Domain and Hosting

Purchase an exact-match domain on Namecheap

Go to namecheap.com — search for a domain matching your business name

• Use cheap TLDs like .shop — they cost around $1.18
• This is a throwaway domain — you'll replace it later once the listing is live
• You can reuse the same domain for multiple locations by creating different landing pages

Go to Namecheap.com to purchase a domain

Search for exact-match domain

Buy a cheap .shop domain (~$1.18)

Point the domain to your hosting provider

In Namecheap: Dashboard — click Manage on your domain — scroll to Name Servers — select Custom

• For SiteGround, set: ns1.siteground.net and ns2.siteground.net
• If you use a different host, enter their name servers instead

Go to Dashboard > click Manage on your domain

Scroll to Name Servers > select Custom DNS

Enter ns1.siteground.net and ns2.siteground.net

Add the domain to SiteGround

In SiteGround: Websites — New Website — Skip and Create Blank Site — Existing Domain

• Paste your domain name
• Click Continue
• Scroll down and click Finish

In SiteGround: Websites > New Website > Skip and Create Blank Site

Select Existing Domain and paste your domain

Create an email address at your domain

In SiteGround: go to Site Tools for your domain

• Create an email like contact@yourdomain.shop
• Set a password you'll remember
• This email will be used for GBP verification later

Go to Site Tools > create email: contact@yourdomain.shop

Check DNS propagation

Go to dnschecker.org — paste your domain — look for the A record

• Click Search and look for green checks
• Propagation can take 10-20 minutes
• Once you see a few green checks, your domain is ready

Go to dnschecker.org to check DNS propagation

Wait for green checks - propagation takes 10-20 minutes