Domains, Hosting & SSL

🔧 Fix Cloudflare Orange Cloud SSL Verification Failures

☁️ Cloudflare DNS/API Integration: How It Works

🔍 What Is the Cloudflare DNS/API Integration? The Cloudflare DNS/API integration connects Search Atlas directly to your Cloudflare account using an API token. This gives Search Atlas the ability to read and write your DNS configuration and interact with Cloudflare's edge network on your behalf — without requiring manual file uploads or plugin installations on your server. This method is designed for websites that already use Cloudflare as their DNS provider and want an automated path to technical SEO optimization. ⚙️ How to Set Up the Cloudflare DNS/API Integration Follow these steps to connect your Cloudflare account to Search Atlas: 1. Generate a scoped API token in Cloudflare: Log in to your Cloudflare dashboard, go to My Profile > API Tokens, and click Create Token. Use the Edit zone DNS template or create a custom token scoped to the specific zone (domain) you want to connect. Make sure the token has at least Zone: DNS: Edit and Zone: Zone: Read permissions. Copy the token — you will only see it once. 2. Enter the API token in Search Atlas: In Search Atlas, navigate to your site settings and select the Cloudflare DNS/API integration option. Paste the API token you generated into the designated field and save. 3. Confirm the correct zone is detected: After saving, Search Atlas will display the domain zone associated with the token. Verify that the zone shown matches the domain you intend to connect. If it does not match, check that your token is scoped to the correct zone in Cloudflare. 4. Verify the integration is active: Once connected, Search Atlas will be able to read and write your DNS configuration. Confirm the integration status shows as active or connected within your Search Atlas site settings. If you see an error, double-check the token permissions and that the token has not expired. 🔧 Troubleshooting Common Issues If the integration is not working as expected, check the following before reaching out to support: - Token permissions are too narrow: Make sure the token includes both Zone: DNS: Edit and Zone: Zone: Read at minimum. Missing permissions are the most common cause of connection failures. - Token is scoped to the wrong zone: If you manage multiple domains in Cloudflare, confirm the token is scoped to the specific zone matching the domain in Search Atlas. - Token has expired or been revoked: Cloudflare tokens can be set to expire. If the integration was working before and has stopped, regenerate the token in Cloudflare and update it in Search Atlas. - Zone does not match the domain in Search Atlas: Ensure the domain added in Search Atlas exactly matches the root domain managed in the Cloudflare zone (e.g., example.com, not www.example.com). 🚀 What to Have Ready If You Need Support If you have followed the steps above and the integration is still not connecting, please have the following ready before reaching out: - Your domain name and the Cloudflare zone it belongs to - A description of the specific behavior or feature you are asking about - Any error messages you have encountered during setup - The approximate date and time the issue started 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.

