How to Connect Your Domain and Go Live with ZipWP Cloud?

After building your website with ZipWP, the next step is to publish it using your own domain. This ensures your site is accessible at a professional, branded URL (e.g., yourdomain.com) instead of a temporary ZipWP address.

With ZipWP Cloud, you can host your website and connect it to any domain you own. This guide provides step-by-step instructions on how to link your domain and make your website live.

Prerequisites

Before connecting your domain, make sure you have the following:

• A Domain Name: You’ll need a registered domain. If you already have one, you can proceed. If not, you can purchase a domain from any registrar, such as GoDaddy, Namecheap, Google Domains, etc.

• An Active ZipWP Cloud Plan: ZipWP Cloud includes secure hosting and domain connection capabilities. You can view available plans and subscribe here.

How to Connect Your Domain

Once your website is ready for launch, follow these steps to connect your domain:

• Click the Go Live button.

• Enter your domain name (like yourwebsite.com), then choose the region closest to your visitors to make your site load faster for them.

• ZipWP will display DNS records required to verify and connect your domain. You will typically have two options:
  • CNAME Method (Recommended): This is the preferred option and is supported by most domain registrars. Access your domain registrar’s DNS settings and add the CNAME record as provided on the screen.
  • A Record Method (Alternative): If your registrar doesn’t support CNAME, use the A record option to verify domain ownership.

• Update the DNS settings in your domain registrar’s dashboard. If you’re unsure how to do this, refer to your registrar’s documentation by searching: “How to add a CNAME/A record on [Registrar Name].” If you need help, you can also reach out to our support team.

• Return to the ZipWP dashboard and click Submit to confirm that the DNS records have been updated.

That’s all you need to do.

What Happens After?

DNS propagation may take anywhere between 2 to 24 hours. This means your site might not be immediately live on your domain. It’s completely normal.

While you wait, your site remains live on a temporary ZipWP URL, so you don’t lose access or functionality.

Once the DNS records are verified, ZipWP will automatically connect your domain, notify you via email, and your site will go live for everyone to see.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Do I need separate hosting if I use ZipWP Cloud?

Yes, ZipWP Cloud is an extension to ZipWP with its own offerings for you so you need a separate Hosting subscription. See all plans here.

Can I use a subdomain like blog.mydomain.com?

Yes. Both root domains and subdomains are supported.

I’m not familiar with DNS settings. What should I do?

Most domain registrars provide help articles for adding DNS records. Alternatively, you can contact their support or reach out to ZipWP support for guidance.

What if my verification failed?

If your domain verification fails, it usually means that the DNS records were either not added correctly or haven’t finished propagating yet. First, double-check that you’ve entered the DNS records exactly as shown in your ZipWP dashboard.

Make sure they are added under the correct domain and in the right format. Keep in mind that DNS changes can take up to 24 hours to fully update, so it’s normal to experience some delay.

If the issue persists, try removing and re-adding the DNS records, then re-verify the domain in ZipWP. For further assistance, you can always reach out to our support team—we’re here to help you get your site live.