Getting Started with Yahoo! Domains

Welcome to Yahoo! Domains! This brief guide will help get you started setting up and managing the features of your new web address. If you have any questions along the way, see our Yahoo! Domains Help.

About Your Domain

When you signed up for your plan, you chose a web address, or domain, for your business. Your customers will use this domain, such as learn2yoga.com, to find your business online.

If you recently signed up for Yahoo! Domains, your domain may still be pending. Pending means that your domain is not yet active across the Internet; don't worry, this is normal for all domain registrations and changes, and can take up to 72 hours. The effects of a pending domain:

• Web address: If you are registering a new domain, visitors who visit your web address will get a Page Not Found error. If you are using a domain you registered elsewhere, visitors will see the page or web site that is currently active, depending on the settings you have made at your registrar.
• Email: Any email messages sent to your domain name may not be delivered while your domain is pending. If you are using a domain you ordered through another provider, your email may be delivered to your registrar until your domain becomes active.

We'll notify you as soon as your domain becomes active. In the meantime, you can begin familiarizing yourself with your Yahoo! plan features!

Using a Domain You Already Own

To use your existing domain name with your Yahoo! plan, you'll need to contact the company where you originally registered your domain, such as Network Solutions, and request a name server change to redirect your existing domain name to Yahoo!

You don't need to understand name servers to make the switch. Just provide your registrar with this information about your new service (be sure to replace learn2yoga.com with your own domain name):

I would like to request a name server change for my domain learn2yoga.com. Please change my name servers to:

Primary name server: yns1.yahoo.com
Primary IP address: 98.136.43.32
Secondary name server: yns2.yahoo.com
Secondary IP address: 66.196.84.168

After you've done this, the change may take up to 72 hours (during this time, your domain will appear as pending).

Note: This process is not a registrar transfer. Your current provider will continue to renew your domain, and you'll pay any associated fees to that provider. Yahoo! will not renew your domain. Learn more.

Your Domain Control Panel

To begin exploring your new domain features, sign in to your account:

1. Visit your Business Control Panel. (If you haven't entered your Yahoo! ID and password, you'll be prompted to do so here. If you forget your password, click the "Forgot your password?" link and follow the prompts to retrieve it.)
2. Click "Domain Control Panel."
3. From here, you'll see a list of tasks, where you can manage all of your Yahoo! Domains services:
   
   Starter Web Page: Create or edit a basic web page for your web address.
   Forward Your Domain: Send visitors from your domain to another web site.
   Set Up Email Address: Set up your domain name email address.
   View/Edit Your Domain Registration: Review and update your WHOIS contact information.
   Manage Advanced DNS Settings: Set up CNAME, A Records, and MX records (for advanced users only).

Starter Web Page

When you purchase a Domains, Custom Mailbox, or Business Mail plan, we automatically create a placeholder "Under Construction" web page for you at your web address. To customize this page, you can use our starter web page feature, which allows you to add your name, contact information, and details about your business, as well as change the page design. A starter web page is a great way to establish a presence at your domain until you're ready to build a more comprehensive web site. Learn more.

Note: Do you already have a web site? You can forward traffic from your new domain name to your existing site. Learn how.

Email Features

If you have a Domains plan, you'll also get one free email address! You can specify an email address at your domain, such as linda@learn2yoga.com, and retrieve these messages from your free Yahoo! Mail account (for example, youryahooID@yahoo.com).

You can also take advantage of our "catch-all" feature, which allows any email sent to misaddressed, misspelled, or nonexistent addresses at your domain to be redirected to your Yahoo! Mail account. You can activate this feature in the "Set Up Email Address" task from the Domains Control Panel.Learn more.

Other Settings

From your Domain Control Panel, you can edit both your domain registration information and your advanced DNS settings:

• Domain Registration Information: At any time, you can visit this task to edit your registrant and administrator contact information. We recommend keeping this information up-to-date in the event that your domain name registrar or another third party needs to contact you regarding any technical or legal issue with your domain name. Learn more.
• Advanced DNS Settings: If you're an advanced user, you can customize your domain name to work with other services. You can add A or CNAME records, or change MX records or your name servers. However, we recommend changing DNS records only if you're an advanced users, as making such changes can prevent your services from functioning properly. If you've made changes and would like to revert to the old settings, you can reset the advanced DNS settings to their default values.

