## 🗺️ Overview

If you built a site in **Website Studio** and purchased a domain through a registrar like GoDaddy or Namecheap, you can make your site live by pointing that domain to your Website Studio project. This article walks you through the full process and explains the ZIP export limitation you may have encountered.



## ⚠️ Why You Cannot Download a ZIP Export

Website Studio does not support ZIP file exports of your site. Your site is hosted directly through the platform, so publishing happens by connecting a custom domain — not by downloading and uploading files manually. If you see or expect a ZIP download option, it is not available, and your site must be published using the domain connection method described below.



## 🛠️ Step 1: Find Your Website Studio Publishing Settings

1. Log in to your Search Atlas account.
2. In the left sidebar, click **Website Studio** (or navigate to **/website-studio**).
3. Open the site you want to publish.
4. Locate the **Publishing** or **Custom Domain** settings for your project. This is typically found in the site settings panel or via a **Publish** button in the top navigation.
5. Copy the **CNAME target** or **IP address** provided by Website Studio — you will need this in the next steps.

## 🔑 Step 2: Understand Your Domain Setup

It is common to purchase a domain on GoDaddy but manage it through Namecheap, or vice versa. Before updating DNS records, confirm **where your domain's nameservers are currently pointing**. This determines where you need to make DNS changes:

- If your domain was purchased on **GoDaddy** and you have not changed the nameservers, log in to **GoDaddy** to update DNS records.
- If the nameservers were transferred to **Namecheap**, log in to **Namecheap** to update DNS records.
- If you are unsure, check the nameserver fields in your registrar dashboard — they will show which platform is in control.

## 📋 Step 3: Add the DNS Record in GoDaddy

If your domain is managed in **GoDaddy**, follow these steps:

1. Log in to your GoDaddy account and go to **My Products → Domains**.
2. Click **DNS** next to your domain.
3. Click **Add New Record**.
4. Set the **Type** to **CNAME**.
5. In the **Name** field, enter **www** (or **@** for the root domain, if supported).
6. In the **Value** field, paste the CNAME target copied from Website Studio.
7. Set the **TTL** to the lowest available option (e.g., 600 seconds) to speed up propagation.
8. Click **Save**.

## 📋 Step 3 (Alternative): Add the DNS Record in Namecheap

If your domain's nameservers are pointing to **Namecheap**, follow these steps instead:

1. Log in to your Namecheap account and go to **Domain List**.
2. Click **Manage** next to your domain.
3. Select the **Advanced DNS** tab.
4. Click **Add New Record**.
5. Set the **Type** to **CNAME Record**.
6. In the **Host** field, enter **www**.
7. In the **Value** field, paste the CNAME target from Website Studio.
8. Set TTL to **Automatic** or the lowest available value.
9. Click the **Save** checkmark.

## ⏱️ Step 4: Wait for DNS Propagation

After saving your DNS record, changes can take anywhere from **a few minutes to 48 hours** to propagate worldwide. During this time:

- Your site may not be immediately accessible at the new domain.
- You can check propagation status using a free tool such as **whatsmydns.net** — enter your domain and select CNAME to see live results across global servers.
- Once propagation is complete, visit your domain in a browser to confirm your Website Studio site is live.

## ✅ Step 5: Confirm the Domain in Website Studio

Return to **Website Studio** in Search Atlas and confirm your custom domain in the publishing settings. Some configurations require you to enter your domain name in the platform so it can verify the connection and activate SSL. Follow any on-screen prompts to complete this step.



## 💡 Tips and Common Issues

- **Root domain vs. www:** Some hosting setups require you to redirect the root domain (example.com) to the www version (www.example.com). Check your Website Studio publishing instructions for the recommended setup.
- **SSL certificate:** Website Studio provisions SSL automatically once the domain is connected. If you see a security warning shortly after setup, wait up to one hour for SSL to activate.
- **Conflicting records:** Delete any existing CNAME or A records for the same host (e.g., www) before adding new ones to avoid conflicts.
- **Cache:** Clear your browser cache or test in an incognito window if the site does not load as expected after propagation.

## 🆘 Need More Help?

If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type **human teammate** to be connected with a member of our team.