Adding your first domain

Adding your first domain

What you'll learn: how to add a domain to your hosting account so you can host a website on it.

Before you start

You'll need:

  • A domain name you've already bought (from a registrar like Namecheap, GoDaddy, Google Domains, or similar). If you don't have one yet, buy one first — they usually cost $10–15 a year.
  • 5 minutes.

You don't need a website built yet. You can add the domain first and put a website on it later.

Step 1 — Open the Domains page

In the sidebar, click Sites, then Domains.

[screenshot here: Domains page]

Step 2 — Add the domain

  1. Click Add domain.
  2. Type your domain name (for example yourbusiness.com). Don't add www. or https:// — just the domain.
  3. Click Save.

That's it on the panel side. Your domain now appears in the list.

[screenshot here: domain added to list]

Step 3 — Point your domain at your hosting

For your domain to actually load your website, your domain registrar needs to be told where to send visitors. This is done by setting DNS records.

The panel will show you exactly what to set — usually it's:

  • An A record pointing to your server's IP address
  • (Optional) the same record for www

Where to set this depends on where you bought your domain. Look for "DNS" or "DNS settings" or "Manage records" in your registrar's control panel. Add the records the panel shows you, and save.

Changes can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours to take effect — that's normal. This is called "DNS propagation".

Step 4 — Check that it worked

After 10–30 minutes, type your domain into a browser. If you don't have a website on it yet, you'll see a default placeholder page. That's the sign that everything is wired up correctly.

Tips

  • One domain per website. If you have several websites, add each domain separately.
  • You can also add subdomains like blog.yourbusiness.com from the same area — just give the full subdomain.
  • Don't worry about HTTPS yet. Your panel can issue a free SSL certificate for your domain — see Adding a free SSL certificate to your website (coming soon).

If something goes wrong

  • "Domain already in use" — the domain is already added to another hosting account. If it's not yours, contact your hosting provider; they can help.
  • Visiting the domain shows a blank page or error — give it more time. DNS changes are not instant. Two hours is usually plenty.
  • You can't find DNS settings at your registrar — every registrar puts them in a slightly different place. Searching "[your registrar name] change DNS A record" usually finds the right help page in seconds.

What's next?

Now that your domain is connected, you can:

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