🔒 Fix Brand Vault Loading Issues via DNS Whitelisting

🧭 Overview If your Brand Vault setup is stuck on a loading wheel — even after a hard reset or re-login — the most common cause is that your DNS provider is blocking Search Atlas crawlers from verifying your domain. Whitelisting these crawlers in your DNS settings resolves the issue in most cases. This article covers whitelisting steps for GoDaddy and other common DNS providers. ⚠️ Before You Begin - Confirm you have admin access to your DNS provider account. - Have your domain name ready. - Search Atlas crawler IPs to whitelist: 52.204.108.93, 34.193.240.22, 54.197.105.6. If you are unsure which IPs apply to your account, open the chat widget for confirmation before proceeding. 🌐 Whitelist Crawlers on GoDaddy 1. Log in to your GoDaddy account and navigate to My Products. 2. Find your domain and click DNS to open the DNS Management panel. 3. Scroll down to the Firewall or Access Control section. If you have GoDaddy Website Security or Sucuri Firewall enabled, click Manage next to it. 4. Select Allowlist (sometimes labelled Whitelist IPs) from the left-hand menu. 5. Click Add IP and enter each Search Atlas crawler IP address one at a time. 6. Set the access type to Allow and save each entry. 7. Return to Search Atlas, open Brand Vault, and click Retry Setup. The loading wheel should resolve within 1–3 minutes. 🔵 Whitelist Crawlers on Cloudflare 1. Log in to Cloudflare and select your domain. 2. Go to Security > WAF > Tools. 3. Under IP Access Rules, enter each Search Atlas crawler IP, set the action to Allow, and choose This Website as the scope. 4. Click Add for each IP, then retry Brand Vault setup. 🟠 Whitelist Crawlers on Namecheap 1. Log in to Namecheap and go to Domain List. 2. Click Manage next to your domain, then select Advanced DNS. 3. If you have Namecheap's Premium DNS or a third-party firewall enabled, access its dashboard and locate the IP Allowlist or Whitelist section. 4. Add each Search Atlas crawler IP with Allow permissions and save. 5. Retry Brand Vault setup in Search Atlas. 🟣 Whitelist Crawlers on Other DNS Providers The steps vary slightly by provider, but the general process is the same for any DNS or WAF platform: 1. Log in to your DNS or firewall dashboard. 2. Locate the IP Allowlist, Whitelist, or Access Rules section. 3. Add each Search Atlas crawler IP and set the permission to Allow. 4. Save your changes and retry Brand Vault setup. Common providers where this setting is found include AWS Route 53 (use Security Groups or WAF IP sets), Google Domains / Squarespace DNS (manage via connected firewall or CDN), and SiteGround (use the IP Manager under Security tools). ✅ Confirm the Fix - After whitelisting, return to Brand Vault in Search Atlas. - Click Retry Setup or refresh the page. - The loading wheel should disappear and your brand profile should begin populating within 1–3 minutes. - If the wheel persists beyond 5 minutes, perform a hard reset: log out, clear your browser cache, log back in, and navigate back to Brand Vault. 🛠️ Still Seeing the Loading Wheel? If whitelisting the crawler IPs did not resolve the issue, consider these additional checks: - Proxy or VPN: Disable any active VPN or proxy on your device and retry. - Browser extensions: Ad blockers or privacy extensions can interfere. Try an incognito window with extensions disabled. - Multiple DNS layers: Some domains route through both a registrar and a separate CDN or WAF. Ensure crawlers are whitelisted at every active layer. - DNS propagation: Changes can take up to 24 hours to propagate fully, though most updates apply within minutes. 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.

