Sakari offers the ability to shorten URL links in your text messages. However, if you'd like, you can use your own custom domain instead of the short domains Sakari provides.
1) Obtain a custom domain through a domain provider (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Bluehost, etc.)
2) You’ll need to add a few records to your domain settings, usually under DNS settings, depending on whether you’d like to use a root domain or subdomain.
- Root domain: The main URL of your website (example- www.sakari.io)
- Subdomain: Lower level of the domain's hierarchy; added in front of the root domain and separated with a period (example- www.hub.sakari.io)
3) The records you’ll be adding would either be A records or CNAME records. Both records map a domain to a desired server.
- A record: link a domain to an IP address
- CNAME record: link a domain to another domain name
The A records should always be used for root domains while subdomains have the option of either using CNAME or A records.
For root domains (such as sa3.io) you’ll need to add a few A records to your settings:
For subdomains (such as subdomain.sa3.io), depending on your provider you can use either the A records with the desired subdomain name or you can add a CNAME record:
4) The name/hostname will depend on what domain/subdomain you’d like to use.
Domain providers can vary on how you add these records to your domain’s DNS settings. The following articles are guides on how to do so for a few of them. Check with your domain provider that you are adding those records correctly.
- Bluehost
5) Once your domain is set up, navigate to the custom domains page on the Sakari dashboard. On the left-hand navigation, open the dropdown for ‘Links’ and navigate to ‘Custom Domains’.
6) At the top, click the Red Add button to bring up the form to add your custom domain. Enter your domain here and click ADD.
7) From there, you’ll be prompted to Verify your domain. By verifying your domain, we know that you’ve added the correct records to your domain settings, proving ownership.
*You won’t be able to use your domain until it has been verified.
8) There is a chance you’ll encounter the following error. In this case, make sure that you’ve added the correct records to your domain’s DNS settings and wait a while before trying again. Occasionally it takes some time for DNS settings to update.
9) If your domain verification failed, you’ll see a red shield icon displayed next to your domain. Click it to start the verification process again.
10) Eventually, you’ll see the following confirmation message and your custom domain will be ready for use:
11) Once verified, you’ll be able to use your custom domain when creating your own links. Check out the following article for more information about creating custom short URLs.
12) You'll know your links are ready to go when see you them under the URL Shortener in the left-hand navigation pane!
