Yoga Websites 101: “Where Do I Start?”
Dear Yoga Teacher,
In the information age, people like to pretend that
websites are super easy to setup…
… well, I’ll be the first to tell you that websites
are a LOT of work, especially if you’re trying to figure
it out all on your own.
But, with the right advice, it’s just a matter of following
the steps.
And if you go step-by-step, you can get a really nice
site that works great up and running in 3-4 days for
hardly any money at all.
But first things first: You need a URL (web address) and
a host (the server where your website lives).
I manage over 7 websites myself, and believe me, I wasted
so much time trying to figure out simple things that I could
have learned in 30 seconds had I asked the right person.
Hopefully, I can be that person for you.
(1) You need to pick a URL (web address)
Don’t over think this. The obvious stuff is best. If you
teach in just one city, try to get www.CityNameYoga.com
Do NOT buy .net or .tv or any of those names. You only
want .com names. If your city name is taken, try adding
in your yoga style, like: www.AshtangaYogaCityName.com
If that is taken, just use your name, like: www.YogaWithName.com
Simple is better. Complicated Sankrit transliterations might
sound or look cool, but no one cares. They just want
something obvious, something easy to remember.
I made the mistake of buying web addresses from many different
sources – big mistake! Godaddy is THE best domain seller
online, and they’re dirt cheap too.
Do NOT order your URL form anywhere except Godaddy or
you will regret it later. You can order here
TIP 1: use promo code “OYH3″ upon checkout and your URL will
only cost $7.45 (if that doesn’t work, email me and
I’ll send you another promo code)
TIP 2: do NOT order any of the add-on’s Godaddy will offer
you… no hosting, no special upgrades, nothing. Just register
your URL for 2 years, and pay for 2 years. Forget the rest.
(2) Now you need a web host
Your web host is where your website lives. Basically
you need to rent hard drive space for your website files
to live on. There are a zillion web hosts, but most are
garbage.
I HIGHLY recommend Host Gator. You can sign up here
For about $8/month, you can get a good, solid hosting
account that should take care of all your needs (at
least until you become super famous and your website
is jam-packed with thousands of visitors everyday;)
Now, when I give most people these recommendations,
they say, “Yeah, yeah… that’s what I need!” and then
they spend 6 months trying to figure out the most catchy
website name.
Don’t bother. Take action now. Buy a URL, get a hosting
account; and from there, you can move forward quickly
to get yourself online with your yoga business.
Live outside the box,
Lucas
Yoga Business Marketing & Coaching
p.s. With my 1-on-1 coaching clients, I usually just
build the website for them. I have 2 full time
webmasters so that makes it easy…