Custom Domain Setup Options
A Guide for LaunchPad AI Clients
Welcome!
Congratulations on your new website! This guide will help you understand your options for connecting
your custom domain (like www.yourbusiness.com) to your website.
We offer two options: managed hosting (recommended) or self-hosting.
Read through both options below to decide which is best for you.
Comparison of Options
| Feature |
Option 1: Managed Hosting |
Option 2: Self-Hosting |
| Who manages hosting? |
LaunchPad AI manages everything |
You manage everything yourself |
| Technical knowledge required |
None - we handle it all |
Moderate to Advanced |
| Setup time |
1-3 business days |
Varies (1 hour to several days) |
| Monthly cost |
Free (Netlify/Cloudflare) |
$5-20+ (depends on hosting provider) |
| Free SSL/HTTPS |
✓ Included automatically |
May need to configure yourself |
| Automatic updates |
✓ Yes, we handle updates |
✗ You must update manually |
| Technical support |
✓ From LaunchPad AI |
✗ No support from LaunchPad AI |
| Performance optimization |
✓ Built-in CDN, automatic |
Depends on your hosting provider |
| Uptime guarantee |
99.9%+ (Netlify/Cloudflare SLA) |
Depends on your hosting provider |
What This Means:
LaunchPad AI hosts your website on professional hosting platforms (Netlify or Cloudflare Pages).
You purchase a domain from GoDaddy, provide us with access information, and we handle everything else.
Your website will be live within 1-3 business days.
💰 Cost Breakdown (Option 1)
- Domain Name (GoDaddy): ~$12-20/year (you pay directly to GoDaddy)
- Website Hosting: $0/month (free on Netlify or Cloudflare)
- SSL Certificate: $0 (included free)
- Setup by LaunchPad AI: Included in your website package
Total Annual Cost: ~$12-20/year (just the domain)
What You Need to Do
1Purchase Your Domain on GoDaddy
- Go to
https://www.godaddy.com
- Search for your desired domain name (e.g., "yourbusiness.com")
- Purchase the domain (typically $12-20/year)
- Important: You only need the domain name - do NOT purchase hosting, email, or SSL certificates
- Complete the purchase and keep your GoDaddy account login information
2Provide Information to LaunchPad AI
Send us the following information via email:
- Your domain name: The exact domain you purchased (e.g., yourbusiness.com)
- GoDaddy account access: One of the following options:
- Option A (Preferred): Add our email as a delegate to your GoDaddy account (instructions below)
- Option B: Provide your GoDaddy login credentials temporarily (we'll walk you through changing your password afterward)
How to Add LaunchPad AI as a Delegate (Option A - Recommended)
This gives us access to manage your domain DNS without needing your password:
- Log in to your GoDaddy account
- Click on your profile name → Account Settings
- Go to Delegates section
- Click Add Delegate
- Enter our email:
[Your LaunchPad AI support email here]
- Set access to Products & Domains
- Click Invite
- We'll receive an invitation and accept it
Note: You can remove delegate access anytime after setup is complete.
3Wait for Setup (1-3 Business Days)
- LaunchPad AI will configure your domain to point to your website
- We'll set up free SSL/HTTPS (secure connection)
- We'll test everything to ensure it's working correctly
- You'll receive an email when your website is live
4Your Website is Live!
- Visit your domain (e.g.,
www.yourbusiness.com) to see your website
- Share the link with customers, add it to business cards, social media, etc.
- LaunchPad AI will continue to host and maintain your website
✓ Benefits of Managed Hosting
- Zero maintenance: We handle all technical updates and security
- Free hosting forever: No monthly hosting bills
- Automatic SSL: Your site is always secure with HTTPS
- Fast performance: Global CDN ensures fast loading worldwide
- 99.9% uptime: Your website stays online 24/7
- Easy updates: Contact us anytime for website changes
⚠️ Important Notice:
This option is for clients who prefer to manage their own hosting. LaunchPad AI will provide you with
all website files but will NOT provide technical support for hosting, domain setup,
or troubleshooting after file delivery.
Choose this option only if you: (1) Have technical knowledge or a dedicated IT person,
(2) Want full control over hosting, or (3) Need to host on a specific platform for business reasons.
💰 Cost Breakdown (Option 2)
- Domain Name (GoDaddy or other): ~$12-20/year
- Website Hosting: $5-20+/month (depends on provider)
- SSL Certificate: $0-50+/year (may be included with hosting)
- Website Files: Included in your website package
Total Annual Cost: ~$72-300+/year
What You'll Receive from LaunchPad AI
1ZIP File Delivery
- You'll receive a ZIP file containing all your website files:
index.html - Main website pagecss/ folder - Styling filesjs/ folder - JavaScript filesimages/ folder - All images and media- Any additional files (fonts, icons, etc.)
