Branding and Custom Domain
Branding is not a training lever — but a well-branded Zeptix bot feels more reliable, and visitors are more likely to forgive mistakes. This article shows you which branding building blocks you can control, which plan unlocks what, and how to set up a custom domain like chat.yourcompany.com.
TL;DR
| Plan | Subdomain | Custom domain | White label | Own email sending |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | slug.zeptix.io | no | no | no |
| Pro | slug.zeptix.io + custom | yes | no (Powered-by visible) | no |
| Business | slug.zeptix.io + custom | yes | yes (Powered-by optionally off) | yes |
What you can brand on every plan
1. Bot name
Appears in the chat header, in the browser tab title, and as a greeting-text suggestion. Examples:
- "Acme-Buddy" (for SaaS onboarding)
- "Training-Tom" (for fitness)
- "LoreKeeper" (for gaming)
- "Ankerline" (for coaching)
Tip: Personalized names ("Tom", "Ella", "Sylas") feel more approachable than generic names ("Support bot", "FAQ assistant").
2. URL slug
The part before .zeptix.io. Lowercase letters and hyphens only.
| Slug | URL |
|---|---|
acme-buddy | https://acme-buddy.zeptix.io |
trainings-tom | https://trainings-tom.zeptix.io |
lorekeeper | https://lorekeeper.zeptix.io |
Important: The slug is unique platform-wide. If someone has already reserved support, you'll get e.g. support-acme.
3. Primary color
Hex code (e.g. #0EA5E9) or color picker. Affects:
- Buttons (send, example questions).
- Header background.
- Active element highlights.
- Source-display accent.
Tip: Choose a color that harmonizes with your logo and has enough contrast against the background. Very light pastel colors are often hard to read.
4. Secondary color (Pro+)
For secondary accents and hover states. Configurable on the Pro plan or in the branding detail tab.
5. Logo
Upload as PNG, SVG, or JPG. Recommended size: 256 x 256 pixels, transparent background. Shown at the top of the header and as the browser tab icon.
6. Greeting text
The first sentence your visitor sees. Appears before the first question has been asked.
Examples:
- "Hello! I'll help you with all your questions about Acme Pro."
- "Hey! Fire away — I'll answer your questions about FitnessHub training."
- "Welcome, traveler. What do you want to know about Eldarheim?"
7. Example questions (empty-state prompts)
Four suggested questions that appear as clickable buttons in the empty chat. They should reflect typical visitor requests.
Examples for a SaaS bot:
- "What does the Pro plan cost?"
- "How do I upload a project?"
- "Which integrations are there?"
- "How do I cancel my subscription?"
8. Header link
When a visitor clicks your logo or the bot name, where should they go? Default: back to the bot. Alternative: your main site (e.g. https://acme.com).
Tip: Set your main site here — a visitor who trusts the bot often clicks the logo to see your "real" site.
Setting up a custom domain (from Pro)
Want chat.yourcompany.com or support.yourcompany.com instead of slug.zeptix.io? That's possible from Pro.
Step 1 — Create a subdomain at your DNS provider
In your DNS console (Cloudflare, IONOS, GoDaddy, …) you create a CNAME record:
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Hostname/Name | chat (or bot, assistant, whatever you like) |
| Type | CNAME |
| Value/Target | custom.zeptix.io |
| TTL | 300 (or default) |
| Proxied (Cloudflare) | Off (DNS only) — otherwise TLS problems |
Important with Cloudflare: The cloud icon has to be gray (DNS only), not orange (proxied). Zeptix handles the TLS encryption at the origin itself.
Step 2 — Register the domain in the Zeptix dashboard
- Dashboard → your bot → tab Branding or Custom Domain.
- Enter:
chat.yourcompany.com. - Click Verify domain.
- Zeptix checks the CNAME entry. If everything matches, a TLS certificate is issued internally (Let's Encrypt via DNS challenge or similar).
Step 3 — Wait for TLS provisioning
The first TLS provisioning typically takes 30 seconds to 2 minutes. In the dashboard you'll see the status "Being issued" → "Active".
Step 4 — Test the bot under the custom domain
Open https://chat.yourcompany.com in your browser. When TLS is active (padlock icon in the address bar), you're done.
