Article 09
Connecting your domain
Step by step for GoDaddy, Squarespace, Namecheap, Wix and other DNS hosts, apex versus www, and what to do if it gets stuck.
Your site is live on a free Emberline address. Connecting a domain you own takes ten minutes at your registrar and an hour or so of waiting.
Before you start
Get the login for the company where you bought the domain (the registrar). We never ask for it.
Step 1: add the domain in your portal
Open Domain in your portal and type your domain, like yourchurch.org. We detect your registrar and show the exact records to add. Keep that page open.
Step 2: add two records at your registrar
We use www.yourchurch.org as the main address and forward the bare domain (apex) to it. You add a CNAME for www pointing to the target we show, plus forwarding for the bare domain.
GoDaddy. My Products, DNS. Add CNAME: Name www, Value the target. Delete any existing A record for www first. Use Forwarding at the bottom of the page to send the bare domain to https://www.yourchurch.org.
Squarespace Domains. Domains, DNS settings, Custom records. Add CNAME www to the target. Remove the default records that point to a Squarespace site.
Namecheap. Domain List, Manage, Advanced DNS. Add CNAME: Host www, Value the target. Add a URL Redirect Record: Host @, to https://www.yourchurch.org, Permanent.
Wix. Domains, Advanced, Edit DNS. Add CNAME www to the target. Disconnect the domain from any Wix site first.
Any other DNS host. Open the DNS records page. Add CNAME www to the target, and a redirect or CNAME for the bare domain to www.yourchurch.org. If your host offers a proxy or "orange cloud" option on these records, turn it off while verifying.
Step 3: wait, then check
Press Check in your portal. Most domains verify in minutes, some take hours, rarely a day. We keep checking and email you when it is live.
If it is stuck
- A leftover A record for www or the bare domain blocks the CNAME. Delete it.
- A CAA record that excludes our certificate provider blocks HTTPS. The portal names the record to change.
- Your old website host may still hold the domain. Disconnect it there.
- Email is separate. Leave MX records alone.
Your site stays live on the free address the whole time. If the portal still shows a problem after a day, email us a screenshot of your DNS page.