As you might be aware, the domain commission released .nz domain extensions on the 30^th of September. This is similar to the recent changes where .kiwi, .community, .cleaning, .builders, .ninja were released. Don't fret, these aren't replacing .co.nz or any other domain version, but this may be a great opportunity to buy another domain name for your website.

What is the benefit of having multiple domain name versions?

Having multiple domain versions such as www.example.co.nz, www.example.net.nz, www.example.nz is beneficial because your target audience might have a preference of typing a particular version of your URL over another. For example, they might type .co.nz instead of .org.nz.  

Over time, some versions become more popular than others, leading to a change in typing habits e.g. typing .nz  without a thought, instead of .co.nz.

So in the future, if most people type .nz instead of .co.nz , you want to make sure you own the .nz version of your URL. If not, chances are a competitor has it, and that traffic will go to them instead of you.

However, it will take time to see if the domain version becomes popular, and worth the purchase. 

Another advantage of having multiple domain name versions, is that they can increase your search engine optimisation (SEO). Different versions of domain names are able to target different types of people. For example, .com is best for a website trying to attract international customers, compared to .co.nz which is best for targetting New Zealand customers. Over time, there may be a chance that .nz ranks higher for local search, over .co.nz. 

At Zeald we recommend .com domain names and then .co.nz, and then any other versions after that. 

Registering for the .nz domain 

If you are interested in purchasing the .nz domain name, preferential registration will be given to those who already own the .co.nz, .org.nz or .net.nz version of the URL they want. 

For now you have several options:

1. You can reserve your .nz domain for free for up to 2 years (you will need your UDAI code to do this.)  http://anyname.nz/reservation-process.html
2. You can preregister them through http://anyname.nz/ and point them to their Zeald website following instructions here. 
3. You can choose to leave it for now, and continue with your current domain

From there, you will want to point your new domain name to your website. You can do this by following the Zeald support documentation. 

For more information, you can check out anyname.nz. They have some great FAQ’s on what happens with conflicted names, what will happen when your .co.nz domain expires, and how to go about this. For any other questions, contact our Support team on 0508 932 748 ext 1

Apps are designed to make our lives simpler. No other app could boost our productivity more than Hours. Its aim is to take the pain out of time-tracking, and that it definitely does.

If you’ve ever had to use, often archaic methods of time tracking, you’ll know how much of a headache it can often be. Now, there are no more excuses for painful spreadsheets or guessing what projects have filled our day. With Hours, you’ll no only stay on track you’ll perform tasks better.

What you get with Hours is a visual timeline, displaying colour-coded projects you are working on. Setting up and using Hours is very easy. You can add a project name and assign it a colour; if you want to, you can further clarify clients or tasks depending on the level of detail you want.

Once your projects are created, you simply tap the clock icon to start. Once you are ready to move on to a different project, hit a different clock next to that project, automatically stopping the previous project.

You can set how you round your minutes, which is great if you bill in minimum time blocks.

Plus, you can edit your timeline if you forget to switch timers, or account for a break. If you are naturally forgetful, Hours can also be set to send you reminders, schedule regular working days and special rules, such as “remind me to track if I haven’t done so for an hour”.

At the end of each week you can see where you’ve spent your time, and send yourself a spreadsheet or pdf report, great for billing, exporting to your companies system, or so you know where to spend more or less time the week following.

I found the Hours app a great way to help focus on a particular task, and not be distracted by incoming emails or social media feeds. It would be a valuable tool for any business, or student.

It does however, cost a little money, approximately $6.49 on the app store; but it is worth the small investment. Learn more about Hours here >

A: What is this? 

When a visitor arrives at your website, the first thing they will often ask themselves is “what does this business offer me?” or simply “what is this?”

You need to assure your website visitor within 3 seconds of them landing on your homepage that they have indeed landed in the right place.

We often refer to this as: a clear UVP (unique value proposition); or a USP (unique selling proposition). This lets your visitor know what sets you apart and what you can offer them.

Some examples of Zeald clients that have answered this question:

 

Mainland Driving School Limited

Mainland let the visitor know quickly that they are about heavy vehicle licensing, through use of images and text. They also are very specific about what location where they provide their service.

 

Excelso Coffee Roasters

Beyond just text, Excelso use a range of images to convey their message: they are about coffee.

 

Durafence

Here the visitor can tell what sets Durafence apart from other fencing solutions. Perhaps they even solve a problem the visitor didn't realise they had. If they were looking for a fence, they might not have realised that they ordinarily come with unwanted maintenance. 

 

Excaveyor

Finally a solution for that excavation issue.