| Transferring Ownership Of The Web Site | | | | the old databases when you move the information |
| There are multiple steps to transferring a web site | | | | over, after you've already renamed the prefixes: |
| although the total process only has to take a half | | | | 1. Ask your customer for the username and |
| hour, if you did it all yourself. But, your buyer may | | | | password for the Cpanel of their new hosting site. |
| want to do some of the work themselves or you | | | | 2. Log into the customer's Cpanel to continue the |
| may want to opt to have them do it, depending on if | | | | process. |
| they are knowledgeable enough to complete these | | | | 3. Get into their MySQL databases area. |
| tasks. If not, you can do it yourself, but even though | | | | 4. You are going to want to create a database in |
| the process itself may take about a half hour, the | | | | their MySQL area that has exactly the same |
| total propagation of the site from one server to | | | | database name as the one on your hosting server. |
| another may take several days. That's because the | | | | 5. You will also want to create the same database |
| Internet is such a large entity that it has to update | | | | users and passwords that were available to your old |
| several servers that point the site to the new home | | | | database that was hosted on your site. |
| in order for it to finally be transferred. But, here we'll | | | | 6. After you've created the user(s), you still need to |
| go over the steps you need to take to transfer a | | | | attach the user(s) to the database with the exact |
| web site you sell in detail. | | | | same privileges as what they had on your hosting |
| Push The Domain To The Buyer | | | | server. Most of the time this will be set to all |
| You are going to have to first push the ownership of | | | | privileges. |
| the domain name to the buyer. This is done by | | | | After you've done this preparatory work, you are |
| having the customer sign up to the same registrar in | | | | ready to import the information into the new |
| which you registered the name. This is accomplished | | | | database that you've created. |
| by setting up a free account where you can push | | | | 1. Go back to the MySQL database page and find the |
| that domain name to the new owner. There is | | | | PHP MyAdmin link at the bottom of the page. |
| typically no charge for pushing a domain name from | | | | 2. Click on the PHP MyAdmin link. |
| one owner to another on the same registration | | | | 3. Look for the database you just created. If it's not |
| service. | | | | listed you may need to open the drop-down menu |
| Each registrar may have different ways to do this, | | | | and look for it there. |
| so you will need to check the registrar's website to | | | | 4. Click on it to select it and open the database. |
| find out how to do it for your particular domain name | | | | 5. There will be an option to IMPORT. Select that. |
| registrar. After the domain name has transferred | | | | 6. It will ask you for the location of the file you are |
| ownership, then your buyer has to set the name | | | | importing. In the "location of text file" option, click the |
| servers to point to the new web host they want to | | | | BROWSE button and look for the database that you |
| use. If they're going to continue to host with you, | | | | stored in the folder on your desktop. |
| then they won't need to change the name servers | | | | 7. Select that database file and choose GO. |
| and you're basically done. | | | | Following these steps you can import any database |
| Transferring A Site From One Host To Another | | | | necessary for the proper functioning of the site. First |
| If you have an experienced buyer, you don't have to | | | | create a shell database that has the same users and |
| move the site yourself. You can just give them the | | | | privileges of the old hosted site and then import the |
| FTP information they need to log into the server it's | | | | information into that shell. It's actually a very simple |
| already on and thus they can copy the site over to | | | | process even though there appears to be many |
| another host. You might want to give them a time | | | | steps. It probably won't take more than a few |
| deadline to do this in so that they don't wait forever | | | | minutes for each database you need to import. |
| to finish the transaction. Ten days is a good time limit. | | | | Other Options To Activate |
| The Experienced Buyer | | | | If your buyer just got any old host and didn't do any |
| On the other hand, if you have an inexperienced | | | | work to prepare that platform, you will need to |
| website buyer or you just don't want to give access | | | | check other things and activate them if they aren't |
| to the FTP information so that there can be no | | | | already setup to go. If the site you created didn't |
| problems with the new customer screwing up the | | | | have any of these options activated or being used, |
| site before it's transferred, then you can offer to | | | | then you won't need to check them out on the new |
| move it yourself. | | | | host site either. But, just in case you did fiddle with |
| Here are the steps you will need to follow to move | | | | these and then need a reminder, here are a few |
| the files from your host server to another distinct | | | | things that some people forget to check or activate |
| hosting provider: | | | | that can cause errors when running the web site |
| 1. Log in to your web site server using your FTP | | | | later. |
| program. | | | | - Email |
| 2. Go to the public_html directory where you should | | | | Did you have a bunch of auto responders, email |
| have installed most of the WordPress files. If you | | | | addresses, and more set up to run some marketing |
| didn't follow our instructions to do this, then you will | | | | on your web site. You had better make sure that |
| have to go to the directory which you did pick to | | | | you set up the accounts for your buyer too or that |
| install those files. | | | | portion of the web site will fail to work and notify |
| 3. You are going to want to download everything | | | | them of potential buyers or someone wanting to join |
| that is necessary to run the web site on another | | | | their email list. |
| server. Copy all those files to a folder on your | | | | - Special Directories |
| desktop and save it. | | | | Did you have other directories that were running |
| 4. Don't delete any files, folders, database, or | | | | special features on your site? Make sure those are |
| anything while doing this process. If you miss | | | | also set up. If they were password protected, you |
| something, you can always come back and find it | | | | will also have to make sure they are password |
| later instead of wondering what happened and not | | | | protected on the new host too. And, they will have |
| being able to recreate a working setup. | | | | to be password protected with exactly the same |
| 5. In the folder you just created on your desktop, | | | | username and passwords as you used on the old |
| create a subfolder. Label it aaa_database for the | | | | site, to be safe and make sure things continue to |