Next Steps

What's next? We'll email you as soon as your domain becomes active. To test this domain, visit your web address at http://www.yourdomain.com (be sure to replace "yourdomain.com" with your own domain name). You should see an "Under Construction" page, or, if you set up a starter web page, your business and contact information in the template you selected. (If you forwarded your domain, you should be redirected to the web address you specified.)

Can I register more than one domain name?

Yes, you can register an unlimited number of domain names.

Yahoo! Domains currently registers .com, .net, .org, .biz, .info, and .us domain names. In addition to .com, many businesses register the .net and .org variations of their domain name.

Having multiple domains allows you to:

• Register all the extensions of your domain, such as .net, .biz, .info, and .us.
• Reduce misdirected traffic by registering common misspellings of your domain.
• Sign up for vanity domains to make your business or web site even easier to find online.

A Yahoo! Domains plan will be set up for each domain name you order through Yahoo! Each account will have a separate Domain Control Panel.

If you already own a registered domain name, you can still use it with a Yahoo! GeoCities Pro or Yahoo! Small Business plan. You will need to modify your name servers through your registrar so that Yahoo! can host your domain.

Note: This process is called redelegation — it is not a registrar transfer. You will continue to be responsible for paying registration fees for your domain name with your current domain name registrar.

What's the difference between a web address and a domain name?

A web address, like a memorable street address, can help people find you online. If you have a GeoCities Free or GeoCities Plus plan, you'll find your site at a web address that includes a GeoCities domain name plus your Yahoo! ID, written like this: http://www.geocities.com/yourYahoo!ID. To view your site, you or a site visitor will just need to enter your web address in the address bar of a browser.

A domain name is also a web address, but a domain is unique: There can be only one widgetdesigns.com or yahoo.com. When you sign up for a GeoCities Pro or Yahoo! Small Businessplan, you'll be able to choose your own free personalized domain name.

Why does the web address change when I forward my domain?

When a visitor types the domain web address into their browser, the request goes to a server where a script redirects the visitor to the destination URL that you have designated. In that process, the original domain name is dropped so the domain name will not stay in the browser's address window.

You can however choose the masked forwarding option to keep your domain name as the address displayed in the web browser.

Note: Domain forwarding is available only in Yahoo! Domains and Yahoo! Business Email plans

What domain forwarding options does Yahoo! offer?

Yahoo! offers three types of domain forwarding for Yahoo! Domains customers (the third option is available only to those customers who also own a Web Hosting or a Merchant Solutions plan):

• Standard forwarding: The domain name redirects to a web address that you specify (usually hosted by another provider), and visitors will see the destination web address in the address bar of their web browsers.
  
• Masked forwarding: The domain name redirects to a web address that you specify (usually hosted by another provider), and visitors will see the original domain name in the address bar of their web browsers.
  
• Forwarding to a Yahoo! hosted site: The domain name redirects visitors to a Yahoo!-hosted web site you specify; visitors see the original domain name in the address bar of their web browsers. Choosing this option allows you to create subdomains with a Domains or Business Email plan.

How do I edit my domain forwarding?

Domain forwarding — available only to Yahoo! Domains and Business Email customers — allows you to redirect your domain name to another web site. You can edit your domain forward from the Domain Control Panel:

1. Sign in to your Business Control Panel. (If you have not yet signed in with your Yahoo! ID and password, you'll be prompted to do so here.)
2. Once signed in, you will see modules for each of your domain names on the "Manage My Services" page. Select the "Domain Control Panel" link that corresponds to the domain whose record you wish to edit.
3. From the Domain Control Panel, click "Forward Your Domain."
4. Click the "Edit" link next to the domain forward.
5. Enter a new destination web address (alternately, if you have other web sites associated with your account, choose one of these from the pull-down menu).
6. Click "Continue."
7. Choose either standard or masked forwarding, then click "Submit."
8. When you're ready, click "Return to Domain Forward Page." You should see your edited domain forward information.

Keep in mind that it may take up to 30 minutes for your new domain forwarding to take effect; during this time, visitors will see the original domain forward.

