How do I move my domain name? -

Dear Janine,

I really learned a lot during your WordPress workshop on creativeLIVE and now I’m attempting to put all the pieces together & would appreciate any guidance on how to transfer my domain name.

I have a Smugmug Photo website that I am going to stop using & cancel so I can make my own website using WordPress (you made it so easy on creativeLIVE!).

I got my domain name from Smugmug. I could use guidance about HOW I transfer/redirect/point(?) my domain to my new WordPress site.

SmugMug domain said I can cancel my Smugmug website services and maintain the registration at Smugmug, and redirect/point my domain name to WordPress. (Otherwise I have to first unlock the private registration via domainsbyproxy.com, initiate a transfer via WordPress, get an authorization code from SmugMug domain, request a transfer.)

Is there a benefit to leaving my domain there vs transfer to WordPress?

*I have researched WordPress and see ‘NameServers’ to redirect a domain name hosted elsewhere but I don’t know if I’m using the correct terms/language.

Is there any way you could point me in the right direction, please? I would appreciate it very much.

Thank you!

Wendy

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Hi Wendy,

I understand your confusion, the world of domain names can be a bit complicated to navigate.

If you’re just changing the domain from one website to another, it’s relatively easy and generally requires changing just a little information at your domain registrar as well as at your web hosting site.

Some people use one company to do both, and for the most part, it doesn’t matter where your domain name is registered – as long as it’s with a safe, reliable company, and you’re not overpaying for the service, which generally costs about $10 per year. That said, a dedicated domain registrar, such as 1and1.com or Godaddy.com, offer more ways to change domain name settings, than a service like SmugMug.

Unfortunately, SmugMug makes it easy to register a domain and use it on their service, but they don’t offer all of the options for managing domain names if you want to use them on another service. That means you can “point or redirect” your domain name, but you can’t fully change DNS, which is a superior (albeit more complicated) option.

Although Godaddy supports SmugMug’s domain registration, SmugMug does not offer all of the domain services that GoDaddy does and operates as a separate registration services. As a result, you have more limited options at SmugMug than you would if you domain was registered at Godaddy and you would have to pay at least some fees to Godaddy to make that transfer.

You did not clarify where you will be hosting your WordPress site, and that is a key part of your decision as you move forward.

Here’s the rub. If you use a web hosting service, such as Hostgator, BlueHost, or Dreamhost to host your WordPress blog you will have to pay their hosting fees (between $5 and $10 per month), but you can redirect your domain from SmugMug to any of their services (just follow all of their specific directions).

However, if you use WordPress.com, which offers a free service for WordPress blogs, then you will run into problems if you try to change your SmugMug domain registration to the WordPress.com web servers.

If you want to use WordPress.com, or you just want to have the most options available for your domain, you do need to transfer your domain name registration from SmugMug to 1and1 or Godaddy or another dedicated domain registrar.

If you domain is registered at one of those services, then you can host your WordPress site at WordPress.com or Hostgator, or any of the other hosting option.

The process of transferring a domain name from one registrar to another is not that difficult, but it does take a few emails back and forth,and some changes in settings, because of all of the security rules that are designed to make it hard to steal a domain name. If you closely follow the instructions from SmugMug and the registrar you transfer the name to, you should be fine and the entire process should take less than a week.

It’s unfortunate that you’ve already paid SmugMug for so many domain services, and you’re right that you will lose at least some of that investment, but most registrars will either give you a discount for transferring a name to them (1and1 only charges 99 cents for the first year), or they will give you a credit for the years you’ve already registered the name (Godaddy charges a transfer fee, but would not charge you for the 5 years you’ve already paid for).

Almost any registrar is likely to at least charge you a transfer fee, or request that you pay for the first year of domain registration so I’m afraid there is no way around paying something if you move your domain.

Also note that the privacy and security upgrades you purchased from SmugMug will probably not transfer at all, so if you want those services again on the new registrar, you’ll have to pay for them again.

All that to say, I understand why it’s confusing, and I’m sorry there is not a simpler solution. I had to do a little research myself to answer your question because your biggest problem is that it appears SmugMug and WordPress.com are not compatible.

Bottom line:

If you leave your domain at SmugMug, you can’t use WordPress.com to host you site, but you could use WordPress at a commercial web host, such as Hostgator or Dreamhost.

If you transfer your domain to a dedicated registrar, such as GoDaddy or 1and1, you’ll have more options now and in the future about where and how you host and manage your website, but you will lose some of the money you’ve already paid SmugMug.

I hope that helps you and I wish you all the best with your website,

Janine