Having your own website feels like the ultimate achievement, but it’s really just the beginning. Once you’ve registered your domain, it’s time for action. Giving visitors a way to access your site is only the first step. The real work begins from here. Creating an effective website requires various considerations and steps that are not always simple, especially if you lack technical expertise or experience in this area. Luckily, we have some essential tips that can help you out on this journey. Let’s take a look at the next key steps you should be following next with your newly acquired domain and hosting services at Godaddy:
Use your domain for a custom email address
While registering your domain is the first step to having your own website, it’s crucial to ensure that your domain also serves as your email address. This is because email is a crucial part of your online presence. It’s how people will communicate with you and your business. If somebody wants to reach you, they will likely do so through email. It’s not only essential that you have an address, but that it’s a professional one. For example, if you’re running a blog about surfing and you purchased your domain name as well as hosting services from Godaddy, you can use that domain to also create a custom email address that people can reach you at. This address can include your name or the name of your blog. This way, you have a consistent brand across different platforms.
Create a website attached to your domain
Once you’ve acquired your domain and it has been activated, you can get started by building your site and setting it up for success. You will want to select a CMS (content management system) that will help you update and maintain your website. There are many options to choose from including WordPress, Squarespace, Wix, Weebly, and others. Once you have selected your CMS, you will want to follow the instructions to get started with the site building process. This will vary depending on the platform you choose, but you can generally expect that the process will be fairly intuitive. You will likely be asked to choose a design for your website, upload content, and set up menus and other functionalities.
Make sure everything is well configured and protected
Once all of the technical aspects, configurations, and settings have been sorted and set, you will want to make sure that you are also taking steps to protect yourself and your website from potential threats and problems. For example, you will likely want to consider using a security plugin for WordPress to protect your site from malicious threats and hackers. You may also want to consider setting up Google reCaptcha to help protect your website from spam and automated bots.
You can also take steps to make sure that your website is properly configured and optimized for search engines. The easiest way to do this is to make sure that you’re using your domain name and title tags on your website. This will help ensure that your site appears when others are searching for your product or service. You can also consider hiring an SEO or an SEO professional if you want to do things more comprehensively.
Another way to protect your domain is by setting up authentication protocols that will also help you improve your email deliverability:
Protect your domain with DMARC
DMARC stands for “Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance.” It is a protocol that allows you to specify how email providers should handle your emails. It is important to set up DMARC correctly on your domain so you can protect it from spam and other malicious emails. If you don’t set it up correctly, your emails may be treated as spam.
Protect your domain with SPF
SPF stands for “Sender Policy Framework.” It’s a type of DNS record that allows you to specify which servers are allowed to send emails from your domain. This is important because spammers will often send emails from spoofed domains in an attempt to trick people into clicking a link or giving out their personal information. By specifying what servers are allowed to send emails from your domain, you can protect your reputation.
Protect your domain with DKIM
DKIM stands for “DomainKeys Identified Mail.” It is a type of authentication standard that allows you to sign your outgoing emails. This will help to protect your domain from malicious emails. It will also give your emails a higher level of legitimacy.
Protect your domain with BIMI
BIMI stands for “Brand Integrity Management Initiative.” It is a partnership between the Federal Trade Commission and the Direct Marketing Association. The initiative is designed to protect consumers from spam emails. Once you have BIMI enabled on your domain, you will be listed on a public directory of accepted senders. This will make it difficult for spammers to get away with using your domain to reach people.
With MailMonitor tools you can implement these security protocols and many more features that will help you understand your deliverability better and boost your inbox placement and ROI. You can Schedule a FREE Demo right now or explore the other deliverability solutions we offer through our Managed Services.
Having a website is a crucial part of any business today. It helps you connect with new customers while providing an additional platform to showcase your products or services. Having your own domain provides legitimacy and authority in your industry as well as helps you to stand out from the crowd. When you acquire a domain and hosting services from Godaddy, it’s important to follow these key steps to ensure that your website has the best chance of success. Having a website is just the beginning. Once you have your domain, it’s time to get to work and make the most of it.
