http://www.names.co.uk/blog/ The latest news and information from Namesco en-gb Fri, 30 Jul 2010 00:00:00 BST http://www.ndo.com/blog/2010/07/5_WordPress_plugins_you_should_be_using Web Hosting plans.

Now we all love WordPress, but even straight out of the box, it could with a little more TLC to shine and by TLC - we mean plugins!

You can install plugins from your WordPress dashboard - just click on Plugins > Add new or you can manually install them.

Akismet
Akismet is a spam filtering plugin developed by Automattic (the people behind WordPress) that will prevent link spam. The Akismet plugin is actually 'plugged in' by default as part of WordPress, however it still needs to be manually configured in order for it to start filtering comment spam. All you need to do is click on 'Plugins' in your WordPress dashboard, and then follow the steps on the page.

WP Super Cache
WP Super cache is a caching plugin that will speed up your site alot. Rather than invoking PHP and accessing the MySQL database to retrieve your posts every time someone visits, this plugin will create flat HTML files of the pages that make up the site and serve these up instead.

All In One SEO Pack
If you want your blog to be noticed, then Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is something that you should be thinking about (if you aren't already). Thankfully, you don't need to start sifting through log files and fiddling with server configurations, - you just need to install All In One SEO Pack and run through a few basic options (page titles, keywords etc.)

Fast and Secure Contact Form
Fast and Secure Contact Form is a plugin that will let you add a contact page to your WordPress site. Once you've activated the plugin, you simply need to run through a few options and then add a page for the contact form to go on. It also comes with a CAPTCHA straight out of the box to prevent spam comments.

NextGEN Gallery
NextGEN Gallery will let you add an image gallery to your site in just a few clicks. Once you have activated the plugin, you will see a new option on the left called 'Gallery' - this is where you can create new galleries and upload images.

If you haven't already started Blogging, visit www.names.co.uk/hosting and bag yourself a powerful yet affordable Web Hosting package, which comes with over 100 easy to install web applications, including WordPress. Get your own Blog online in minutes!]]> awright Fri, 30 Jul 2010 00:00:00 BST http://www.ndo.com/blog/2010/07/5_WordPress_plugins_you_should_be_using http://www.ndo.com/blog/2010/07/Create_A_Professional_Website_In_Minutes%21 Do you love creating content but lack web design skils?

We have recentlly launched our brand new, Softaculous section of the control panel. this powerful feature facility gives you the ability to install blogging applications like WordPress, forums such as phpBB or even feature rich ecommerce applications such as Magento - in just a couple of clicks and without going near any code or databases!
You can even turbo-charge your existing website by adding additional features to it such as blogs, wikis, forums or even an online customer helpdesk!

Getting started is very easy. Once you are logged into your Namesco Online Control Panel

1. Click on Scripts and Ecommerce and pick out an application / web script
2. Click on Install and you are done!

You can begin using your new application straight away and without any web design skills - have fun!

We have tons of information in our Knowledge base. For help with Softaculous, see our 100+ 1-Cick Installs section]]> awright Wed, 21 Jul 2010 00:00:00 BST http://www.ndo.com/blog/2010/07/Create_A_Professional_Website_In_Minutes%21 http://www.ndo.com/blog/2010/07/Namesco_Launch_NEW_Powerful_Web_Hosting_Packages NEW Hosting Will Knock You Out

With reduced prices and powerful features packed into our NEW Shared Hosting products, you’ll have a hard time finding reasons NOT to move all your Domains to be Hosted by Namesco. Plus we’ve just been voted the ‘Best Shared Hosting’ provider for the third year running, so we have a lot to shout about!

1 Click-Install Scripts

Our NEW Linux Hosting includes 100+ FREE tools to take your website in a whole new direction by simply adding dynamic database features at the Click of a button; you can build Blogs, create forums, photo galleries, add videos and much more! This impressive feature is available across our Hosting range.

