🗺️ Overview
Some customers have been told by a previous Search Atlas representative that pages can be added directly to an existing domain — without creating a subdomain or a new site. This article clarifies exactly what is and is not possible today, so you can choose the right publishing path for your needs.
⚠️ Can I Add Pages Directly to My Current Domain?
No — this is not currently supported. At this time, Website Studio does not support publishing a landing page directly to the root of an existing domain (for example, yourdomain.com/new-page) without a technical integration step. If a previous representative indicated otherwise, we sincerely apologise for any confusion. That capability, if it was ever available, is not part of the current platform.
To publish a page from Website Studio to your domain, you must use one of two supported methods:
- Subdomain publishing — for example, landing.yourdomain.com
- Subpath publishing via WordPress plugin — for example, yourdomain.com/page-name, using the Search Atlas WordPress plugin
Both methods require a one-time configuration step. Neither permanently alters your existing site structure or takes down any current pages.
🔌 Option 1 — Subdomain Publishing
A subdomain keeps your landing pages completely separate from your main WordPress site and requires a small DNS change.
- In Website Studio, open your project and go to Settings → Domain.
- Choose Connect a subdomain and enter your desired subdomain (for example, landing.yourdomain.com).
- Log in to your domain registrar or DNS provider.
- Create a CNAME record pointing your chosen subdomain to the value shown in Website Studio.
- Save the DNS record. Propagation typically takes 5–30 minutes.
- Return to Website Studio and click Verify Connection.
- Publish your page. It will go live at your subdomain URL.
Your existing WordPress site at yourdomain.com is completely unaffected.
🔗 Option 2 — Subpath Publishing via WordPress Plugin
If you want pages to appear under your main domain (for example, yourdomain.com/offer), you can do this using the Search Atlas WordPress plugin. This is the closest available option to adding a page directly to your domain, and it does not require any DNS changes.
- Log in to your WordPress admin dashboard.
- Go to Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin and upload the Search Atlas plugin .zip file provided by Search Atlas.
- Install and activate the plugin.
- Inside the plugin settings, connect it to your Search Atlas account using your API key. You will find your API key under Account Menu (avatar) → Settings → API Keys in the Search Atlas platform.
- In Website Studio, go to Settings → Domain for your page and select Publish to WordPress.
- Choose the subpath slug you want (for example, /offer) and confirm.
- The page will appear at yourdomain.com/offer without touching your existing WordPress content.
Note: Your WordPress site must be self-hosted (not WordPress.com) and you must have admin access to install plugins.
📋 Comparison at a Glance
- Root domain publishing (yourdomain.com/page) — Not supported without the WordPress plugin. Requires plugin installation; no DNS change needed.
- Subpath via WordPress plugin (yourdomain.com/slug) — Supported. No DNS change. Requires plugin install and admin access.
- Subdomain (landing.yourdomain.com) — Supported. Requires one CNAME DNS record. No plugin needed.
- Standalone new domain — Supported. Requires domain connection via DNS.
❓ What If I Was Told Something Different?
We take representative communications seriously. If you were given specific instructions or commitments by a previous Search Atlas team member that do not match the options described here, please reach out so we can review your account history and find the best path forward. The subpath-via-plugin method is the closest current equivalent to what may have been described, and our team can walk you through the setup.
💡 Quick Troubleshooting Tips
- If your subdomain shows a DNS error after setup, allow up to 48 hours for full propagation before re-verifying.
- If the WordPress plugin connection fails, confirm your API key is copied exactly with no extra spaces.
- If your subpath page is not appearing on WordPress, check that no existing page or post is using the same slug.
- If you do not have plugin install access on your WordPress site, the subdomain option is your best alternative.
🆘 Need 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.