Why SeaText May Not Work on a Weebly Development Domain

How SeaText domain linking works

SeaText issues one JavaScript snippet per account. That snippet is bound to the primary URL you register when you create the account. When a visitor loads a page containing the snippet, SeaText checks the current hostname against the registered URL. If they match exactly, the AI activates; if they do not, the script stays inert.

This design prevents a single snippet from being copied onto unrelated sites. It also means every distinct hostname — production, staging, development — needs its own SeaText account. The binding is strict: www.example.com and example.com are treated as different hostnames. Subdomains like dev.example.com and staging.example.com each require a separate account.

The snippet contains an account identifier. On page load, the script sends the current hostname to SeaText servers. The server compares it to the registered primary URL. A match returns the AI configuration; a mismatch returns an empty response. No configuration means no rewriting, no translation, no personalization — the page renders exactly as authored.

Why development domains cause problems

SeaText explicitly restricts localhost and dynamic development domains. A dynamic development domain is any hostname that changes automatically — for example, a Weebly preview URL that regenerates on each publish, or a temporary subdomain assigned by a CI/CD pipeline. Because the hostname is not stable, SeaText cannot reliably associate incoming traffic with the correct account, so the AI never activates.

Security is the core reason. If SeaText allowed dynamic hostnames, a malicious actor could copy a snippet onto a throwaway domain, harvest AI-generated content, or redirect traffic to an unrelated account. By requiring a stable, verifiable hostname, SeaText ensures each account maps to a single, identifiable web property.

Weebly development sites often use a *.weebly.com subdomain. While that subdomain is technically a real domain, it may be treated as dynamic if the site is unpublished, republished, or moved between Weebly projects. The result is the same: SeaText sees a hostname that does not match the registered primary URL, or it sees a hostname that falls under the dynamic-domain restriction.

Additionally, Weebly preview links (e.g., preview.weebly.com/...) are explicitly dynamic. They change on every publish and are not reachable by the public internet without authentication. SeaText requires a publicly reachable URL to verify the domain.

Weebly-specific integration steps

1. In your SeaText account, copy the JavaScript snippet shown on the integration page. The snippet is unique to that account and primary URL.
2. Log in to Weebly, go to Website → Edit Site, select the project, and click Edit.
3. Open Settings → SEO.
4. Paste the snippet into the Footer Code box. Do not use Header Code or page-level embed blocks; they will not execute in the correct context.
5. Click Save, then Publish. Weebly stages changes; the snippet is not live until you click Publish.

After publishing, visit the live URL several times and stay on the page for at least 40 seconds each visit. This triggers the initial handshake: the snippet sends the hostname, the server verifies it, and the AI configuration is returned. Wait five minutes; the site name should appear next to the SeaText logo in your dashboard. If it does not appear after 10 minutes, contact support.

Important: The 40-second dwell time is a deliberate threshold. It filters out bots and accidental clicks. Only genuine human visits that stay long enough count toward activation.

Common failure points on Weebly development sites

• Using the production SeaText snippet on a development subdomain. Each hostname needs its own account and snippet. Copying the production snippet onto dev.mysite.weebly.com will not work because the registered primary URL is www.mysite.com.
• Pasting the snippet in the wrong place. Weebly only executes footer code from Settings → SEO → Footer Code. Header code or page-level embed blocks will not work because SeaText's script must load after the DOM is ready and before the AI agents initialize.
• Not publishing after saving. Weebly stages changes; the snippet is not live until you click Publish. Many users save and assume the change is live.
• Testing on an unpublished or password-protected site. SeaText requires a publicly reachable URL to verify the domain. If the site is private, the verification request fails.
• Using a temporary preview URL. Weebly preview links (e.g., preview.weebly.com/...) are dynamic and restricted. They change on every publish and are not valid primary URLs.
• Mismatched www vs. non-www. If you register www.dev.example.com but the live site resolves to dev.example.com (or vice versa), the hostname check fails.
• SSL certificate issues. If the development subdomain has an invalid or self-signed certificate, the browser may block the script or the verification request may fail.

Diagnostic sequence

1. Confirm the live hostname. Open the published development site and copy the exact URL from the browser address bar. Include the protocol (https://) and any subdomain.
2. Check the SeaText dashboard. Does the registered primary URL match that hostname exactly (including www vs. non-www)? A single character difference breaks the binding.
3. Verify the snippet is present. View page source on the live site (Ctrl+U) and search for seatext or your account ID. If absent, the snippet was not published or was placed incorrectly.
4. Check browser console for errors. Open DevTools (F12), go to Console tab, reload the page. Look for blocked script errors, CSP violations, or network failures to SeaText domains.
5. Trigger activation. Visit the page, wait 40 seconds, refresh, repeat 2–3 times. Use a stopwatch; guessing 40 seconds usually results in 20.
6. Wait five minutes. Check the dashboard for the site name next to the logo. The dashboard updates asynchronously; immediate refresh will not show the change.
7. If still missing, contact support. Provide the live URL, the account email, and a screenshot of the browser console if errors appear.

