How to Add a Custom Domain to WordPress (2026)

How to Add a Custom Domain to WordPress

A custom domain (like yourbrand.com) makes your site professional and memorable. Here's how to connect one to your WordPress site.

Step 1: Register a Domain

If you don't have a domain yet, register one from a reputable registrar like Cloudflare Registrar, Namecheap, or Google Domains. Choose a .com when possible — it's still the most trusted extension. Avoid hyphens and keep it short and memorable.

Step 2: Point DNS to Your Host

In your domain registrar's DNS settings, create the following records:

• A record: @ pointing to your hosting server's IP address
• CNAME record: www pointing to your root domain

If you're using Cloudflare as your DNS provider (recommended), enable the orange cloud proxy for DDoS protection and CDN caching.

Step 3: Add the Domain in Your Dashboard

On SiteICO, go to your site's Domains tab and click Add Domain. Enter your domain and the system will verify DNS automatically. SiteICO uses Caddy with On-Demand TLS, so your SSL certificate is provisioned automatically within seconds of verification.

Step 4: Set as Primary Domain

After verification, set your custom domain as the primary domain. This automatically updates your WordPress siteurl and home settings via WP-CLI. All existing internal links will use the new domain.

Step 5: Configure Redirects

Ensure both www.yourdomain.com and yourdomain.com work, with one redirecting to the other. This prevents duplicate content issues for SEO. Most hosts handle this automatically — SiteICO redirects www to non-www by default.

Step 6: Verify SSL

After adding your domain, verify that HTTPS works by visiting your site. Check for mixed content warnings (HTTP resources on an HTTPS page) using your browser's developer tools. Plugins like Really Simple SSL can fix mixed content issues automatically.

Domain Limits by Plan

• Starter ($9/mo): 1 custom domain
• Pro ($29/mo): 5 custom domains
• Business ($79/mo): 20 custom domains