## πŸ—ΊοΈ Overview This article walks you through three common tasks: exporting your Website Studio project as a ZIP file, connecting a custom domain (including domains registered on GoDaddy, Namecheap, or any other registrar), and pointing your DNS records so your new site goes live. Whether you built your site from scratch in Website Studio or are moving away from a platform like Wix, this guide covers everything you need. ## πŸ“¦ Exporting Your Website Studio Project You can download a copy of your Website Studio project directly from the platform. Keep the following in mind before you export: - **What you receive:** The export produces a React application ZIP file. This is **not** a self-contained static HTML package, so you cannot simply open the files in a browser or drop them into a generic web host without a build step. - **Editing externally:** Because the export is a React app, external editing requires Node.js and familiarity with React. If you only need to make content changes, we recommend doing so inside Website Studio before exporting. - **Best use case:** Use the export to hand off the project to a developer or to host on a platform that supports Node.js applications (such as Vercel, Netlify, or a VPS). 1. Go to **Left sidebar β†’ Website Studio** (URL: **/website-studio**). 2. Open the project you want to export. 3. Click the **Settings** or project menu icon in the top toolbar. 4. Select **Export / Download** and confirm. The ZIP file will download to your computer. **Download not starting?** Try the following: disable browser pop-up blockers, switch to a Chromium-based browser (Chrome or Edge), clear your cache, and retry. If the download still fails, 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. ## πŸ”— Connecting a Custom Domain to Your Website Studio Site You can publish your Website Studio site under your own domain regardless of which registrar holds that domain (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Google Domains, etc.). 1. In **Website Studio**, open your project and navigate to **Settings β†’ Domain**. 2. Enter your custom domain (e.g., **www.yourdomain.com**) and click **Connect Domain**. 3. Search Atlas will display the DNS records you need to add β€” typically a **CNAME** record for **www** and, optionally, an **A record** for the root domain (**@**). Copy these values; you will need them in the next section. ## βš™οΈ Updating Your DNS Records at Your Domain Registrar Log in to the control panel of whichever registrar holds your domain and follow these general steps. The exact menu names vary by registrar but the record types are the same everywhere. 1. Find the **DNS Management**, **DNS Zone**, or **Advanced DNS** section for your domain. 2. Add or update the **CNAME record**: - **Host / Name:**`www` - **Value / Points to:** the CNAME target shown in Website Studio - **TTL:** 3600 (or Auto) 3. If Search Atlas also provided an **A record** for the root domain, add it: - **Host / Name:**`@` - **Value / Points to:** the IP address shown in Website Studio - **TTL:** 3600 (or Auto) 4. Save your changes. DNS propagation typically takes **a few minutes up to 48 hours**. You can check propagation progress using a free tool such as **whatsmydns.net** β€” search for your domain and verify the records match what Search Atlas provided. ## πŸ”„ Migrating From Wix (or Another Website Builder) If your site was previously hosted on Wix, the migration process has two parts: redirecting your domain away from Wix and pointing it to Search Atlas. - **Step 1 β€” Disconnect from Wix:** Log in to your Wix dashboard, go to **Domains**, and remove or disconnect the domain from your Wix site. This releases the domain so it can point elsewhere. - **Step 2 β€” Update DNS at your registrar:** Follow the DNS steps in the section above using the records provided by Website Studio. - **Step 3 β€” Verify in Website Studio:** Return to **Website Studio β†’ Settings β†’ Domain** and confirm that the domain status shows as **Connected** or **Active**. **Important:** Wix hosts your old site's content on their servers. Exporting that content from Wix is done through Wix's own export tools, not through Search Atlas. Rebuild or recreate your pages inside Website Studio before switching DNS to avoid any downtime. ## ❓ Troubleshooting Common Issues - **Domain still showing the old Wix site:** DNS has not fully propagated yet, or the old DNS records were not removed. Double-check that no conflicting A or CNAME records pointing to Wix remain at your registrar. - **SSL certificate not activating:** SSL is provisioned automatically once DNS propagates. Wait up to 24 hours after DNS resolves correctly, then check the domain status in Website Studio again. - **ZIP export opens as a blank page:** The exported file is a React app and requires a build process. Open the ZIP, run `npm install` followed by `npm run build`, then serve the resulting `build` folder. - **WordPress sync publishing blank pages:** This is a known issue currently under investigation. Avoid using the WordPress sync feature for production sites until a fix is confirmed. ## πŸ’¬ 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.