Your Squarespace website looks the way you want it to. The pages are built, the photos are in and the copy is ready.
So why is nobody seeing it yet?
Because there is a short list of steps between a finished design and a live website.
None of them are hard, but they come in a specific order, and a couple of small decisions can save you money and avoid downtime.
Here is exactly what to do next.
Step 1: Purchase Your Squarespace Subscription
Until you choose a plan, your site stays in trial mode and your domain cannot be pointed at it. When you are ready to go live, pick a plan and subscribe.
Tip: pay annually. Squarespace includes one year of free domain registration with an annual plan for new websites, so you save on the plan itself and on your domain. Squarespace also offers one year of Google Workspace for one user, which gives you a professional email address on your own domain. That offer applies to eligible annual plans such as Core and above, so check the details for the plan you choose before you buy.
Tip: ask your designer about the Platinum Partner discount. Squarespace Circle Platinum Partners can offer clients 25% off new annual subscriptions, along with extended free trials. When you hire a Squarespace Platinum Partner like us, that discount can be applied to your annual plan. It is worth setting up before you pay, because it applies to new annual subscriptions, so let your designer know before you subscribe.
Do not forget to hit publish. Paying for your subscription unlocks publishing, but it does not always make your site public on its own. After you subscribe, go to Settings, then Site Availability, choose Public and click Save. Until you do, your site stays private and visitors will not be able to see it
Step 2: Purchase, Transfer or Connect Your Domain
Your domain is your web address, like yourbusiness.com. You have three ways to get it working with your new site. Which one is right depends on whether you already own a domain.
Option A: Buy a New Domain Through Squarespace
This is the simplest route. If you subscribed to an annual plan, your first year of domain registration is free. After that, it renews at the standard rate for your domain extension.
Once you have your domain, connecting it to your site takes a few clicks:
Open your domains dashboard in Squarespace.
Click your domain, then click Website.
Click Connect existing website and choose your site.
Click Next, then Confirm.
Most connections happen right away, though they can occasionally take 24 to 48 hours. One catch: if you previously pointed the domain somewhere else, delete any A or CNAME records that point to another site first, or the connection can fail. Squarespace walks through this in their guide to connecting a Squarespace domain to a Squarespace site.
Option B: Connect a Domain You Already Own
If you bought your domain somewhere else, like GoDaddy, you can leave it where it is and point it to your Squarespace site. You log in to the place where you manage the domain and follow the instructions Squarespace gives you.
There are two ways to do this. DNS connect has you add a few records at your provider. Nameserver connect is the easier option, and Squarespace recommends it for domains at GoDaddy, Namecheap and Network Solutions. Squarespace lays out every step in their guide to connecting a third-party domain to your Squarespace site.
A few things to know before you start:
Keep your MX records. They run your email. Connecting your domain will not break your existing email as long as they stay in place.
Your domain must stay registered with your current provider for the connection to keep working.
Do not skip verification. If the verification record is missing or wrong, the domain can become unlinked after 15 days and you will need to reconnect it.
How long does it take? Anywhere from a few minutes to a couple of days. Changes need time to spread across the internet, a process called DNS propagation, and Squarespace suggests allowing 24 to 48 hours. You can watch the progress of your domain at whatsmydns.net, and if the site does not show up right away, that is normal. Give it time before you change anything.
Option C: Transfer Your Domain to Squarespace
If you would rather manage everything in one place, you can transfer your domain from your current provider to Squarespace. Then your website, domain and billing all live in the same account.
Transfers take longer. Squarespace says a transfer can take anywhere from one to 15 days, depending on your current provider. You will generally need to:
Make sure the domain is eligible. For example, it needs to have been registered or transferred at least 60 days ago, and you should not have recently changed its contact information.
Unlock the domain and get an authorization code from your current provider.
Start the transfer in Squarespace and approve any confirmation emails.
Keep in mind that Squarespace bills an extra year of registration when a domain is transferred in.
Our Recommendation: Connect First, Then Transfer
If you want everything in one place, here is the approach I recommend. Connect your domain first so your site is live and published, then start the transfer. The transfer can then finish quietly in the background while your website is already working for you.
That way you are not waiting days for a transfer before anyone can see your site, and you get the best of both: a live website now, and a single dashboard for everything later.
A Quick Check Before You Celebrate
Once your domain is connected, take ten minutes to make sure everything is working:
Visit your domain on your phone and on a computer, in a fresh browser window.
Click through every page, form and button.
Confirm your primary domain is set the way you want it, with or without "www".
Send a test message through your contact form.
Set up Google Search Console so you can see how your site shows up in search.
Then you are live. The next step is helping people find you, which is where SEO and a good content plan come in.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I get a free domain with Squarespace?
Yes, with an annual plan. Squarespace includes one year of free domain registration for new websites on annual subscriptions. After the first year, the domain renews at the regular price for your extension.
How long does it take for my domain to connect to my Squarespace site?
Most connections happen quickly, but Squarespace recommends allowing 24 to 48 hours for DNS changes to take effect. You can check progress at whatsmydns.net.
Should I connect or transfer my domain?
Connecting keeps your domain at your current provider and is the faster way to go live. Transferring moves everything into Squarespace so you manage it in one place, but it can take from one to 15 days. We suggest connecting first and transferring afterward if you want everything in one account.
Will connecting my domain affect my email?
Not if you keep your MX records in place. Those records control where your email goes, so leave them alone when you update your DNS settings.
How does the Platinum Partner discount work?
Squarespace Circle Platinum Partners can offer clients 25% off new annual subscriptions. Ask your designer to set it up before you subscribe to your plan.
Designed your site and not sure what comes next?
We handle the plan, the domain and the launch so you can skip the stress.
Get in touch and we will get your Squarespace site live.