Hosting With Back-Up

As well as a new facility allowing you to back-up 1-Click Applications, our UK based Customer Support team is on hand to back you up with support and advice via your Online Control Panel and the telephone. Transferring to Namesco is easy and you can manage the configuration in your existing Namesco Online Control Panel. Simple!

Just 1 Click could change the future of your website today.

Try our brand NEW feature-packed Hosting for yourself

Namesco win the ‘Best Shared Hosting’ Award for the third year in a row!]]> awright Fri, 16 Jul 2010 00:00:00 BST http://www.ndo.com/blog/2010/07/Namesco_Launch_NEW_Powerful_Web_Hosting_Packages http://www.ndo.com/blog/2010/07/ISPA_UK_2010_Best_Shared_Hosting_2010_Winner%21
Namesco were the first winners of the night at this best in class awards ceremony competing against the other category finalists, 123-reg, Netcetra, NewNet and Webfusion. The judges stated that they were “impressed with Namesco’s high level of customer satisfaction, with good use of security and technical support complemented by a clear pricing structure.”

Its great timing for us too as we’ve just given our existing Shared Hosting customers a completely FREE Hosting upgrade. We’ve also launched a more powerful and feature packed range of Hosting products still built with the same robust and resilient infrastructure that helped win the ‘Best Shared Hosting’ Award.

Check out award winning Hosting today ]]> awright Wed, 14 Jul 2010 00:00:00 BST http://www.ndo.com/blog/2010/07/ISPA_UK_2010_Best_Shared_Hosting_2010_Winner%21 http://www.ndo.com/blog/2010/05/Namesco_3_times_finalist_for_%E2%80%98Best_Shared_Hosting%E2%80%99_Award
This year Namesco are up for ‘Best Shared Hosting’ and ‘Best Dedicated Hosting’, which speaks volumes about the ongoing development of our products and services as well as the commitment and hard work of our internal teams.

Namesco won ‘Best Shared Hosting’ in both the 2008 & 2009 Awards and we are honoured to be recognised for a 3rd consecutive year.

The winners will be announced at the prestigious event in London on 8th July 2010

For Award Winning Hosting packages visit www.names.co.uk or call our team of hosting specialists on 0800 324 7021.]]> awright Fri, 21 May 2010 00:00:00 BST http://www.ndo.com/blog/2010/05/Namesco_3_times_finalist_for_%E2%80%98Best_Shared_Hosting%E2%80%99_Award http://www.ndo.com/blog/2010/05/Get_Localised_Internationally
In order to register an Internationalised Domain Name (IDN), the original name must first be converted into Punycode so that when your Domain name is viewed by customers they'll see if represented in the right language. Some browsers are still in the process of being updated and will still show the Punycode, but this issue will shortly be resolved so now is the time to plan your registrations.


Get in touch to find out more and learn how we can get you name more easily recognised internationally and locally..
]]> S Ewart Thu, 20 May 2010 00:00:00 BST http://www.ndo.com/blog/2010/05/Get_Localised_Internationally http://www.ndo.com/blog/2010/05/INTA_Annual_Meeting
We’ll be presenting the Namesco Partner Program developed specifically to meet the needs of legal firms offering their clients a complete and customisable online protection program without the burden of managing the technical, bureaucratic and administrative aspects related to it.

Namesco recognise the ever changing threats the internet poses and INTA’s Annual Meeting is the trademark community’s premier event for networking, continuing legal education, and committee and client meetings. Having protected the online reputation of some of the most important companies at a global level over the last ten years, we are very familiar with the difficulties encountered by legal firms and clients when they need to protect their brands or trademarks online as well as offline.

Managing large domain name portfolios and keeping up to date with the latest news from the domain name world can be extremely difficult and time consuming, unless there are resources expressly dedicated to this task. Domain name registration in all extensions, domain portfolio consolidation and management, as well as attentive web monitoring, are at the core of our Partner Program and are fully managed in house and then packaged according to our partners’ needs.

