# Deleting Old Website



## Blatcher18 (Nov 29, 2013)

Hi, 

I'm new to this game so please bear with! Thanks in advance. 

I knocked up a website for my Pub using the Wix Website Builder. I have registered it to a domain and it's now live and kicking. Unfortunately, the owners of the pub before hand had used the same domain with .co.uk. My domain is .com. 

When googling my website, the old .co.uk website still appears top in the search field. This website is now old, out of date and doesn't even have any content. I wasn't around when this website was built so I have no more information than that unfortunately but i'm just wondering if there is anyway I can ensure the new website appears first or deleting the old one.

Thanks so much

Sam


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## etaf (Oct 2, 2003)

can you forward the domain to your new website 

do you know where the domain is hosted - does the pub own the domain name ?


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## Blatcher18 (Nov 29, 2013)

Thanks for the response. 

No it's a private bar. The previous manager set the website up and did nothing else with it but it always appears first when you google but the site I have created isn't listen anywhere (which i'm in the process of changing, or, trying to)

What do you mean by directing the domain?

Thanks a lot


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## etaf (Oct 2, 2003)

The old domain must be hosted some way

when you register a domain you will have Domain references for that domain , to know where to go

so for example if you have a domain registered with an hosting company 1to1 say 
for the domain name to point to the 1to1 servers they have to be registered with the 1to1 server info for the internet to know where to look 
domain name servers DNS
when you type www.mycompanydomain,com
then the dns looks up the domain name and then points to the 1to1 systems 
you can change where they point to 
so instead of pointing to 1to1 and picking up the files for the old website - you point to the new website 
OR 
if the host allows and you have a good deal on the domain name 
you can log into the control panel on the host and change where the domain name points to
instead of to 1to1 for the files 
you point to where you are hosting the new files

quite a few different options to do that

some domain hosting already allow that 
freeparking and 123-reg 
as I have kept the domain with the hosting company, because of a 10year domain name deal - but pointed to a different server for the domain name and also the email, mainly on price


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## peonowns (Apr 16, 2012)

Blatcher18 said:


> Hi,
> When googling my website, the old .co.uk website still appears top in the search field. This website is now old, out of date and doesn't even have any content. I wasn't around when this website was built so I have no more information than that unfortunately but i'm just wondering if there is anyway I can ensure the new website appears first or deleting the old one.
> Sam


The process you're talking about is SEO (search engine optimization) some free site builders do this for you and others do not!.
If your newer website is not appearing in the first few pages then you can try a few things.

Research SEO keywords meta tags meta names. 
Also sign up to google webmaster tools and make sure you have google index your new site.



Blatcher18 said:


> the owners of the pub before hand had used the same domain with .co.uk.


Do you have the contact information of the previous owners?.
You could always ask them to relinquish the domain to you ?.
If you purchased the bar / company from them i assume it came with all inventory / products owned by the company which would probably included the rights to the domain name ;p (even though it might not of been discussed).

So i would 
- Research SEO 
- Index via google and other search engines
- contact previous owner to 
a - give you domain.
b- get them to make that url link to your .com address


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## Blatcher18 (Nov 29, 2013)

Thanks a lot for your in depth answers. I will certainly look into those avenues.

No, the previous manager wouldn't particularly want to do me any favours. It's not as professional as that I'm afraid.

Old, derelict website is www.barneysworthing.co.uk and my new website via Wix is www.barneysworthing.com

I guess my next questions would be - eventually, when using google, will .com appear at the top or will .co.uk always be there. I can't understand how it still comes up on top. SEO wouldn't apply to old website as there is no data, info, pics or tags for Google to crawl?

Cheers guys.


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## peonowns (Apr 16, 2012)

Now you have given me the site i did a lookup for you.
here is the request responce.

barneysworthing.co.uk is unavailable
Domain name: 
barneysworthing.co.uk

Registrant: 
Welstead

Registrant type: 
UK Individual

Registrant's address: 
The registrant is a non-trading individual who has opted to have their 
address omitted from the WHOIS service.

Registrar: 
Webfusion Ltd t/a 123-reg [Tag = 123-REG] 
URL: http://www.123-reg.co.uk

Relevant dates: 
Registered on: 16-Feb-2006 
Expiry date: 16-Feb-2014 
Last updated: 18-Sep-2012

Registration status: 
Registered until expiry date.

So as you can see the domain is up for renewal soon so the domain owner will have to pay more money to keep the domain.
As they no longer run it you would think they have stopped the direct debit or will do so.
once that date expires the domain will not instantly become available as the host will often keep it for a certain period of time to allow the user time to reclaim it ( i can't remember how long it is).

You could set up a checker to look at the domain for you, what this does is the company monitor the domain name 24/7 and as soon as it is available they then take it.
You then pay them there domain registration fee and they hand over ownership of the domain name to you.


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## peonowns (Apr 16, 2012)

in responce to your previous post.
Google would have documented the site a long time ago and so it will stay where it is untill it is done again.
Your best bet is to increase your sites ranking to make it show before the .co.uk 
one of the first things i see coming up is the facebook page do you own that?.
if you do add the website to it for starter .