🌐 Configure www to Non-www Domain Redirect

🗺️ Overview By default, your Website Studio site may be accessible at both www.yourdomain.com and yourdomain.com. For SEO and consistency, it is best practice to pick one version as your canonical domain and redirect the other to it. This article walks you through configuring a www → non-www redirect so that all visitors land on yourdomain.com. ⚙️ Before You Begin Make sure you have completed the following before attempting to configure a redirect: - Your custom domain is already connected to your Website Studio site. If you have not done this yet, complete the Custom Domain Setup steps first. - You have access to your domain registrar or DNS provider (for example, Cloudflare, GoDaddy, or Namecheap) to update DNS records. - You are logged in to Search Atlas and can navigate to Website Studio via the left sidebar. 🔍 How www to Non-www Redirection Works When a visitor types www.yourdomain.com, a 301 (permanent) redirect sends them automatically to yourdomain.com. This tells search engines that the non-www version is the authoritative address, consolidating your SEO signals and avoiding duplicate content issues. 🛠️ Step-by-Step: Configure the Redirect in Website Studio 1. Open Website Studio. In the left sidebar, click Website Studio. Your site dashboard will open. 2. Go to your domain settings. Inside your site, locate the Domain or Settings section. This is where your connected custom domain is listed. 3. Set the primary domain to the non-www version. Ensure your primary domain is entered as yourdomain.com (without www). If the hostname field currently shows the www version, update it to the non-www version and save. 4. Enable the www redirect. Look for a Redirect www to non-www toggle or option. Enable it so that any request to www.yourdomain.com is automatically forwarded to yourdomain.com with a 301 redirect. 5. Save your changes and wait a few minutes for the settings to propagate across the CDN. 🌍 Update Your DNS Records For the redirect to work correctly, your DNS configuration must point both the www and non-www versions of your domain to your Website Studio site. Log in to your DNS provider and confirm the following records exist: - **A record (or CNAME):**yourdomain.com → your Website Studio IP address or CDN hostname (provided in your domain settings). - **CNAME record:**www.yourdomain.com → your Website Studio CDN hostname (for example, sites.searchatlas.com or as shown in your domain settings). DNS changes can take up to 48 hours to propagate globally, though most updates are visible within a few hours. ✅ Verify the Redirect Is Working Once your settings are saved and DNS has propagated, confirm the redirect is active: 1. Open a browser and type www.yourdomain.com in the address bar. 2. Press Enter. The browser should immediately redirect to yourdomain.com (without www). 3. Check the final URL in the address bar to confirm it shows the non-www version. 4. Optionally, use a tool such as redirect-checker.org to confirm the redirect returns a 301 Moved Permanently status code. ⚠️ Common Issues and Tips - Site still loads on www after saving: DNS propagation may not be complete. Wait up to 48 hours and test again. - Both versions load without redirecting: Double-check that the www redirect toggle is enabled in your domain settings and that your CNAME record for www is correctly pointing to the Website Studio CDN hostname. - Open Graph or meta tags still show the www URL: After changing your primary domain to non-www, review your site's SEO settings and update any hardcoded www references in page metadata, og:url fields, and sitemap URLs. - Redirect loop errors: This can occur if conflicting redirect rules exist at the DNS level (for example, a server-level redirect that conflicts with Website Studio settings). Remove any duplicate redirect rules from your DNS provider. 💬 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.

⚡ Configuring Cloudflare Orange Cloud Proxy with Website Builder

Overview Yes, Cloudflare works with Search Atlas Website Builder. You can enable the orange cloud (proxy) mode to benefit from Cloudflare's security features — including DDoS protection, WAF, and CDN caching — while keeping your site live and fully functional. However, because of how CNAME flattening and root domain routing work, the setup requires a specific configuration approach. This article walks you through the key steps. Understanding the Compatibility Search Atlas Website Builder serves your site via a CNAME record pointing to the platform's hosting infrastructure. Cloudflare's orange cloud (proxy) mode works seamlessly with subdomains (for example, www.yourdomain.com) because standard CNAME proxying is fully supported there. For root domains (also called apex domains, for example, yourdomain.com), Cloudflare uses a feature called CNAME Flattening, which automatically resolves the CNAME to an IP address at the DNS level. This allows you to proxy your root domain through Cloudflare without breaking DNS standards. Setting Up Cloudflare Proxy with Search Atlas Website Builder To configure Cloudflare's orange cloud proxy for your Search Atlas Website Builder site, you will need the CNAME target value for your domain. Please contact the Search Atlas support team to obtain the correct CNAME value for your site, as this is provided on a per-account basis. Once you have your CNAME value, follow these general steps in your Cloudflare DNS settings: 1. Log in to your Cloudflare dashboard and select your domain. 2. Go to the DNS section and add a new CNAME record. 3. Set the Name to www (for a subdomain setup) or @ (for a root domain setup). 4. In the Target field, enter the CNAME value provided to you by Search Atlas support. 5. Enable the Proxied (orange cloud) option for the record. 6. Save the record. If you are using a root domain, Cloudflare will automatically apply CNAME Flattening to resolve the record correctly in proxy mode. Need Help? If you run into any issues configuring Cloudflare proxy mode with your Search Atlas Website Builder site, or if you need your CNAME value, please reach out to our support team via the chat icon in your dashboard and we'll be happy to assist. If this article didn't solve your issue, please contact us via the live chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.