Pitfalls with custom domains
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| "Domain could not be verified" | CNAME record missing or pointing to the wrong target | Check the DNS entry, wait for the TTL (propagation can take 5-60 min) |
| TLS error in the browser | Cloudflare proxy is orange (proxied) instead of gray (DNS only) | Switch to "DNS only" in the Cloudflare dashboard |
| 502/503 error after verification | Cert issuance not yet complete | Wait 2 minutes, then clear the browser cache |
Domain works, but slug.zeptix.io gives 404 | Both domains are active — not a problem | Both URLs work in parallel, you can use both |
White label (Business only)
On the Business plan you can disable the "Powered by Zeptix" note in the bot footer. This makes the bot feel like a fully owned product.
How to enable white label
- Dashboard → your bot → tab Branding or Settings.
- Toggle Hide Powered-by note to On.
- Save. Takes effect immediately.
When white label makes sense
- Agency setups: You sell bots to end customers under your own brand.
- Enterprise branding: The bot should feel like part of a closed product ecosystem.
- Reseller models: You sell bot-as-a-service with your own price list to your customers.
What white label does NOT allow
- Deception about the AI nature: When directly asked, the bot must not claim to be a human.
- Misleading third-party branding: The bot should not pretend to belong to another brand or another provider.
- False technology promises: You should not claim that your bot is a fully proprietary AI technology when it runs on Zeptix. A general note like "Powered by AI Platform" is okay.
Own email sending (Business only)
If your bot sends emails to end users (e.g. for magic-link login, credit-pack confirmation), the sender would be [email protected] by default. On the Business plan you can switch to your own domain.
Requirements
- Your own domain (e.g.
yourcompany.com). - DKIM and SPF records configurable at your DNS provider.
- An SMTP server or a sending service like SendGrid, Mailgun, Postmark, AWS SES, IONOS Mail Business.
Setup steps
- In the dashboard → bot → tab Email Sending → Add domain.
- Zeptix gives you DKIM, SPF, and return-path values.
- Create the DNS records at your provider.
- Back in the dashboard, click Verify domain.
- Optional: set a custom sender name ("Acme Support" instead of just "Acme") and a reply-to address.
Branding templates for 3 bot types
Template A — SaaS onboarding bot
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | "Acme-Buddy" |
| Slug | acme-buddy |
| Primary color | #0EA5E9 (Acme brand) |
| Logo | Acme logo square 256 x 256 |
| Greeting | "Hello! I'm Acme-Buddy. How can I help you with Acme Pro?" |
| Example questions | What does Pro cost? · How do I cancel? · Which integrations? · How do I upload data? |
| Header link | https://acme.com |
| Custom domain | chat.acme.com |
Template B — Coaching bot
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | "Ankerline" |
| Slug | ankerline |
| Primary color | #8B5CF6 (Stille brand) |
| Logo | Stille logo square 256 x 256 |
| Greeting | "Hi. I'm Ankerline, your mental-coach companion. What's on your mind right now?" |
| Example questions | It's all too much · An exercise to calm down · How do I sleep better? · What to do about insomnia? |
| Header link | https://stille.io |
| Custom domain | coach.stille.io |
Template C — Roleplay lore bot
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | "LoreKeeper-Sylas" |
| Slug | lorekeeper |
| Primary color | #92400E (warm fantasy bronze) |
| Logo | Eldarheim crest square 256 x 256 |
| Greeting | "Welcome, traveler. I am Sylas, keeper of the stories of Eldarheim. What do you wish to know?" |
| Example questions | Lore of the Khar-Druri · How do I get Galorin's sword? · Current patch notes · Which build for mages? |
| Header link | https://eldarheim-mod.de |
| Custom domain | wiki.eldarheim-mod.de |
Checklist — branding maturity
Before you share your bot publicly:
[ ] Name personalized (not "Support bot")
[ ] Slug catchy and brand-compliant
[ ] Primary color fits the corporate design
[ ] Logo uploaded (256 x 256 PNG/SVG)
[ ] Greeting text friendly and brand-compliant
[ ] 4 example questions cover common visitor questions
[ ] Header link leads back to the main site
[ ] Custom domain set up (from Pro)
[ ] White label enabled when it fits (from Business)
[ ] Own email domain configured when relevant (from Business)
Where to read next
- Which plan fits me? — plan selection for custom domain and white label.
- Tone and personality — how your bot fits your brand.
- Zeptix-first vs Business-Direct — when you want to monetize the bot.