How do I set up domain forwarding?

Domain forwarding — available only to Yahoo! Domains and Business Email customers — allows you to redirect your domain name to another web site. You can set up domain forwarding easily from your Domain Control Panel.

To set up domain forwarding:

1. Visit your Domain Control Panel.
   
2. Click the "Forward Your Domain" link. (After you have set up domain forwarding, this link will change to say "View/Edit Your Domain Forward.")
   
3. Click the "Create Forward" button.
   
4. If you have already set up a starter web page for your domain, you will be asked to confirm that you'd like to set up a domain forward instead. Please note that if you activate domain forwarding, your starter web page will no longer appear at your domain; however, we will save your work so you can reactivate your starter web page (by turning off domain forwarding) anytime.
   
   To continue setting up domain forwarding, choose the "Deactivate Starter Web Page" button. To cancel setup and continue to make your starter web page accessible to your site visitors, choose "Cancel."
   
5. In the next step, you'll be able to choose the destination of your domain forward. You may forward your domain to a web site associated with your Yahoo! ID (for example, if you have a Yahoo! Web Hosting plan in addition to your Yahoo! Domains plan) or to a web site hosted elsewhere. (Learn more about forwarding options.)
   
   
   • To set up forwarding to a web site associated with your Yahoo! ID, click the first radio button and choose the domain name of the destination web site from the pull-down menu.
     
   • To set up domain forwarding to another web site, click the second radio button and enter the full web address (URL) of the destination web site in the field provided.
     
6. Click "Continue."
   
7. If you chose to forward your domain to a Yahoo!-hosted web site, you're done! You will see a "Congratulations" page confirming that your domain forward has been set up. Please note that your forward may take up to 30 minutes to become active.
   
   If you decided to forward your domain to a specific web address, you'll arrive on the "Choose a Forwarding Option" page, where you can choose from two types of domain forwarding.
   
8. Click the radio button that corresponds with the type of domain forwarding you'd like to use: standard or masked. Your choice depends on whether you'd like your site visitors to be aware of the forwarding.
   
   With a Standard Forward, web site visitors know they have been forwarded to a new destination; with a Masked Forward your visitors will not know that forwarding took place. Learn more.
   
9. Click "Submit."
   
10. If you chose the Standard Forward option, you're done! You will see a "Congratulations" page confirming that your domain forward has been set up. Please note that your forward may take up to 30 minutes to become active.
    
    If you chose Masked Forward, you'll arrive on the "Enter Search Keywords" page, where you can enter search engine keywords for your destination page.
    
11. Masked forwarding technically prevents search engines from examining keywords associated with your forwarding destination; however, we have provided a way for you to correct this problem by specifying keywords here. This step is optional, and you'll be able to return to this page anytime to modify your selection or keywords. Learn more.
    
    If you don't want to enter keywords for your destination page now, choose "Submit." If you'd like to associate your destination page with keywords now, click the second radio button and enter your keywords in the field provided, then choose "Submit."
    
12. You're done! You will see a "Congratulations" page confirming that your domain forward has been set up. Please note that your forward may take up to 30 minutes to become active.

What is domain forwarding?

Domain forwarding — available only to Yahoo! Domains and Business Email customers — lets you point your domain name to another home page or web site location. Forwarding is handy when you have a web site built elsewhere and you want to give people an easy-to-remember domain name to reach your site.

Here's an example. You can forward:
http://www.widgetdesigns.com/    http://geocities.yahoo.com/widgetdesigns/

So when people type http://www.widgetdesigns.com/ in their browsers, they'll seehttp://geocities.yahoo.com/widgetdesigns.

Note: Advanced users may also take advantage of advanced DNS settings (A records, MX records, and CNAME).

How do I set an MX record?

You can set MX records from the Advanced DNS Settings area of the Domain Control Panel.

Important note: If you replace Yahoo!'s default MX records or create an additional MX record for your domain name zone files with a higher priority than the Yahoo! mail servers (in other words, a priority lower than 50), the email services provided in the plan you purchased will no longer function. All email addressed to your domain will be handled by the server you specify in the MX record.