⚡ Cloudflare DNS Proxying and Domain Verification

Overview When you connect a custom domain to Search Atlas, our platform performs a DNS verification check to confirm you own the domain. If your domain is managed through Cloudflare, its proxy setting (the orange cloud icon) can interfere with this process — causing verification to fail or your site to become unreachable inside the platform. This article explains how Cloudflare proxying affects domain verification and what information to have ready so our team can help you resolve it quickly. How Cloudflare Proxying Affects Verification Cloudflare offers two DNS modes for each record: - Proxied (orange cloud): Traffic is routed through Cloudflare's network. The real IP address of your server is hidden from external lookups. - DNS Only (grey cloud): DNS resolves directly to your server's IP. No Cloudflare proxy is applied. Search Atlas needs to resolve your domain to our servers to verify ownership and route traffic correctly. When Cloudflare's proxy is active, it returns Cloudflare's own IP addresses instead — so our verification check can fail even if your DNS record appears to be configured correctly. What You Can Check on Your End Before contacting support, review the following in your Cloudflare DNS settings: - Confirm whether the record pointing to Search Atlas is set to Proxied (orange cloud) or DNS Only (grey cloud). - Note the record type currently in use (CNAME or A record) and the value it is pointing to. - Check whether there are multiple conflicting records (for example, both a CNAME and an A record) for the same hostname. Because the correct DNS configuration depends on details specific to your Search Atlas account and project setup, our support team will need to confirm the exact record type and target value for your domain before you make any changes. Making changes without confirmed instructions from our team may cause additional downtime. What to Have Ready When You Contact Us To help our team resolve this as quickly as possible, please have the following information ready: - The domain or subdomain you are trying to connect to Search Atlas - The current DNS record type (CNAME or A record) and the value it points to, as shown in your Cloudflare dashboard - Whether Cloudflare proxying is currently set to orange cloud (Proxied) or grey cloud (DNS Only) - Any error message shown in Search Atlas when verification fails - The approximate time you first noticed the issue 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.

