I am sorry to disappoint you all but it is a sad fact, but you still need to own a domain for your website. Why? Why? Why? This is 2009 and there are way too many social networking sites! You need to make sure you have your SEO on lockdown or else someone else is going to take it from you! I have good news though, it is going to be cheap easy and you won't even need to update it!
Why? Why? Why?
Yesterday, we told you that once you get your band name figured out, you better get a domain name and then get on every Social Networking site around. We stressed the importance of Googleablity and this is the precise reason you need to register your domain name ASAP. It will cost you a whole $6.99! You need to make sure you have great SEO and come up at the top of Google searches. Owning the domain name that someone types in insures you will come up very high in a Google search. You need to keep in mind that many people just type in www.yourbandnamehere.com when they are looking to learn about you. If you don't own your domain name you WILL miss out on many potential fans.
If that isn't enough to convince you, imagine this- your band is starting to get popular and what comes up when someone Googles you? Blogs posting about how much your band sucks (It happens)! By controlling your domain name and having all of your Social Networks registered with your name, you will drive down the chances of these rants about your band being the first thing someone reads about you.
Now What?
So I convinced you to pay that whole $6.99 for your domain name. You need a very simple nameplate website! But before we get into that you need a host. You can get a host for very cheap these days companies like Blue Host will host you for $6.95 a month till your traffic blows up! If you wanna get really awesome service and think you are going to get a lot of traffic MediaTemple is $20 a month for amazing service! We use them for this site!
Nameplate
I am finally going to tell you what in the hell a name plate site is. A nameplate site simply has the links to find you on all of your Social Networking sites. It can be as simple as putting up that awesome myspace background you made on the site with buttons for whatever social networks you belong to (Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, etc.). A n awesome group like Ocelot MTHRFCKRS has just a page with a picture that links their myspace, where you can then find up to date info on the band! How did I find their site you ask? I typed in www.ocelotmthrfckrs.com after I heard one of their songs and once I found them they have had me hooked on their music ever since! If I had not gone to that website and found them I may have gotten distracted and then they would not have me telling everyone I can that they are the best thing since sliced bread.
If you want to go crazy, sites like Reverb Nation or Nimbit both have widgets where you can update your fans with all sorts of news and links to buy your music. You can add these to your site and not have to worry about having any web design skills to update them. You could also get a Twitter widget that will show your every move! You can even use Ping.FM to update all your Social Networks at once!
But I Don't Know How To Design A Website
Well lucky for you we know a ton of talented designers!
Jackie Brennan and Brady Georgen developed and designed this site and a whole lot of others and can design you an amazing site! They are probably the most underestimated designers in the business, get em while they are still affordable.
Brian Corgliano does amazing album and myspace designs everyday and can do some amazing work for you!
BlairKills is a great designer if you got some bucks to shell out!
Athletics is the best design house in America and if you want something amazing and you have some serious dough they can design you the greatest website in the world. David Ahuja of Athletics graciously designed our logo!
Yesterday, we told you that once you get your band name figured out, you better get a domain name and then get on every Social Networking site around. We stressed the importance of Googleablity and this is the precise reason you need to register your domain name ASAP. It will cost you a whole $6.99! You need to make sure you have great SEO and come up at the top of Google searches. Owning the domain name that someone types in insures you will come up very high in a Google search. You need to keep in mind that many people just type in www.yourbandnamehere.com when they are looking to learn about you. If you don't own your domain name you WILL miss out on many potential fans.
If that isn't enough to convince you, imagine this- your band is starting to get popular and what comes up when someone Googles you? Blogs posting about how much your band sucks (It happens)! By controlling your domain name and having all of your Social Networks registered with your name, you will drive down the chances of these rants about your band being the first thing someone reads about you.
Now What?
So I convinced you to pay that whole $6.99 for your domain name. You need a very simple nameplate website! But before we get into that you need a host. You can get a host for very cheap these days companies like Blue Host will host you for $6.95 a month till your traffic blows up! If you wanna get really awesome service and think you are going to get a lot of traffic MediaTemple is $20 a month for amazing service! We use them for this site!
Nameplate
I am finally going to tell you what in the hell a name plate site is. A nameplate site simply has the links to find you on all of your Social Networking sites. It can be as simple as putting up that awesome myspace background you made on the site with buttons for whatever social networks you belong to (Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, etc.). A n awesome group like Ocelot MTHRFCKRS has just a page with a picture that links their myspace, where you can then find up to date info on the band! How did I find their site you ask? I typed in www.ocelotmthrfckrs.com after I heard one of their songs and once I found them they have had me hooked on their music ever since! If I had not gone to that website and found them I may have gotten distracted and then they would not have me telling everyone I can that they are the best thing since sliced bread.
If you want to go crazy, sites like Reverb Nation or Nimbit both have widgets where you can update your fans with all sorts of news and links to buy your music. You can add these to your site and not have to worry about having any web design skills to update them. You could also get a Twitter widget that will show your every move! You can even use Ping.FM to update all your Social Networks at once!
But I Don't Know How To Design A Website
Well lucky for you we know a ton of talented designers!
Jackie Brennan and Brady Georgen developed and designed this site and a whole lot of others and can design you an amazing site! They are probably the most underestimated designers in the business, get em while they are still affordable.
Brian Corgliano does amazing album and myspace designs everyday and can do some amazing work for you!
BlairKills is a great designer if you got some bucks to shell out!
Athletics is the best design house in America and if you want something amazing and you have some serious dough they can design you the greatest website in the world. David Ahuja of Athletics graciously designed our logo!
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