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The "www2" trick
Maybe you've probably seen website
addresses in this format:
http://www2.anydomain.com
What??!!
Is there another World Wide Web - a hidden side to
the more familiar "www"?
Thankfully,
not! If you can set up "sub-domains" in
your web space, you can create your very own "World
Wide Web v.2.0" (Not the same as the "Web
2.0" buzz word). "www2" is just
a "sub-domain". And you could set up "www3", "www4",
and as many "World Wide Webs" as you
want. Power, eh!
A "sub-domain" is
a subsidiary name for an existing fully-fledged
and registered domain.
Many
web hosting companies allow you to set up sub-domains
without cost. You don't need to register a sub-domain
but you may still have to wait a few hours for the
sub-domain to "propagate" to all the domain
servers in the world.
If
you don't understand this, don't worry. Just accept
it! I don't know how an automobile engine works but
I know how to change gear - I don't have and don't
like an automatic gear box; I have more control over
my Saab without one :-)
Now
a sub-domain has one drawback as far as users are
concerned. We are all used to website addresses in
the form:
www.mydomain.com
The
correct format should be:
http://www.mydomain.com
...
but most browsers are tolerant enough to ignore the "http://" bit.
In fact, with ".com" addresses, it is sufficient,
in Internet Explorer, at least, to type into the
address box: "mydomain" and hit [CTRL]
and [ENTER}. No need for the "http://" bit.
No need for the "www" .. and no need, even,
for the ".com"
But
with sub-domains, the ruling is quite strict. You
must type in the full web address like this:
http://subdomain.mydomain.com
If
you leave out the "http://" bit, you will
get a "Page Not Found"
screen.
Just
set up a sub-domain called "www2" and direct
it to a folder which you set up on your server in
the normal way. Then create a web page called
"index.html" or "index.htm" and
put the appropriate content in that file.
Here's a little demonstration..
If you go to: "http://www2.webmasterscheatkit.com",
you'll see a short "holding page". Try it - the link
will open in a new window.
I
could have created sub-domains for "www3", "www4" etc
- as many World Wide Webs as I want!
So,
is "www2" useful or not?
If
you are expecting people to type in your "www2" web
address into the browser's address box, don't use
it.
Most
people will mis-type it as "www". Result: "Page
Not Found"
- If
you are using it in a clickable link and
folks won't need to have to type the web address
into your browser.
..and
- If
you are a cheap skate and don't want
to have to buy a separate domain name for a product
you are promoting (but make sure that your main
domain name is roughly similar to the product
that you are promoting)
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You
have a number of dietary products you want
to promote. Let's say that the first one is
an eBook about "Atkins Diet" (oh
no!).
And
let's further assume that you only lead to
the sales page for this eBook via links on
other sites - your own or other peoples'.
You
have four choices:
- You
simply set up a new folder called "atkins" or "atkins-diet",
put your sales page as the index page in
that folder, and send people to "http://www.dieting.com/atkins-diet".
That's the route which many people take.
- You
register and pay for a domain name such
as "atkinsdietmadesimple.com
- You
set up a sub-domain "atkinsdiet.dieting.com" (which
appears in the hyperlinks as "http://atkins-dieting.dieting.com".
Some people will see you for the cheap
skate you are.
- You
set up a sub-domain "www2" in "dieting.com.
As you'll see below, this gives an impressive-sounding
web address, so...
Let's
follow the last choice:
You
set up a folder under the root folder for "dieting.com" called,
let's say, "atkins-diet". You set
up your sales page for your Atkins Diet sale
page in this folder as the Index Page in this
folder called "index.htm", "index.html" -
whatever, as long is it's called "index." something" with
a relevant file extension. Play safe and use
one of the first two options!
Finally,
you go into your web hosting company's control
panel and redirect your new subdomain, "www2" to
this folder: "atkins-diet".
Wait,
maybe, a few hours for your web hosting system
to digest and implement your changes and then
test it by typing into your browser address
box:
http://www2.dieting.com
If
you see your new "Atkins Diet" sales
page, you've cracked it!
Congratulations
:-) You've set up your very own "World
Wide Web v.2" for your new sales page!
The
chances are that, if you just provide this
link to other people, either via links from
your other website pages or blogs, no-one will
notice the "2" bit in your website
address and people will think that "dieting.com" is
just about "Atkins Diet".
It won't work
if you just give this link to other people
and ask them to type into the address box in
their browser. They'll probable just mis-type
it as:
http://www.dieting.com
Of
course, you can achieve the same result for
your other dieting pages by setting up sub-domains
for "www3", "www4" and
so on.
So
your sales page on "Lo Carb Diets" could
be set up as "www3.dieting.com",
on "Veggie Dieting" as "www4.dieting.com" and
so on.
Just
don't overdo it, OK?
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Do
you follow all of this? It's not too difficult, technically
speaking.
If
you don't, re-read this again. And maybe a third
time.
And
if you really are stuck, and you really do
need this technique, then I'll try to help. Just
email me at the address at the end of this page
I
hope this helps you.
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Put
some of my "tricks" to work on your website.
The Webmasters CheatKit range of
products helps you to build professional websites
without needing a load of techie skills!