Blog Transfer Success!

[MatthewBeavers]

When I originally bought my domain for my blog I got a .info domain. Later I learned it was better to have a .com because of popularity of .coms and spammers buy up .infos to spam people. So I had buyer's remorse after buying it. I came to NAMS and asked Paul Taubman aka the Wordpress Ninja about my blog and the significance of having a .info compared to a .com and he suggested using the .com instead. He suggested getting backupbuddy to transfer everything from one domain to the other. With much frustration and aggravation I got my blog transferred over to the .com. WOOT!

[ChristineCobb]

Congratulations! Now you need to tell Google that the address is changed through Webmaster Tools. You'll also want to forward the .info domain to the new .com at your domain registrar.

[MatthewBeavers]

Thanks Christine I have already forwarded the .info to the .com.

[LynetteChandler]

Yay! Isn't Backup Buddy so wonderful? I remember having to all this by hand *shudder*

[MatthewBeavers]

Yea Backup Buddy is awesome. Doing everything manually would not be fun.

[EllenBritt]

Congrats Matthew!

I'd love to see your face in the banner of your site and also a video of you on the front page...

Ellen

[MatthewBeavers]

Good idea Helen.

[MatthewBeavers]

Now you need to tell Google that the address is changed through Webmaster Tools.

How do I do that Christine? I have never done it before. Thanks

Matthew

[ChristineCobb]

Webmaster Tools is a Google service so you can sign up using your Google account.

You then add and verify your site using the instructions provided.

Then under the Configurations menu, select Change of Address and follow the instructions provided.

[MatthewBeavers]

Thanks a bunch Christine.

[MatthewBeavers]

It says, 1. "Download this HTML verification file. [googlebc4284653c9b3d00.html]
2. Upload the file to http://www.fitnessandnutritionsolutions.com/"

I have no idea where to put that on my site. Any suggestions? Thanks

[ChristineCobb]

Just upload it to the root directory. You can do that through FTP or log into your cPanel and make sure you are in the public_html folder and then click upload. Once the file is there, go back to Webmaster Tools and click Verify. Google will then search your site for the file. They just want to make sure you are the owner of the site with access to the files on the server.

[MatthewBeavers]

I got the file loaded on my Cpanel. I clicked on verify on webmaster tools and it took me to a page that says, Forbidden

Error 403." Did I do something wrong? Thanks for you help Christine.

[ChristineCobb]

Matthew -- I'm sending you a PM about this.

[geoffhoff]

Matthew, there is an easier way to verify a WordPress site. Google has a plugin you can use called Site Verification. Search for it in your WordPress plugin area and install it. Make sure you are logged in to your Google account on a different tab, then click the verify button in the plugin. It will take you to a page warning you that it wants access to your Google account. Once you allow that, it will be verified by Google and you're all set.