To access the Domain Control Panel:

1. Sign in to your Business Control Panel. (If you have not yet signed in with your Yahoo! ID and password, you'll be prompted to do so here.)
2. Once signed in, you will see modules for each of your domain names on the "Manage My Services" page. Select the "Domain Control Panel" link that corresponds to the domain whose record you wish to edit.

To set MX records:

1. Click the "Manage Advanced DNS Settings" link.
2. Click the "Change MX Records" button.
3. Do one of the following:
   • Enter a host name for your mail server in an available field and set its priority. (Note:When email is sent to your domain, the name server will attempt to deliver it first to the mail server with the lowest priority number.)
   • Replace the Yahoo! mail server record with the mail server address you wish to use.
4. Click the "Submit" button.

You'll return to the "Advanced DNS Settings" page, and your new MX record will appear in the MX records list. While your changes will appear in the name servers within minutes, please be aware that it can take up to 72 hours for new records to propagate to all name servers on the Internet.

Tip: If you made a mistake and would like to restore the MX record for Yahoo! mail, click the "Reset to Defaults" button.

How do I set an A record?

You can create A records from the Advanced DNS Settings area of the Domain Control Panel.

Please note: Any changes that you make to your advanced DNS settings can interrupt your service. If you are not an advanced user, we strongly recommend that you not change these settings.

To access the Domain Control Panel:

1. Sign in to your Business Control Panel. (If you have not yet signed in with your Yahoo! ID and password, you'll be prompted to do so here.)
2. Once signed in, you will see modules for each of your domain names on the "Manage My Services" page. Select the "Domain Control Panel" link that corresponds to the domain whose record you wish to edit.

To create an A record:

1. Click the "Manage Advanced DNS Settings" link.
2. Click the "Add Record" button.
3. In the "Source" field, enter a prefix to define the host name (the prefix for host.yourdomainname.com, for example, is host).
4. Enter a destination IP address in the "Destination" field.
5. Click the "Submit" button.
6. Confirm your choice by clicking "Submit" again.

You'll return to the "Advanced DNS Settings" page, and your new A record will appear in the A and CNAME records list. While your changes will appear in the name servers within minutes, please be aware that it can take up to 72 hours for new records to propagate to all name servers on the Internet.

Note: Yahoo! allows you to create multiple A records for the same host name. You might create multiple records for a strategy commonly referred to as "round robin." If you don't wish to create round robin A records, delete the extra records.

How do I set a CNAME record?

You can create, delete, and edit CNAME records from the Advanced DNS Settings area of your Domain Control Panel.

Please note: Any changes that you make to your advanced DNS settings can interrupt your service. If you are not an advanced user, we strongly recommend that you not change these settings.

To access the Domain Control Panel:

1. Sign in to your Business Control Panel. (If you have not yet signed in with your Yahoo! ID and password, you'll be prompted to do so here.)
2. Once signed in, you will see modules for each of your domain names on the "Manage My Services" page. Select the "Domain Control Panel" link that corresponds to the domain whose record you wish to edit.

To create a CNAME record:

1. Click the "Manage Advanced DNS Settings" link.
2. Click the "Add Record" button.
3. Enter the host name you wish to use into the "Source" field. (For example, if you wish to create a CNAME record called info.yourdomain.com for info.yourotherdomain.com, then you would enter "info" as the host name.)
4. Enter the URL to which you wish to direct the CNAME record in the "Destination" field.
5. Click the "Submit" button.
6. Confirm your choice by clicking "Submit" again.

You'll return to the "Advanced DNS Settings" page, and your new CNAME record will appear in the A and CNAME records list. While your changes will appear in the name servers within minutes, please be aware that it can take up to 72 hours for new records to propagate to all name servers on the Internet.

Note: The CNAME record can point only to domain names or host names. If you need to point to specific files or subdirectories, use domain forwarding instead. Note that domain forwarding is limited to domain names (example: http://yourdomainname.com) and "www" host names (example: http://www.yourdomainname.com).

What are advanced DNS records?

The DNS (Domain Name System) records control the functionality of domain names. Each registered domain name has a DNS record that includes MX, A, and CNAME records and name servers. You can manage the DNS record for your domain name by clicking the "Manage Advanced DNS Settings" link on your Domain Control Panel. On the following page you'll be able to make changes to your MX, A, and CNAME records and name servers.

