Previewing and publishing your website

Written by Madeline Buchanan Last updated: 3 Sep., 2025

Previewing allows you to review your website before it goes live, while publishing makes it available to the public. This article explains how to do both and why previewing is a helpful step before finalizing changes.

Previewing your website

1. Click Preview to open a staging version of your site in a new tab. This version is private and not visible to the public.

2. To share the preview, copy the link from your browser’s address bar and send it to others. This allows them to view your website exactly as you see it in staging, without publishing it live.

Example: https://crawford-consulting-glv6-staging.b12sites.com

3. To continue making changes, switch back to the B12 Editor tab. Any edits you make can be saved and previewed again without affecting your live website.

Why should you preview?

A preview or staging link of your site is useful because it allows you to:

• See how your changes will look before publishing them live.

• Share a private link with colleagues or friends to gather feedback.

If a B12 Design Expert works on your website, they will send you a preview link so you can provide your feedback.

Once you're happy with your preview, it's time to publish!

Publishing your website

1. In the top-right corner of the B12 Editor, click Publish. 

2. After publishing, you will see the domains where your site is available. Every B12 site has a domain ending in .b12sites.com. 

3. For a professional look, upgrade your subscription to connect a custom domain such as www.mybusinessname.com. A custom domain strengthens your brand and makes your website easier to remember.

• Connecting a custom domain to your B12 website.