- Extract the ZIP file to access all website files
- Important: Keep the folder structure intact when uploading
What You Need to Do (Self-Hosting)
2Purchase Domain and Hosting
Domain Name:
- Purchase from GoDaddy, Namecheap, Google Domains, or any domain registrar
- Cost: ~$12-20/year
Web Hosting:
- Choose a hosting provider (see options below)
- Purchase a hosting plan that supports static websites or HTML hosting
- Common options:
- GoDaddy Web Hosting: $5-15/month (Economy or Deluxe plan)
- Bluehost: $3-10/month
- HostGator: $3-10/month
- SiteGround: $4-15/month
- AWS S3/CloudFront: Pay-as-you-go (technical setup required)
3Upload Website Files
Upload the files from your ZIP to your hosting provider. Methods vary by provider:
- Using File Manager (Most Providers):
- Log in to your hosting control panel (cPanel, Plesk, etc.)
- Navigate to
public_html or www folder
- Upload all files from the ZIP (keep folder structure intact)
- Ensure
index.html is in the root directory
- Using FTP (Advanced):
- Get FTP credentials from your hosting provider
- Use an FTP client (FileZilla, Cyberduck, etc.)
- Connect to your server and upload all files
4Connect Your Domain
- Log in to your domain registrar (GoDaddy, etc.)
- Access DNS management for your domain
- Point your domain to your hosting provider:
- Update A record to your hosting IP address
- Update nameservers (if required by hosting provider)
- Your hosting provider should have specific instructions for this step
- DNS changes take 24-48 hours to propagate
5Configure SSL/HTTPS (Recommended)
- Most hosting providers offer free SSL certificates (Let's Encrypt)
- Enable SSL in your hosting control panel
- Configure automatic HTTPS redirect
- Test your website at
https://yourdomain.com
⚠️ Self-Hosting Limitations
- No technical support: LaunchPad AI cannot help with hosting issues, DNS problems, or server errors
- You're responsible for: Hosting uptime, security updates, SSL renewal, backups, and troubleshooting
- Website updates: You'll need to manually upload new files if you request changes from LaunchPad AI
- No refunds: Hosting fees paid to third-party providers are non-refundable
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I switch from Option 2 to Option 1 later?
Yes! If you start with self-hosting and later want LaunchPad AI to manage your hosting, contact us.
We can migrate your domain to managed hosting. There may be a small migration fee.
What if I already have a domain from a previous website?
Perfect! You can use your existing domain with either option. For Option 1, just provide us access
to update your DNS settings. For Option 2, point your existing domain to your new hosting.
How long does setup take with Option 1?
Typically 1-3 business days after you purchase your domain and provide us with access. Most of this
time is waiting for DNS propagation (24-48 hours), not actual setup work.
Can I use a domain from somewhere other than GoDaddy?
Yes! While we recommend GoDaddy for consistency, you can purchase your domain from any registrar
(Namecheap, Google Domains, Hover, etc.). The process is similar - you'll need to provide access
to your DNS settings.
What happens if I want to make changes to my website later?
Option 1: Contact LaunchPad AI with your requested changes. We'll update the website
and redeploy it (typically within 1-2 business days).
Option 2: You'll need to edit the files yourself or hire a developer. LaunchPad AI
can provide updated files for a fee, but you'll need to upload them to your hosting yourself.
Is email included with either option?
Neither option includes email hosting. If you want email addresses (like you@yourbusiness.com),
you'll need to purchase email hosting separately:
- Google Workspace: $6-12/user/month (professional email with Gmail interface)
- Microsoft 365: $6-12/user/month (email with Outlook)
- GoDaddy Email: $2-10/month (basic email hosting)
Ready to Get Started?
Next Steps
If you choose Option 1 (Managed Hosting):
- Purchase your domain from GoDaddy
- Email LaunchPad AI with your domain name and account access
- Wait for confirmation that your website is live (1-3 business days)
If you choose Option 2 (Self-Hosting):
- Confirm with LaunchPad AI that you want the ZIP file delivery
- Purchase domain and hosting from your preferred providers
- Upload files and configure DNS yourself
- LaunchPad AI support ends after file delivery
Need Help Deciding?
Contact LaunchPad AI and we'll help you choose the best option for your needs. For most clients,
Option 1 (Managed Hosting) provides the best value with zero monthly costs and
full technical support.