| name. | | | | function. |
| Copy The Databases Too | | | | - Redirect Pages |
| Next, you want to make sure that any databases | | | | Some Internet marketers use redirect pages to be |
| associated with your web site are also transferred | | | | able to quickly change an affiliate offer, should it go |
| onto the new host. This will be a process of backing | | | | sour or they find a better option for the same type |
| up the databases to the subfolder you just created | | | | of product and service they've advertised. In that |
| called aaa_database. Then, from there, you will have | | | | case, they may have the affiliate offer go to a |
| everything you need in one folder to be able to | | | | redirect page that has programming that then takes |
| successfully move all the files without missing | | | | them to the affiliate offer. |
| anything. | | | | When they want to change out ALL affiliate links, |
| To copy the databases, you have to follow these | | | | they don't have to go to every single page and |
| steps: | | | | manually change the code. They just change the |
| 1. Log in to the Cpanel area on the server that is | | | | redirect page to another offer and all their web |
| currently hosting the site. | | | | pages are updated automatically this way. If you do |
| 2. You will see an option or icon that says, "MySQL | | | | have redirect pages on your site that server a highly |
| databases." You will need to review each of the | | | | needed function, you will need to make sure they |
| databases listed to see if they are part of the web | | | | are also set up on your new customer's site too. |
| site you wish to transfer or not. | | | | They will need to have exactly the same information |
| 3. Review the WordPress database information for | | | | as what you had in your old site. |
| this web site and make sure that you at least copy | | | | - Special Jobs |
| this one to the subfolder. Make a note of the user | | | | Have you set up CRON jobs to run to do special |
| that is assigned to each database you are copying to | | | | things? You will need to program the same jobs to |
| your subfolder. Make note of any other databases | | | | run automatically on the new server too. |
| that also need to be copied and backed up that are | | | | Configure The New Site |
| associated with this web site and their associated | | | | So, you have done a lot of work, but you still haven't |
| user. | | | | transferred all the files that you had in the |
| 4. At the bottom of the page, you will see another | | | | public_html folder. Before you do that, however, you |
| option that reads, "PHP My Admin." | | | | will have to change the basic configuration file that |
| 5. After you are in this area, you will see a listing of | | | | WordPress uses so that it reflects the new database |
| databases and just select the one that you already | | | | names, usernames, and passwords. To change the |
| know are needed for this web site installation to | | | | configuration file before uploading your files, do the |
| work correctly. | | | | following steps: |
| 6. Then, you will want to choose the "export" column | | | | 1. Go to the WordPress files in the folder on your |
| and SELECT ALL. | | | | desktop. |
| 7. Then, choose SQL. | | | | 2. Locate the file called wp-config.php. If you don't |
| 8. You will want to choose the next option that says, | | | | have the extensions listed, it might just show up as a |
| "Save as File." | | | | wp-config filename. |
| 9. Click, "GO." | | | | 3. Open in file in a text editor and change the |
| 10. Then save it to the subfolder you've created | | | | database names, usernames, and password |
| within the WordPress main folder, which is named | | | | information. |
| aaa_database. | | | | 4. Be sure you include the new prefix that is |
| 11. If you have more than one database you have to | | | | associated with your customer's Cpanel account and |
| copy to the folder, than just repeat steps 5 through | | | | not the one you used for the old site. |
| 10. | | | | 5. Save the changes you made and close the file. |
| The Big Move | | | | Upload Remaining Files |
| While that may seem like many, many, steps, once | | | | You're almost done, so don't fret. Again, this seems |
| you get the hang of this you will find it actually only | | | | like a long chapter, and it is! But, the details take far |
| takes a few minutes to complete. All this work is | | | | longer to write in detail than they take to actually |
| necessary to make sure that you have a full copy of | | | | execute. Once you have the hang of this, you will be |
| the website still hosted while you have a full copy in | | | | able to do this entire process in about half an hour. |
| one folder on your desktop so that you can easily | | | | Of course, the site itself won't propagate through |
| move it. | | | | the Internet for at least three days. |
| One thing that you will notice as you are downloading | | | | To finish uploading the files, use the following steps: |
| the database files is that they all will have the same | | | | 1. Create an FTP connection to your customer's |
| prefix, and that prefix is the username you logged in | | | | hosting server. |
| with. So, if you have gone to your Cpanel and logged | | | | 2. Connect to their public_html directory. |
| into the MySQL area with the username NANCYM, | | | | 3. Upload everything in the public_html folder on your |
| then the databases associated with that account | | | | desktop except for the subfolder that contained |
| would start with a prefix of NANCYM and then an | | | | your database. Those have already been imported. |
| underscore and the name of the database file. So, it | | | | That's it! You're done. All you need to do now is to |
| would look something like | | | | test the site thoroughly before you inform your |
| NANCYM_mydatabasename. | | | | buyer that the transfer has been completed and it |
| Of course, just because you chose the username | | | | awaits further propagation through the Internet, |
| NANCYM for your account doesn't mean your buyer | | | | which usually takes a period of three days. What |
| did too. In all likelihood, you can expect them to have | | | | that means is that when they type their domain |
| a different username. You will need to know what | | | | name into the URL before the three days are up, the |
| that is so that you can rename all of the database | | | | customer might not get their site up as expected. |
| names to change the prefix to the new username | | | | Just wait three days, then test the site again and |
| that is associated with your buyers Cpanel account | | | | make sure it comes up when you put in the proper |
| and MySQL databases. Then, you will need to make | | | | URL. |
| sure that you import those databases into the area | | | | Note: Please keep in mind, these steps are designed |
| with that username. | | | | to help you, but they may not work exactly the |
| Here are the steps to ensure that you will have | | | | same way for you, depending on your computer or |
| harmony between the new customer account and | | | | hosting... |