Section 1: Go Live Checklist
Going Live with Galooly Hosting
If you’re here, you’ve likely created, migrated, or cloned your Galooly-hosted site at a temporary tempurl.host URL and are ready to take it live with your custom domain. Follow this checklist to make sure everything is set up smoothly.
- Add your custom domain name
- Update DNS settings (NS or A/CNAME)
- Verify all necessary DNS records
- Check DNS propagation
- Install SSL certificate
- Set your custom domain as the primary
If you encounter any issues, don’t hesitate to reach out to our expert support team for help.
1. Add Your Custom Domain Name
To begin, add your custom domain name to the Domains list in the Hosting section of your Hub.
Galooly offers an option to include both the www and non-www versions of your domain. Although “www” is not necessary for modern websites, some users still prefer it. If you want the non-www version as your main domain, select it as the Primary Domain. This way, anyone entering the www version will be automatically redirected.
By default, DNS records are managed through the Galooly Hub, ensuring easy management.
For further details, refer to our Add a Permanent Domain Guide.
Bonus: With annual hosting plans, you’ll receive a free .com domain and a webmail account for a year!
2. Update DNS (NS or A/CNAME)
After adding your domain, you’ll need to update the DNS records. You have two options:
- Manage DNS in your Hub: Update your nameservers to point to Galooly. Make sure your domain is added to the Hub first so the DNS zone is created. Galooly nameservers are:
- ns1.wpdns.host
- ns2.wpdns.host
- ns3.wpdns.host
- Manage DNS via your registrar or third-party DNS: If you prefer to keep your DNS management external, you’ll need to update the A or CNAME records.
We recommend using the CNAME method, which links your domain to the tempurl.host domain, offering flexibility if your site’s IP changes.
3. Verify All Other DNS Records
Ensure essential DNS records like MX, SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are properly configured. If you’ve moved your domain to Galooly but your email is hosted elsewhere, make sure to migrate those email DNS records as well.
Considering a switch? Check out Galooly’s webmail options!
4. Check DNS Propagation
Once DNS settings are updated, you’ll need to wait for propagation across global servers. This can take minutes to several hours. In the meantime, your site will still work on its temporary URL.
You can track propagation with services like DNSChecker.org.
Once fully propagated, you’ll see a green checkmark in the DNS Status column within your Hub. If the status still shows as pending, you can manually refresh it by selecting Recheck DNS.
5. SSL Installation
Galooly takes care of SSL installation automatically once DNS has propagated. A regular SSL certificate will be installed, and a green checkmark will appear next to the domain in your Hub.
If you’re running a multisite, you may need a wildcard SSL to cover all subdomains.
For troubleshooting SSL issues, refer to our SSL FAQs and Troubleshooting Guide.
6. Set Your Custom Domain as Primary
After ensuring both DNS and SSL status show green checkmarks, you can set your custom domain as the Primary domain. This guarantees that visitors will always see your preferred domain, even if they access your site through other URLs.
Simply select the Set as Primary option next to your domain in the Hub.
For further guidance, see our Set Primary Domain Guide.
Section 2: Create a New Site
1.4.1 Creating a New Site
To get started with a brand new site, select the hosting plan that suits your needs. Choose between Regular and Velocity plans, depending on your performance requirements.
You can opt for monthly or yearly billing. Annual plans come with additional perks, including free domain and webmail credits.
Galooly also offers the Hourly Backups add-on, perfect for high-traffic or e-commerce sites, providing up to 720 restore points per month.
Once your hosting plan is selected, set a temporary URL and admin credentials for your new WordPress site. Then, choose the server location closest to your primary audience to optimize performance.
1.4.2 Creating a Site from a Template
Galooly provides pre-configured templates to speed up site creation. These templates are built with popular free WordPress themes and plugins, including Galooly’s Pro plugins like Guardian, Mash, Velocity, FormForge, and more.
You can also create custom templates tailored to your specific needs. To use a template, simply select it from the Templates tab and proceed with the setup.
After choosing a template, you’ll select a hosting plan and have the option to add hourly backups and monitoring.
Finally, choose your temporary URL, enter admin credentials, and select the server location to finalize the creation of your new site.
For more details, check our Template FAQ section.