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## peonowns (Apr 16, 2012)

So yeh get cracking with google webmasters tools as a first task to complete .


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## Blatcher18 (Nov 29, 2013)

Peonowns, you're a good bloke. I appreciate all your help. 

Yes, the FB page is mine.

I've verified it with Google that I'm the owner and added a TXT document to the site for crawling purposes. I'm now just trying to work my way through the rest of it but it's all new to me!

One last question before I leave you alone - How might I connect FB to the website? I assume that'd be something I do via FB itself?

Thanks man.


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## etaf (Oct 2, 2003)

shame you cant discuss with previous owner as on http://www.123-reg.co.uk you can forward that URL to your website files and also the email can be forwarded to a new service or you can pay 123 for the email service

heres the process for nominet registered domains
http://www.nominet.org.uk/uk-domain-names/manage-your-domain/renew 
so you can see the timescales involved

I guess if they also know you are after the domain, they will make it as difficult as possible to get hold of and possibly renew as its quite cheap to do that

as you have changed the domain name any way to .com

why not use a new domain like
barneysresturant
all domains are available
or use
barneyscafebar
all domains are available


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## peonowns (Apr 16, 2012)

You can add your website in the about us section on your bars profile . i would also recommend when putting images on your wall you sometimes use direct links to your site for example your Christmas menu.
the image will still appear but then the user clicks and is taken to a more in-depth description and is more likely to look at the rest of your website.

You might also want to think about testimonials from websites that give you good reviews if there is a great review but no link to your site you could email them and ask for one to be added.
but please research into it first as you can lower your ranking by this process to.

For example your getting some great reviews on trip adviser but currently it is linking to the dreaded .co.uk address and not your .com i would change that now ;p.


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## Blatcher18 (Nov 29, 2013)

Yes i'm currently working on TripAdvisor now! And all the other less popular sites to ensure it's all linked where possible. I'm having trouble logging in to the old FB page as the admin is on holiday and she hasn't transferred it over to me yet. 

Thanks for all your help guys. Much appreciated. 

No doubt I'll be back.


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## Blatcher18 (Nov 29, 2013)

Thanks Etaf. Great help and info. I'm going to give it ago. The old owner won't care about the old domain. He won't renew out of spite but he also won't be readily helpful. I'll have to wait untill Feb 14!!

The only reason we had to stay with Barneysworthing.com is because the menus, flyers, cards, tickets and artwork was all printed with that domain before we even registered! (I know, silly right)

Thanks,


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## peonowns (Apr 16, 2012)

Remember the domain will not become available on that date, u might want to check 123's policy on expired accounts to see how long they hold them for.

You can check the whois of that site after the date and it should say something different like pending delete or similar.


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## etaf (Oct 2, 2003)

123-reg T&Cs
https://www.123-reg.co.uk/terms/expired-domains-terms.shtml

note this clause


> If we do not receive the renewal fee within the 16 day period stipulated above 123-reg may at its discretion terminate the agreement and change ownership of the requested domain


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## Blatcher18 (Nov 29, 2013)

Could I then buy that domain and when it's clicked on, it automatically directs customers to the .com site? Or would I need to copy the content over so that it's displayed on .co.uk and .com (assuming I'd have to also pay another yearly hosting fee to Wix?)


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## Blatcher18 (Nov 29, 2013)

Brilliant stuff, thanks Etaf. Can't believe you guys a free of charge!

A, if you're ever in Worthing, free beer for you!


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## etaf (Oct 2, 2003)

you should be able to forward the domain to point to where the .com files are 
I use 123-reg for a couple of sites , that are forwarded to google sites

BUT I will wait for *@peonowns* to reply, as in the past forwarding a domain had an impact on SEO


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## peonowns (Apr 16, 2012)

Using a 301 permanent redirect is the best way to avoid a negative impact on seo,
What etaf suggested is just the web hosting companies fancy name for the same thing above .

So he hit the nail on the head .


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## etaf (Oct 2, 2003)

i'm now out of my knowledge area, hence referred back to *@peonowns*

but heres the links on 123-reg in case useful

http://www.123-reg.co.uk/support/an...w-do-i-add-301-permanent-web-forwarding-2520/

which is what I have setup

http://www.123-reg.co.uk/support/answers/Web-Hosting/Scripting/301-redirect-4151/
i dont have a script , as i used the first link to forward


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## Blatcher18 (Nov 29, 2013)

I'll give those links a try when I get home. Thanks a lot.


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## Ent (Apr 11, 2009)

You definitely *don't* want to copy content over; that would hammer you in SEO terms. They'd assume at least one of your sites is stealing content from the other.


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## colinsp (Sep 5, 2007)

The problem you will have is what they will charge you for the domain if he doesn't renew it. Under these circumstances a lot of registrars top the price up for the first 12 months after a domain goes dormant so be careful about being too quick to contact them. If you are too keen it may well cost you. It did one of my customers.


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