How to Connect a Custom Domain in Leadpages

A dedicated Leadpages subdomain is included with every Leadpages account that you can use to publish right away. It’s best to treat this more as a “staging URL”, a place to preview and test your page before anyone else can view it.

It’s when you’re ready with the final versions to share your pages that you’ll want to have a custom domain that matches your brand.

An official web address such as yourbrand.com tells visitors that they’re in the correct place, which helps to build trust and makes people more likely to engage. When people link to your page, the link goes directly to your domain, so that value stays with you. A custom domain is best because your Google ad shows the domain of the page it links to, so your ad will say yourbrand.com.

Log into your Leadpages account, then head to Manage > Custom Domains to connect yours.

Not on Leadpages yet? Start a free trial and put your pages on your own domain from day one.

Watch how to connect a custom domain

How to connect your custom domain

01: Open Custom Domains

From your dashboard, go to Manage, then Custom Domains. If you already own a domain, simply click Connect Domain.

If you don't have a domain yet, your first domain is free for a year through IONOS on any paid plan. Next, click Buy a Domain at the top and pick one.

02: Enter your domain

Type in the domain you want to use, for example mybusiness.com.

If you already have a website on that domain, it’s best to connect a subdomain instead, such as go.mybusiness.com or offers.mybusiness.com. Your existing site stays exactly where it is, and your Leadpages content lives alongside it.

03: Choose your homepage and 404 page

Your homepage is what people see when they visit your domain. Pick Page, Site, or Blog, then choose which one from the dropdown. If you haven't decided yet, you can always set it later.

We've also included the optional feature to choose a custom 404 page, which is what visitors see if they land on a link that doesn't exist.

Click Add & Configure Domain. This opens Entri, our domain partner, where you can connect automatically or manually.

04: Option 1: Connect automatically with Entri (quickest route)

Click Continue, and Entri looks up where your domain is managed and displays the records it's going to add or update.

Click Authorize to give Entri one-time permission, and it makes the changes for you. There’s no need to log into your domain provider or copy anything over. When you see the message that your domain is configured, click Done.

05: Option 2: Add the records manually

If you prefer to add the records yourself or your domain provider isn’t supported, simply click Go to manual setup and you'll receive the exact records to add.

Open a new browser tab and go to your domain provider and access your DNS settings. Field names vary by provider, so "Host" might be called Name, and "Value" might be called Points to.

• CNAME record: For the host, enter your subdomain, like www or go. For the value, enter customers.htmlpub.com.
• TXT record: This verifies that you own the domain and sets up your security certificate. Copy the host and value exactly as shown. The value is unique to your domain, so always copy and paste it.
• Two A records (root domains only): Add these if you're connecting a root domain, like mybusiness.com with nothing in front. If you're only connecting a subdomain and want to keep your main website where it is, skip this step.

Save your records and go back to Leadpages. Your domain will show as Pending while the changes take effect. Manual changes can take up to 48 hours, but they often take effect much quicker.

06: Publish your pages to your domain

Regardless of which way you connect, your SSL certificate is included and set up automatically, so your pages always load securely over HTTPS.

Once your domain is connected, open any page in the editor, click the ... menu next to Publish, and choose your custom domain. To change your homepage later, go back to the Custom Domains page anytime.

Want a hand getting your domain set up? Book a walkthrough with our team.

Not a customer yet? Start a free trial and connect your first domain in minutes.

Why custom domains matter

The Leadpages subdomain included with your account is a great place to build, preview, and test but isn't the final address you want on an ad, in an email, or on your business card. When visitors see a custom domain, it puts your brand front and center to them and helps assure them they’re in the right place.

What stays in your hands

An existing website doesn’t move because you have the choice to connect a root domain or a subdomain. The choice of your homepage and 404 page also stays in your hands, with the ability to change them whenever you want. You also get to decide between a manual setup where you add the records yourself or the automatic setup. The choice of which pages to publish to your domain, one at a time, is available right from the editor.

Common questions

Do I need to buy a domain somewhere else first? No, all paid plans include your first domain free for a year through IONOS, and you can buy it right from the Custom Domains page.

I already have a website on my domain. Will this replace it? No, if you connect a subdomain like go.yourbrand.com, your main site stays exactly where it is, and you can skip the A records.

How long does setup take? Automatic setup through Entri happens right away once you click Authorize. Manual changes can take up to 48 hours, but the effects often take place quicker.

Do I need to set up SSL myself? No, your SSL certificate is included and set up automatically.

Can I change my homepage later? Yes, you can update it anytime from the Custom Domains page.

Thank you for building with us. Log into your Leadpages account and connect your domain today. If you get stuck, our support team is just a click away.

New to Leadpages? Start a free trial and launch your first page on your own domain.