GHL Setup Guide

In this tutorial, we will connect the main technical pieces needed inside your GHL account so your funnel, emails, payment and membership/client portal all look professional, branded, and fully functional. Once all these necessary steps are completed, your funnel will be ready to go, allowing you to collect payments, send branded emails, and give your clients access to their membership or client portal smoothly.

STEP - 1

Overview

GHL Account Setup Overview

Before your funnel goes live, there are a few important technical steps that need to be completed inside your GHL account. These tutorials will walk you through each setup step clearly, so your funnel, payments, email sending, and client portal are all connected properly and ready to use.

Once these necessary steps are completed, your funnel will be functional, branded, and ready to go.

What You’ll Set Up Inside These Tutorials

STEP - 2

Payment Gateway

Connect Your Payment Gateway

Recommended Payment Gateways

Step 1: Go to Payment Integrations

Inside your GHL sub-account, go to:

Step 2: Connect Stripe

Click Connect with Stripe.

You will be redirected to Stripe. Log in to your existing Stripe account or create a new Stripe account.

Step 3: Complete Stripe Verification

Inside Stripe, complete any required business verification, bank details, tax details, and identity checks.

Example: Stripe may ask for your business name, business address, owner details, bank account, and tax information.

Step 4: Return to GHL

Once Stripe is connected, return to GHL and confirm the Stripe account shows as connected.

Step 5: Connect PayPal

If you also want to offer PayPal, click PayPal inside Payments > Integrations.

You may need to add your PayPal Client ID and Secret Key from your PayPal Developer account.

Note: Consider offering multiple payment options to reduce cart abandonment (Stripe + PayPal combo).

STEP - 3

Domain

Connect Your Root Domain or Funnel Domain

Your root domain is your main website or funnel domain.

For most clients, we recommend using: yourbrandname.com

For the main funnel or website.

Example options:

Step 1: Choose the Domain You Want to Use

Decide which domain or subdomain you want your funnel or website to live on.

Step 2: Open Domains in GHL

Inside your GHL sub-account, go to: Settings > Domains & URL Redirects

Then click: Connect a Domain

Step 3: Select What You Are Connecting

If this domain will be used for your main funnel, choose the funnel/website option.

Step 4: Add DNS Records in Your Domain Provider

Open your domain registrar or DNS provider.

This may be:

Step 5: Verify the Domain in GHL

Go back to GHL and continue the domain connection process.

GHL will check the DNS records. If everything is correct, the domain will verify.

Step 6: Link the Domain to Your Funnel or Website

Once the domain is verified, choose which funnel or website should use that domain.

Then select the default funnel step or website page.

NOTE: DNS changes can take time. Sometimes it works in a few minutes, and sometimes it can take up to 24–48 hours depending on the domain provider.

STEP - 4

Email Sub-Domain

Set Up Your Email Sending Subdomain

In this step, we will add a branded email sending subdomain inside your GHL account.

This helps your emails send from your own domain instead of a shared system domain.

Adding an email domain can help improve email deliverability, build more trust with inbox providers, and reduce the chances of your emails getting blocked, rejected, or landing in the spam folder.

Recommended examples:

Step 1: Choose Your Email Sending Subdomain

Example:

If your main domain is: yourbrandname.com

Then your email sending subdomain can be: email.yourbrandname.com

This keeps your email setup clean, professional, and separate from your funnel and membership portal.

Important: Do not use this same subdomain for your funnel, website, checkout page, or membership portal. This subdomain should only be used for email sending.

Step 2: Go to Email Services in GHL

Inside your GHL sub-account, go to:

Settings > Email Services > Dedicated Domain

Then click: + Add Domain

Step 3: Enter Your Email Subdomain

Now enter the email sending subdomain you selected.

Step 4: Copy the DNS Records from GHL

After adding the domain, GHL will show the DNS records that need to be added inside your domain provider.

Step 5: Open Your Domain Provider

Now log in to the platform where your domain DNS is managed.

Step 6: Add the DNS Records

Inside your DNS settings, add each record that GHL provides.

Step 7: Verify the Email Domain in GHL

After adding all DNS records, go back to GHL and click: Verify

Step 8: Wait for DNS Propagation

DNS changes can take some time to update.

In some cases, verification works within a few minutes. In other cases, it may take up to 24–48 hours depending on the domain provider.

STEP - 5

Client Portal / Membership Sub-Domain

Set Up Your Client Portal / Membership Subdomain

Your client portal or membership subdomain is where your customers, students, or members log in.

Recommended examples:

Step 1: Choose Your Portal Subdomain

Choose one subdomain for your membership or client portal.

Our recommended default: members.yourbrandname.com

Do not use the same subdomain as your funnel or email domain.

Step 2: Go to Client Portal Settings

Inside your GHL sub-account, go to: Memberships > Client Portal > Settings

Then go to: Domain Setup

Step 3: Add Custom Domain

Then enter your subdomain and click add domain

Step 4: Add the Required DNS Record

GHL will show the DNS record needed for the client portal.

You will need to add this inside your domain provider’s DNS settings.

Important: Always use the exact value GHL gives you on the domain setup screen.

Step 5: Save and Update the Domain

After adding the DNS record, go back to GHL and click: Verify Records

Step 6: Wait for DNS Propagation

DNS changes can take time. It may work within a few minutes, but sometimes it can take 24–48 hours.

Step 7: Test the Portal's URL

Open the portal link in an incognito/private browser window.

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