you to change quickly if you find your domain has been taken. You can do a variety of different manipulations quickly, and for me, this usually results in a domain I can be happy with.

Feature Filled: The Instant Domain Search tool not only shows if the dot com top level extension is available, but also the dot net and dot org extensions. I think this was a wise choice on their end. They also give you the estimated or best prices from a variety of different high quality, well known domain name registrars.

They even provide searching over a secure HTTPS connection if you are that paranoid about your domain ideas, and they promise not to record your searches.

Conclusion

If you are looking for a domain search tool, this one has helped me find dozens, but unlike some other services that help you come up with domains, this tool requires your creativity and imagination. I highly recommend the Instant Domain Search website.

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I know this isn’t money, advertising or blogging related really, but it can effect bloggers greatly as even servers can crash.

Over on Freelance Folder there is a post about backing up your data, and some simple steps you can take. Also, in the comments there are some other great recommendations. Not all of the things listed in the post or comments might help you back up your blog, but make sure you do it. And don’t forget to back up your database, and not just your files. In WordPress and other blog software, the database is where all your posts are, as well as you comments and configuration, so without your database, you won’t have much of anything.

A snippet from the Freelance Folder post:

The first stage of a Disaster Recovery plan is simply backing up all your important data. And it’s never been cheaper to do so - you can hit your local computer store and pick up monster-sized external hard drives for less than a hundred dollars. They plug right into a USB port and are ready to go with little or no setup. I just picked up a pair of 320 GB external drives yesterday for $70 a piece, plugged them in, and was good to go.

Check out the full post on Freelance Folder.

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I just wanted to let everyone know that I have six five Pownce invites if anyone still needs one.

What is Pownce?

Pownce is a way to send messages, files, links, and events to your friends. You’ll create a network of the people you know and then you can share stuff with all of them, just a few of them, or even just one other person really fast.

In summary, it is a Twitter clone created by Kevin Rose and others. It looks nice and works well.

How to Enter

To get an invitation, please leave a comment telling me one thing you’d like to learn from eXtra for Every Publisher, making sure you put in your correct e-mail address in the e-mail field, and the first six to do so, will get an invite from me.

Note: Please do not put your e-mail address in the comment, or no invite for you.

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I recently had a chance to hold an interview with Ahmed Bilal, someone who has been making his living online for the last three years.

Check it out below.
Read the rest of this entry »

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It looks like the Digg-like site will be moved off its Netscape.com home to another domain, sub-domain, or something as AOL moves Netscape.AOL.com to Netscape.com.

Here is a snippet from TechCrunch:

We’ve gotten an update on the controversial post we wrote earlier this month on the possible shutdown of the fourteen-month-old old Digg-clone Netscape. Too many AOL execs have had their eye on the Netscape.com domain name, which brings in 3 million or so page views per day. The most likely scenario - The current home page at aol.netscape.com becomes the default page for Netscape.com, and the year old digg-clone moves to a new domain.

We hear that wow.com, a domain previously owned by Compuserve and acquired by AOL, is a potential landing place for the Netscape service. AOL may have different plans for wow.com, however, and the Netscape portal may land somewhere else. Either way, look for a link or module from the old service to remain on the netscape.com domain after the changeover.

Does this mean that the service wasn’t pulling in much in the way of revenue or do AOL executives just not respect the new citizen social journalism community that other such sites encourage?

Who knows, but one thing is for certain, we will all have to update our bookmarks and submitting tools soon.

I have to admit though that Netscape, even once on the front page, never really brought me the same amount or type of traffic as competing services and unless you had “real news” it was next to impossible to get on the front page, despite the lower barrier for entry in votes.

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