To access the Domain Control Panel:

1. Sign in to your Business Control Panel. (If you have not yet signed in with your Yahoo! ID and password, you'll be prompted to do so here.)
2. Once signed in, you will see modules for each of your domain names on the "Manage My Services" page. Select the "Domain Control Panel" link that corresponds to the domain whose record you wish to edit.

To access your advanced DNS settings:

1. From your Domain Control Panel, click the "Manage Advanced DNS Settings" link.
2. On the following page you can set up or make changes to your name servers and MX, A, andCNAME records.

Changing DNS records is recommended only for advanced users. Yahoo! does not provide details or troubleshooting hints for DNS records. For more information about DNS records, please see the DNS Resources Directory.

How do I change the name servers for my domain name?

The service you purchased may include such features as domain forwarding, email, and a web site.Replacing Yahoo!'s name servers will render these features inactive. However, changing your name servers will not automatically cancel your service. You will continue to manage your WHOIS contact information through Yahoo!, and Yahoo! will continue to renew your annual domain registration.

Please note: Any changes that you make to your advanced DNS settings can interrupt your service. If you are not an advanced user, we strongly recommend that you not change these settings.

You can change your name servers using the "Change Name Servers" area of your Domain Control Panel.

To access the Domain Control Panel:

1. Sign in to your Business Control Panel. (If you have not yet signed in with your Yahoo! ID and password, you'll be prompted to do so here.)
2. Once signed in, you will see modules for each of your domain names on the "Manage My Services" page. Select the "Domain Control Panel" link that corresponds to the domain whose record you wish to edit.

To change name servers:

1. Click the "Manage Advanced DNS Settings" link on your Domain Control Panel.
2. Click the "Change Name Servers" button.
3. Do one of the following:
   • Enter additional name server host names in the "Additional" fields.
   • Replace the primary and secondary name server host names with those of your new domain name host. (You may not need to enter the IP addresses of the name servers. In most cases, only the host name of the name servers is required.)
4. Click the "Submit" button.

You'll return to the "Advanced DNS Settings" page, and your new name server will appear in the name servers list. While your changes will appear in the name servers within minutes, please be aware that it can take up to 72 hours for new records to propagate to all name servers on the Internet.

You can restore your name servers to their default settings on the "Advanced DNS Settings" page.

To restore name servers to their default settings:

1. Click the "Manage Advanced DNS Settings" link on your Domain Control Panel.
2. In the name servers section, click the "Reset to Default" button.
3. Confirm your choice by clicking "Reset to Default."

You'll return to the "Advanced DNS Settings" page, and your name servers will have been restored to Yahoo!'s default settings. While your changes will appear in the name servers within minutes, please be aware that it can take up to 72 hours for new records to propagate to all name servers on the Internet.

Tip: If you decide to change your name servers, and you currently pay for a service other than Yahoo! Domains, you may want to consider downgrading your plan so as not to pay for services you have rendered inactive.

Submitting Your Site to Search Engines

Search engine marketing, coupled with search engine optimization practices, is a great way to grow your business online. Once you develop your site with search engine friendly content and you have your design in place and your keywords selected, it’s time to submit your site to the search engines themselves.

Search engine submission is the process of registering your site with the search engines, similar to getting your phone number listed in a phone book. Listing your site with the major search engines will help you ensure that your optimization efforts were worthwhile. Although your site may be noticed by search engines on its own, you can ensure that you appear in search results by taking the time to get listed.

Free Submission You can submit to all of the major search engines for free, but that won’t guarantee that they’ll be picked up or appear on any searches. Free submission only guarantees that the search engine knows the site exists. To go the route of free submissions, look for a “Submit Your Site” link on the search engine site and fill out a submission form. It can take up to 12 weeks for your site to be indexed.

Paid Listings and Services Most major search engines accept paid listings, a unique form of online marketing that ensures your site will be listed near the top of search results pages. Paid submissions probably are the most efficient way for site owners to quickly gain visibility, and they're a great long-term advertising method for those looking to generate continuous online sales.

