Pointing your domain at your new site

Your domain is your website’s address, like yourbusiness.com. “Pointing your domain” means telling the internet that the address now leads to your new site. It is a small change, and we walk you through it.

What we change

Usually just one or two settings at the company where you registered your domain:

1. A www record. This sends www.yourbusiness.com to your new site.
2. A forward for the plain address. This sends yourbusiness.com (without the www) to www.yourbusiness.com.

Some companies also ask us to add one or two extra verification records. These let us prepare your new site’s security certificate before the switch. That is how visitors never see a gap or a warning.

What we do not touch

Your email. Email settings stay exactly as they are. Your inbox, your email address, and anything that sends mail for you will keep working. We do not ask you to change any email settings.

Before you start

You need to sign in to the company where your domain is registered. Not sure which company that is? Search your email for a “domain renewal” message, or look up your domain at lookup.icann.org. The “Registrar” line shows the company.

If someone else set up your domain, such as a past web designer, ask them for the login. Or ask them to make the changes using the instructions for IT people.

Guides for each company

Pick the company where your domain is registered:

• GoDaddy
• Namecheap
• Squarespace Domains
• Cloudflare
• Hover
• IONOS
• Network Solutions

Do not see yours? Email hello@useguardhouse.com. We will help you find the right steps.

What to expect on go-live day

1. We tell you the exact values to enter and which day we will switch. You can change settings a day or two ahead if you like.
2. You (or your IT person) make the change. It takes a few minutes.
3. Most changes show up within an hour. Sometimes it can take up to 48 hours to reach everyone.
4. We check that your new site loads, with the lock icon, on both yourbusiness.com and www.yourbusiness.com.
5. We email you when it is live.

During the wait, some visitors may see your old site and some your new one. That is normal, and both work.

If something looks wrong

Tell us. We can put things back the way they were. Your old settings are easy to restore, so nothing is risky about trying.

Send this to your IT person

If someone else looks after your domain, send them the technical reference. It lists the exact records.