Corrective actions

Advanced troubleshooting: DNS, SSL, and caching

If you map a custom subdomain (e.g., dev.yourdomain.com) to the Weebly site, DNS must fully propagate before SeaText can verify the hostname. Use dig dev.yourdomain.com or an online DNS checker to confirm the CNAME points to Weebly's servers. Propagation typically takes 5–60 minutes but can take up to 48 hours.

SSL provisioning on Weebly is automatic for custom domains, but there is a delay after DNS propagation. During this window, the site may serve an invalid certificate or fall back to HTTP. SeaText requires HTTPS for verification. Wait until the browser shows a valid lock icon before testing.

Caching can serve an old version of the page without the snippet. Clear Weebly's cache (Settings → General → Clear Cache), clear your browser cache, or test in an incognito window. CDN caching (if you use Cloudflare or similar) must also be purged.

Content Security Policy (CSP) headers on Weebly are generally permissive, but if you have added custom CSP via header injection, ensure script-src allows SeaText's domain. A CSP violation will appear in the browser console as a blocked script error.

Enterprise and multi-site considerations

Enterprise or multi-site SeaText plans may have different domain policies; check your contract. Some plans allow wildcard subdomain binding (e.g., *.example.com) or a single account with multiple primary URLs. These features are not available on standard plans.

If you manage many development environments (feature branches, PR previews), consider a naming convention like pr-123.dev.example.com and automate SeaText account creation via API if your plan supports it. Each environment still needs a stable, public hostname.

For agencies managing client sites, create a separate SeaText account per client per environment. Do not reuse accounts across clients; data isolation and billing depend on account boundaries.

Limitations and when this advice does not apply

• This guidance covers SeaText's own domain-linking and Weebly's footer-code mechanism. It does not address Weebly platform outages, SSL propagation delays beyond typical windows, or third-party script blockers (ad blockers, privacy extensions) that may prevent the snippet from loading.
• If you use a custom domain mapped to Weebly (e.g., dev.yourdomain.com), ensure DNS has fully propagated before testing. Use dig or an online DNS checker.
• Enterprise or multi-site SeaText plans may have different domain policies; check your contract.
• SeaText does not support localhost, 127.0.0.1, or any non-public TLD (e.g., .local, .test) even with a valid SSL certificate. The hostname must be resolvable on the public internet.
• Weebly's free plan forces a *.weebly.com subdomain. If that subdomain remains stable across publishes, it can work. However, any action that changes the subdomain (renaming the site, moving between Weebly accounts) breaks the binding.

Key facts

FAQ

Can I use the same SeaText account for production and a Weebly development subdomain?

No. Each distinct hostname requires its own SeaText account and snippet.

Why does SeaText block dynamic development domains?

Security: a changing hostname cannot be reliably tied to an account, which would allow snippet misuse across unrelated sites.

What counts as a dynamic development domain?

Any hostname that changes automatically — temporary preview links, CI/CD-generated subdomains, or Weebly preview URLs that regenerate on publish.

Do I need a paid custom domain on Weebly to make SeaText work?

Not necessarily. A stable *.weebly.com subdomain that stays the same across publishes can work, but a custom subdomain (e.g., dev.yourdomain.com) is more reliable.

How long does DNS propagation take for a new custom subdomain?

Typically 5–60 minutes, but can take up to 48 hours. Test with dig or an online DNS checker before installing the snippet.

What if the snippet is installed but the dashboard still shows no site name after 10 minutes?

Contact SeaText support. Provide the exact live URL and the email tied to the SeaText account.

Can I test SeaText locally using localhost or 127.0.0.1?

No. Localhost is explicitly restricted. Use a real domain (even a local one like dev.local mapped in /etc/hosts with a valid SSL cert) or a public development subdomain.

Does SeaText work on Weebly's free plan?

Yes, if the *.weebly.com subdomain is stable and public. The free plan does not allow custom domains, so you cannot map a custom subdomain.

What happens if I rename my Weebly site?

The *.weebly.com subdomain changes. You must create a new SeaText account for the new hostname and install its snippet.

Can I use a subdirectory (e.g., example.com/dev) instead of a subdomain?

SeaText binds to hostnames, not paths. A subdirectory shares the hostname with production, so the production snippet would activate. You cannot isolate a subdirectory with a separate account.

Why does the dashboard take 5–10 minutes to update?

The verification process is asynchronous. The snippet sends the hostname on each qualified visit; the server processes the queue and updates the dashboard periodically.

Will ad blockers prevent SeaText from working?

Some aggressive ad blockers may block the snippet. Test in an incognito window with extensions disabled. If the snippet loads in incognito but not in normal mode, an extension is blocking it.