Search engine submission services like Submitnet submit your site to as many search engines as possible. For a fee, the service automatically submits your site to multiple search engines each month. This can help take some of the legwork out of the process for you, but it may not guarantee a quick listing. There are also software programs available that you can use to handle the submission process, like Trellian’s SubmitWolf, Dynamic Software’s Dynamic Submission, and WebTrends’ WebPosition Gold.

Submitting your site to search engines is the easiest way to ensure that they’re aware your site exists and that users can easily find your site. Submitting your site to search engines puts you on the map, but designing and optimizing your site will help make sure people find it. If you take the time to do each part of the process correctly, your chances of successfully growing your business online will increase dramatically.

Helpful Links:

Learn how to submit your site to Yahoo! Search and Yahoo! Directory

Learn about paid listings with Yahoo! Search Marketing Solutions

Learn how to submit your site to Google

Learn how to submit your site to MSN Search

Hiring an SEO Consultant

Finding and hiring an outside firm or consultant for your SEO can be daunting. In today's marketplace, a professional search optimizer is a combination of copywriter, web designer, product designer, developer, marketer, advertiser, analyst and entrepreneur. It can be hard to find someone with these qualifications, and if you're running a business, you may not have the time.

So how do you determine if a firm is selling search marketing snake oil? To select the best organization, you should first look to yourself. If you feel uneasy about anything they tell you, if they don't call you back, or if all you get is a sales pitch, it may not be a good match.

It's important to know that some firms use questionable tactics to sell their services. They might have purchased a lot of domains, applied scraped content and created link structures solely to showcase their projects. They may charge you for so-called "secrets." Avoid these deceptive companies at all costs. In a worst-case scenario, you could go from a page one ranking today to a complete ban from search engines tomorrow.

To avoid that, here are 10 things to ask a potential SEO consultant or agency.

1. What ranking guarantees do you provide?If the answer is anything but "none," look elsewhere. You might tell them you heard a page one ranking can't be guaranteed, since nobody owns the search engines, except search companies. A superior search firm may add that while ranking is important, keyword research, relevant traffic and a steady increase in traffic that turns into sales are more important. Don't be dazzled by hype, a known brand or a professional-looking site. Stick to your guns, ask questions and get references.

2. Are you going to make changes to my website?Changes are crucial for SEO, especially changes to content and structure within your site. If you have a lot of graphics, flash and complex navigation with pull-down menus and hierarchical trees that spiders can't follow, you have a serious problem. Visit some of the sites they have optimized and see what SEO tactics they have applied. Conduct keyword research using the free tools at Overture suggestions and think about content you could write for your website today using popular, searched keywords.

3. What is your approach to linking?Link programs are key to long-term success using SEO. PageRank, a site voting system from Google, was created to measure importance via link counts (the number of links pointing to you) and link reputation (what the links say about you and your keywords). If you hear about proprietary link programs and custom software, find out if the firm belongs to or uses any FFA (free for all) link exchanges. Honest SEO companies will let you see every step of their approach, including weekly update lists for links. They should provide a detailed link analysis and tell you where your competition stands and what steps they would take to get links from topical sites, directories and social networks. It's difficult to determine the number of links required, but the firm should provide competitive link research and analysis.

4. What reporting and overall communications will I receive?A professional SEO firm will have a workflow in place for client/vendor deliveries and overall expectations. Depending on the type of project, more work may happen in the earlier months, but it's still very import for you to understand all changes, when they are applied and for what reasons. You should receive ranking and analytics reporting weekly, monthly and quarterly. The most important thing is that you understand the reports and that the strategy is being applied and adjusted. SEO takes time and is a never-ending task.

5. What does your pricing model include and what other services do you offer?The firm should provide a clear description of deliverables and pricing up front. Many make this an evasive exercise, but it should be clearly explained and not "sold." Professional firms will show you how value and ROI go hand-in-hand. Some firms only provide SEO services; others provide PPC, web analytics, multi-variate testing, e-mail marketing, social media optimization (blogs, videos and podcasts), linking and more. A company that provides more complete search marketing services could help you save money by serving as a one-stop shop.  