🌐 Cloudflare Nameserver Changes, DNS Propagation & Downtime

🔎 Overview Switching your nameservers to Cloudflare is a common step for improving site performance and security. However, the transition involves DNS propagation — a process that can temporarily affect your site's availability. When you update your nameservers, you are instructing the internet to stop using your old DNS provider and route traffic through Cloudflare instead. DNS records are cached across thousands of servers worldwide, and each of those servers must individually receive and apply the update. This process cannot be skipped or manually accelerated. This article explains what is normal, what is not, and who is responsible for resolving each type of issue. ⏱️ How Long Does DNS Propagation Take? After you point your domain's nameservers to Cloudflare, DNS changes must spread across servers worldwide. Here is what to expect: - Typical range: 30 minutes to 48 hours, depending on your domain registrar and global DNS infrastructure. - Most cases: Propagation completes within 2–6 hours for the majority of visitors, though some visitors may not see the updated routing for up to 12 hours. - Full global propagation: Can take up to 72 hours in rare circumstances, particularly for older TTL (Time to Live) settings on your previous DNS records, or in certain geographic regions with slower ISPs. During propagation, some visitors may see your old site, some may see your new Cloudflare-routed site, and a small number may experience brief intermittent access. This inconsistency is expected and temporary. Eight hours of downtime is well within the normal propagation window and does not by itself indicate a configuration problem. 🚫 What Not to Do During Propagation Avoid making additional DNS changes while propagation is in progress. Each edit can reset the clock and extend your downtime. Specifically: - Do not switch nameservers back to your previous provider - Do not delete or modify DNS records in Cloudflare until propagation is confirmed complete - Do not contact your domain registrar to try to speed up the process — propagation speed is determined by global DNS infrastructure, not your registrar 🚨 When Is Downtime NOT Normal? An 8-hour complete outage after a Cloudflare nameserver switch is not a standard propagation symptom. Prolonged downtime of this kind almost always points to one of the following server-side or configuration issues — none of which are caused by or controlled by Search Atlas: - Origin server misconfiguration: Cloudflare proxies traffic to your origin server. If the origin server's IP address, SSL certificate, or firewall rules are not correctly configured to accept Cloudflare's traffic, the site will go down. - Missing or incorrect DNS records in Cloudflare: After switching nameservers, Cloudflare imports your existing DNS records automatically — but this import is not always complete. A missing A record, CNAME, or MX record can cause downtime. - SSL/TLS mode mismatch: If your Cloudflare SSL/TLS setting (e.g. Full, Full Strict, Flexible) does not match your hosting provider's SSL configuration, the connection between Cloudflare and your origin server will fail. - Hosting provider firewall blocking Cloudflare IPs: Some hosting providers block traffic from Cloudflare's IP ranges by default. You may need to whitelist Cloudflare's IP addresses with your host. - Cloudflare account or zone configuration errors: An incomplete Cloudflare zone setup, a paused zone, or incorrect page rules can prevent your site from loading. 🛠️ Steps to Diagnose and Resolve Extended Downtime 1. Check your DNS records inside Cloudflare. Log into your Cloudflare dashboard and navigate to DNS → Records. Confirm that your A record points to the correct origin server IP address and that all other critical records (CNAME, MX, TXT) are present. 2. Verify your SSL/TLS mode. Go to SSL/TLS → Overview in Cloudflare. Match this setting to what your hosting provider supports. If unsure, start with Full and only use Full (Strict) if your origin has a valid SSL certificate installed. 3. Pause Cloudflare temporarily to isolate the issue. In your Cloudflare dashboard, go to Overview and click Pause Cloudflare on Site. If your site comes back online immediately, the issue is a Cloudflare configuration problem. If it remains down, the problem is with your origin server or hosting provider. 4. Contact your hosting or server provider. If pausing Cloudflare does not restore the site, the outage is on the server side. Contact your hosting provider directly — they have access to server logs, firewall settings, and SSL configurations that are outside Cloudflare's and Search Atlas's control. 5. Check Cloudflare's status page. Visit cloudflarestatus.com to rule out a platform-wide Cloudflare incident affecting your region. 6. Use a DNS propagation checker. Tools such as dnschecker.org and whatsmydns.net let you see how your nameserver changes have spread globally. Enter your domain name, select the NS (Nameserver) record type, and review the results by region. When all locations display Cloudflare's assigned nameservers (for example, xxx.ns.cloudflare.com), propagation is complete. If most locations show your Cloudflare nameservers but the site is still down, propagation is complete and the issue is configuration-related, not propagation-related. 🏗️ Does This Affect Search Atlas or Website Studio? Search Atlas and Website Studio (accessible from the left sidebar under Website Studio) operate independently of your domain's nameserver configuration. Any error messages or toast notifications you see inside the Search Atlas platform relate to platform-specific actions — such as API connections, content generation, or project settings — and are not indicators of your Cloudflare or DNS status. If you see an error toast inside Search Atlas while also experiencing site downtime, these are two separate issues. Do not assume one caused the other. Address your DNS and hosting issues directly with Cloudflare and your hosting provider, then separately troubleshoot any Search Atlas-specific errors. Once propagation is confirmed complete, go to Left sidebar → Website Studio and confirm that your custom domain is still correctly connected to your project. In some cases, a domain re-verification step may be required inside the platform following a nameserver change. 📋 Quick Reference: Normal vs. Not Normal - Normal: Site intermittently accessible for some visitors during the first 2–12 hours after switching nameservers. - Normal: Full propagation taking 24–48 hours on average, up to 72 hours in rare cases or isolated regions. - Normal: Different visitors seeing different versions of your site during propagation. - Not normal: Complete, uninterrupted downtime lasting beyond 72 hours after switching nameservers. - Not normal: Site still down after DNS propagation checkers confirm your Cloudflare nameservers are fully propagated worldwide. - Not normal: Cloudflare's dashboard displaying a warning or error on your domain zone. - Not normal: Domain failing to resolve even when tested from multiple networks or devices after the 72-hour window. 🚨 When to Escalate Reach out for support if any of the following apply after 72 hours have passed: - Your site remains completely inaccessible - Propagation checker tools still show old nameservers across all regions - Cloudflare's dashboard displays a warning or error on your domain - Your domain fails to resolve even when tested from multiple networks or devices 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.