About INTA
INTA is a not-for-profit membership association of 5,900 trademark owners, professionals and academics, from more than 190 countries, dedicated to the support and advancement of trademarks and related intellectual property as elements of fair and effective national and international commerce.

The Association was founded in 1878 by 17 merchants and manufacturers who saw a need for an organisation “to protect and promote the rights of trademark owners, to secure useful legislation and to give aid and encouragement to all efforts for the advancement and observance of trademark rights.” After 130 years INTA continues its mission to represent the trademark community, shape public policy and advance professional knowledge and development.]]> S Ewart Thu, 13 May 2010 00:00:00 BST http://www.ndo.com/blog/2010/05/INTA_Annual_Meeting http://www.ndo.com/blog/2010/05/Avoiding_Online_Brand_Infringement
We can help identify if your trademark or brand is being used as a keyword for a pay per click campaign, if it appears on unauthorised pages, or as a part of a Domain name you don’t own. As well as identifying potential infringement, we can also advise about the best way to protect your brand online.

How Is Your Brand At Risk?

There are many ways that competitors and cyber-squatters may be using your brand on the Web to steal traffic and damage your reputation. Your company name may have been registered by someone else with an extension that you have not yet registered (e.g. yourbrand.co), as part of a domain name (www.domainanameyourbrand. com), as the name of a file contained in a URL (e.g. http://www.domainname.com/xxx/yourbrand), or even as a keyword in a Pay Per Click campaign.

How can our Brand Infringement Service Help to Protect Your Brand?

This service allows you to find out if and how your brand is being used by third parties on the web. At the end of our analysis, you will receive a detailed report of the web addresses and web pages where your brand appears or is quoted and / or the websites that are using it as a keyword in a Pay Per Click campaign. We can provide this service in a number of different languages.

We can help you to identify the cases that may require your name to be blocked from use by third parties, as well as highlighting the domain names for which you may want to appoint Namesco to initiate and mange your recovery procedures.


Get in touch to find out more.
]]> S Ewart Thu, 13 May 2010 00:00:00 BST http://www.ndo.com/blog/2010/05/Avoiding_Online_Brand_Infringement http://www.ndo.com/blog/2010/05/Trademark_holders_act_NOW_to_pre_register_.CO
Why .CO ?

.CO could stand for COmpany, COmmercial or COntent and this will become an important international Domain widely recognised by all consumers.

1. Until June 10th – Global Sunrise: pre-registration for Trademark holders.
2. 21st June to 13th July – Landrush: pre-registration of Domains prior to general release.
3. From 20th July – General availability: with .CO open on a first come first served basis.

The launch of the .CO domain provides an opportunity for brand owners to not only protect, but to enhance valuable brand assets. The value of the .CO domain goes far beyond defensive registrations, offering an infinite number of exciting new branding opportunities in a global, recognisable and credible online name space.

In-depth interviews of more than 600 potential domain registrants conducted by leading polling firm Penn, Schoen and Berland found that more than 75% identified .CO to mean “COmpany,” “COrporation,” “COmmerce”, when asked open-ended questions.


To request a Sunrise Domain lookup checking your Domain availability and to find out more, get in touch.
]]> S Ewart Thu, 13 May 2010 00:00:00 BST http://www.ndo.com/blog/2010/05/Trademark_holders_act_NOW_to_pre_register_.CO http://www.ndo.com/blog/2010/05/Register_Chinese_Character_Domains_in_Singapore
A Chinese Domain Name (CDN) is a domain name that contains one or more Chinese characters. Presently, domain names have been in Latin characters like abc.com.sg. CDNs allow for Chinese characters to be used within domain names.]]> S Ewart Thu, 13 May 2010 00:00:00 BST http://www.ndo.com/blog/2010/05/Register_Chinese_Character_Domains_in_Singapore