Domains, share cards and analytics

In Drop Cowboy® you can put a hosted site on your own domain and share a card with a QR code. You can also see who visits your pages, on hosted sites and on sites you run somewhere else.

Connect your domain

You need access to your domain's DNS settings, usually at your registrar or web host. The site gets an HTTPS certificate automatically once DNS is in place.

1. Open Web in the left menu, click your site, then open Your own domain name on the Overview tab. If you don't see Web, ask your account owner for access.
2. Click Connect a custom domain.
3. Type your address in Domain, such as www.example.com, then click Continue.
4. If you typed a root domain like example.com, choose a connection method:
   • The recommended option connects the www address, and the root domain redirects to it.
   • If your DNS provider doesn't support ALIAS or ANAME records, choose the registrar redirect option, then pick the subdomain under Redirect to which subdomain?
   • The ALIAS / ANAME option serves your site directly on the root domain.
5. On Add DNS records (step 2 of 2), click Copy next to each value. Add each record at your DNS provider with the exact Type, Name and Value shown.
6. Leave the window open, or click Close and come back later. The status re-checks every 10 seconds. Click Check status to check right away.
7. When you see Domain active, choose how the two addresses behave:
   • Keep both URLs active (no automatic redirect) leaves your subdomain working as it is.
   • Making your domain the primary URL sends visitors and search engines from the subdomain to your domain.
8. Click Done.

To connect a second domain, click Add another domain. To change or remove one, click Manage, then Set as primary or Disconnect domain.

If it doesn't work:

• The status stays on Awaiting DNS. DNS changes can take several hours to spread. Compare each record with the table, then click Check status again later.
• You see Provisioning failed. A record is wrong or another record conflicts with it. Fix it at your DNS provider, or click Disconnect domain and start over.
• Your provider rejects the record on the root domain. Click Disconnect domain, connect again, and choose the registrar redirect option.
• You don't see Your own domain name. That card appears only for sites hosted on Drop Cowboy. Import the site with Import my existing site, then connect the domain to it.

Share your card

Your share card is a mobile page with your contact details and buttons to call, text, save your contact or visit your site. Each card has its own link and QR code.

1. Open Settings in the left menu, then click Share Card. You can also click My Card in your account menu.
2. Fill in Display name, Title, Display email and Address.
3. Under Phone line, keep Automatic (default phone line) or pick a phone line. Call and Text use the first number on that phone line.
4. Under Website, choose Hosted site for one of your Drop Cowboy sites, or Custom URL for any other address.
5. Optional: pick a Web form (optional) and a Booking type (optional) to show on the card.
6. Pick a Placement: Business card, Yard sign, Open house, Listing flyer or Custom. For Custom, also fill in UTM medium and UTM campaign.
7. Click Save.
8. Click Copy link to share it in a message or email. For print, click Download SVG, which stays sharp at any size. Use Download PNG for screens and social posts.

Check the Preview on the right before you print. It shows what someone sees after scanning.

Track each placement separately

Add a variant for each place you use the card, such as yard signs and business cards. Under Variants, click the placement you want to add. Each variant has its own URL and QR code, so your reports show which one brings in visits and calls.

If it doesn't work:

• Call and Text don't show on the preview. They stay hidden until the phone line has a tracking number. See Call tracking to set one up.
• You see a warning that the call number isn't tagged. Open the phone line in Phone Numbers and click its Tracking tab. For that number's source, pick Custom... and type qr. Then click Save on your card.
• Your details changed after you printed. Edit the card or variant and click Save. Its link stays the same, so printed QR codes show the new details.
• A printed QR code stopped working. Its card or variant was deleted, which takes the public page down. Create a new variant and print its QR code.

See who visits your site

Hosted sites track visits without any setup. For a site you run somewhere else, add the tracking script first.

1. Open Web in the left menu, click your site, then click the Setup tab.
2. Under Tracking Script, click Copy. Paste the script as high as possible in the <head> of every page.
3. If someone else manages your site, pick their site builder under Platform and click Copy Install Instructions. Send them the copied steps.
4. Visit your site once, then click Check Now on the Setup tab.
5. Click the Analytics tab. Pick a date range to see Page Views, Unique Visitors, Form Submissions and Conversions, plus your top pages and traffic sources.
6. Click the Heatmaps tab, then Select a Page to see where visitors click and how far they scroll.
7. Click the Sessions tab to see individual visits, with pages viewed, clicks and scroll depth. Sessions with a replay icon can be played back.

You can also reach analytics from Settings in the left menu by clicking Visitor Analytics.

If it doesn't work:

• The setup status doesn't change. Status can take up to 5 minutes to update. Visit the site again, then click Check Now.
• Numbers look lower than another analytics tool. Some visitors use ad blockers, and the Analytics tab shows an estimate of how many. Compare trends rather than exact counts.
• Heatmaps show Waiting for Click Data. The page needs visits after the script was installed. Check back once people have used it.
• A replay won't play yet. Replays take a short time to process after a visit ends. Refresh the Sessions list in a minute or two.