🌐 Install Search Atlas on lovable.dev via Cloudflare

Overview Installing Search Atlas on a lovable.dev site with a custom Cloudflare domain connection is a known setup scenario that our team has assisted customers with directly. Because the specific steps depend on your project configuration and how your domain is routed through Cloudflare, the verified setup process requires guidance from our support team. What We Know About This Setup This type of installation involves connecting a custom domain managed through Cloudflare to a lovable.dev project, then ensuring the Search Atlas tracking script loads correctly. Common issues customers encounter include DNS misconfiguration, the tracking script failing to communicate with the site, and domain verification not completing as expected. What to Have Ready Before Contacting Support To get this resolved as quickly as possible, please gather the following information before reaching out: - Your lovable.dev project name or URL (for example, the default subdomain assigned to your project) - Your custom domain that you are connecting through Cloudflare - The exact error message you are seeing, if any (copy it in full) - The timestamp when you first encountered the issue - Whether you have already made any changes to your Cloudflare account for this domain (for example, added or edited any DNS records) - The name of your Search Atlas project associated with this site Having these details ready will allow our team to identify your configuration and walk you through the exact steps needed for your setup. 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.

Cloudflare Orange Cloud Proxy Compatibility with Search Atlas Website Builder

Overview Cloudflare's orange cloud (proxy) mode routes your traffic through Cloudflare's network, providing benefits like DDoS protection, SSL termination, and performance caching. However, enabling it alongside the Search Atlas Website Builder may cause compatibility issues depending on your specific DNS and hosting configuration. This article covers what you need to know about Cloudflare orange cloud proxy compatibility with Search Atlas Website Builder, including steps you can take on your own and how to get help from our team. What Is the Orange Cloud (Proxy) Mode? In Cloudflare, DNS records can be set to either proxied (orange cloud) or DNS only (gray cloud). When a record is proxied, traffic flows through Cloudflare's network before reaching your origin server. When set to DNS only, traffic goes directly to your origin without passing through Cloudflare. Depending on how your Website Builder site and DNS records are configured, enabling or disabling proxy mode on specific records may affect how your site loads and how Search Atlas interacts with your domain. Known Compatibility Considerations Cloudflare orange cloud proxy mode can interact with Search Atlas Website Builder in ways that vary by setup. Common symptoms include a broken or blank site, failed pixel or UUID detections, and unexpected DNS behavior after changing proxy settings. Step-by-Step Troubleshooting Follow these steps in order to resolve proxy-related issues with your Website Builder site: 1. Switch your CNAME records to DNS only (gray cloud). In your Cloudflare DNS dashboard, locate the CNAME records associated with your Search Atlas Website Builder domain and update the proxy status to DNS only (gray cloud). Save your changes. 2. Wait for DNS propagation. After switching to gray cloud, allow up to 5–10 minutes for the change to propagate. Then reload your site to check whether the issue is resolved. 3. Test your site functionality. Confirm that your site loads correctly and that any Search Atlas features (such as pixel or UUID detection) are functioning as expected. 4. If issues persist, contact our support team. Because the root cause of orange cloud conflicts can vary significantly by DNS and hosting configuration, our team can review your specific setup and advise on the correct proxy settings for your domain. What to Expect After Changing Proxy Settings In many cases, switching the relevant CNAME records to DNS only (gray cloud) resolves compatibility issues with Search Atlas Website Builder. If your setup requires orange cloud to remain enabled for specific records, our support team can help you identify which records are safe to proxy and which should remain on gray cloud. Still Need Help? If you have followed the steps above and are still experiencing issues, please reach out to the Search Atlas support team through the chat icon in your dashboard. Our team is happy to review your Cloudflare and DNS configuration and help you find the right solution.