6. Why is your own PageRank low?Sometimes SEO websites display a lower PageRank, but appear very well put together with a sound design and relevant, useful information. It could be a new site or a recent domain shift. Or the owners may be busy building client sites rather than optimizing content and working on link strategies.  It doesn't necessarily mean you're dealing with people that aren't experts.

7. Who are some of your competitors?An honest firm will share the competition and provide details. If the pending relationship isn't a match, they might even refer you to another SEO firm. That isn't as common, however, unless a partnership or referral arrangement has already been established.

8. What are your qualifications?Time in business doesn't necessarily mean better SEO; you'll have to decide for yourself. But learning about the staff and their qualifications and certifications, such as Google Advertising Professional, can help. Some firms specialize in certain market segments, which could benefit you.

9. Can you provide references and successful rankings?Testimonials from clients are a great way to find out about your potential vendor. Much like when selecting a doctor, plumber or gardener, word of mouth is powerful. Their list of successful rankings should have traffic for relatively common terms. A low search count per keyword doesn't necessarily mean poor traffic, especially if the firm focuses on the long tail strategy.

10. How much will the traffic results cost and when can I expect to see them?Price alone can't determine quality SEO work. You may see packages for $200 to $300 per month and some that are several thousands of dollars and higher. But you often get what you pay for. Traffic can be generated quickly depending on your niche keyword choices, saturation in the marketplace and competition. Make sure they aren't talking about pay per click.

Now that you know what questions to ask a potential SEO firm, here's a question you should ask yourself:

Will I be a good partner?As a client, you have responsibilities as well. If you ask for everything up front, are overly cheap, can never make a decision and don't sign contracts on time, you're not being a good partner. If you put a lot of pressure on your SEO vendor for a first page ranking of all your keywords in a short period of time, you may have false expectations.

Experienced firms will educate you about the process and will get you top positions; it just takes time. As the sponsor, you should be ready to commit some of your own time, support the project and help push the recommended changes. This can be done by building a detailed discovery, analysis and SEO strategy document on day one.

Hiring a firm has its advantages, including diverse experience, a network of resources, quicker rankings and time savings. On the other hand, if you keep SEO in house, you can retain control, learn faster and save money. It's a matter of evaluating whether you have the time and knowledge.

Jon Rognerud is a recognized authority on the subject of search engine optimization and has spent more than 15 years developing websites and marketing solutions at companies like Overture and Yahoo!. His website,www.microsaw.com, provides a wealth of informative articles, resources and complimentary e-mail courses on everything you'll ever need to know about SEO and search marketing.

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Let us take care of the hard parts of building a site so you can focus on your customers!

Yahoo! Web Hosting supports your favorite tools.^*

Yahoo! Web Hosting works with FrontPage 2000/2002 and almost any site design tool that supports FTP and does not rely on server-side components, including:

• Microsoft FrontPage® (2000 and 2002)^**
• Adobe GoLive®
• Adobe Dreamweaver®
• Microsoft Publisher
• Most FTP software

We also support major scripting and database tools such as:

• PHP and Perl scripting
• MySQL — with virtually unlimited databases ^***
• phpBB and PHP-Nuke

Want to spice up your site with other media? No problem. You can add Flash, Shockwave, audio, video, slide shows, and other multimedia files to your site.

30-Day Satisfaction Guarantee

Yahoo! is committed to making your online business a success. To prove we offer the best web hosting plan, we are pleased to offer our 30-Day Satisfaction Guarantee!

If you're not completely happy with your service within 30 days of ordering Yahoo! Web Hosting, we'll refund your hosting fee.

Get a professional image with Yahoo! Business Email

• Customized email addresses
• Leading antivirus software
• Award-winning spam protection
• FREE domain name

Add a Web Site

For just $2 more a month, get email, a full web site, unlimited disk space, and unlimited data transfer.

All-new Business Email —Now more powerful!

yahoo Web Hosting Features

Key Features

• Easy-to-use design tools
• Free domain name (like widgetdesigns.com)
• Unlimited disk space
• Unlimited data transfer
• Unlimited email storage (Details)
• 24-hour customer service
• Reliable and secure hosting

Easy-to-use design tools

Designs you can customize

Features that help convert visitors into customers

 

Reliable and secure hosting

Advanced design options