## **🔍 The Short Answer**

Website Studio publishes the project you are working in. Publishing a landing page project sends it to its own **preview URL** so you can review it. It does not automatically replace the homepage of your existing live website.

Publishing to the project’s preview URL does not replace your existing homepage. Connecting your main domain to the project or publishing to WordPress with Replace homepage can affect it. Also check whether WordPress auto-sync is enabled before republishing. (`landing-page-studio/next\_js\_service/app/components/WordPressSyncModal.tsx:591–619`; `landing-page-studio/django\_service/core/views.py:3810–3823`)

## **🧭 What the Publish Button Does**

- Publishes the current project, not just the page selected in the editor. Separate Website Studio projects are not published by this action, but enabled WordPress auto-sync can also update websites previously linked to this project. (`landing-page-studio/django\_service/core/views.py:3772–3774,3810–3823`)
- **Creates or updates a preview URL.** This is a shareable link where you can see the page as visitors would.
- Publishing only to the project’s preview URL leaves your separately hosted website unchanged. Connecting your domain or using WordPress publishing can affect your existing site; check connected destinations and WordPress auto-sync before publishing. (`landing-page-studio/next\_js\_service/app/components/WordPressSyncModal.tsx:748–756`; `landing-page-studio/django\_service/core/views.py:3810–3823`)

You can publish again after making edits. The preview URL then shows your latest version.

## **✅ Before You Click Publish**

Run through this quick checklist to be sure you are only publishing what you intend to:

1. Open the landing page project you want to publish. In the editor’s menu, open Switch Project and confirm that the intended project is marked Current. (`landing-page-studio/next\_js\_service/app/components/ChatPanelHeader.tsx:208–212,339–362`)
2. Check the page list in the project. Confirm it contains only the landing page you want to release.
3. Check Settings → Domains and the publishing panel. To publish only to a preview URL, confirm that your live domain is not connected and that WordPress auto-sync is off; do not initiate WordPress publishing. (`landing-page-studio/next\_js\_service/app/components/publish/PublishTargetSection.tsx:396–398`; `landing-page-studio/next\_js\_service/app/components/PublishModal.tsx:206–239`)
4. If your main domain is connected to this project, publishing can update the website served on that domain. To leave your existing homepage untouched, publish to the preview URL without connecting the main domain. Changing the project’s home page only changes which project page appears at its root URL. (`landing-page-studio/next\_js\_service/app/components/PublishModal.tsx:178–188`; `landing-page-studio/next\_js\_service/app/components/publish/PublishTargetSection.tsx:36–38`)
5. Review the page on desktop and mobile in the editor preview.

## **🛠️ How to Publish to the Preview URL**

1. Open **Website Studio** from your Search Atlas dashboard.
2. Select the landing page project.
3. Finish your edits and review the content, images, and links.
4. Click **Publish**.
5. Open the Publish panel and click Publish, or Publish Changes after editing an already published project. Wait until the status shows Published, then open the URL displayed in the panel. For preview-only publishing, first confirm that no live destination or WordPress auto-sync will be updated. (`landing-page-studio/next\_js\_service/app/components/PublishModal.tsx:605–649,715–766`)
6. Check the page in a browser. Copy the link to share it with teammates or clients for feedback.

## **🏠 How to Keep Your Homepage Safe**

- **Keep the landing page in its own project.** This keeps it separate from any full-site project.
- **Do not point your main domain at the project** until you are ready. The preview URL works without any domain changes.
- To keep your existing homepage, use a dedicated subdomain for the landing page project. For a connected WordPress site, choose Publish under a folder and enter a folder name such as offer to publish beneath yourdomain.com/offer without replacing its homepage. A page path inside a separate Website Studio project does not by itself add that project beneath your existing website. (`landing-page-studio/next\_js\_service/app/components/WordPressSyncModal.tsx:271–272,604–619,748–756`)
- **Back up your current homepage content** before making any domain or hosting change.

## **⚠️ When a Homepage Could Be Replaced**

A homepage could be replaced if all of the following are true:

- Your live domain is connected to the Website Studio project.
- The landing page is set as the home page of that project.
- You click Publish.

If you are unsure whether your domain is connected, stop before publishing and check the project's domain settings. You can also ask our team to confirm (see below).

## **🤖 Submitting a Project to AI Directories**

Publishing in Website Studio makes your page available online, but it is a separate step from listing your site in third-party AI tool directories. Those directories have their own submission forms and requirements.

A typical process looks like this:

1. Publish your page and, ideally, connect it to your own domain so the listing points to a permanent URL. Preview URLs may not be accepted by some directories.
2. Prepare a short description, your logo, a few screenshots, and your main category.
3. Submit these details on each directory's own website.
4. Keep a simple record of where you have submitted and the status of each listing.

If you want to know whether your plan includes a tool to help with directory or listing submissions, the support team can confirm what is currently available for your account.

## **💡 Quick Tips**

- Treat the preview URL as a staging link. Share it for approval before going live.
- Publish small changes often so the preview always matches your latest edits.
- Test forms, buttons, and links on the preview page before sending traffic to it.
- Avoid sharing the preview URL publicly if the page is not final.

## **💬 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 instantly connected with a member of our team.