Sakari offers the ability to shorten the URLs/Links you're sending in your text messages. We strongly recommend using your own custom domain to ensure best deliverability of your messages.
Important: You shouldn't use the root domain of your businesses active website. Instead, create either a subdomain or use a different root domain that's not associated with your live website.
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 (for example- sakari.io)
- Subdomain: Lower level of the domain's hierarchy; added in front of the root domain and separated with a period (example- 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: redirect a domain/subdomain to an IP address
- CNAME record: redirect a subdomain to another URL
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 (e.g. sakari.io) you’ll need to create the following A Records:
For subdomains (e.g. abc.sakari.io), thru most providers, you'll need to create a CNAME record with your desired Name/Hostname which should point to the value/destination: urlshortener.sakari.io
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
4) Once your domain is set up, navigate to the account settings and find the advanced tab where you can input your Custom Domain and hit 'Setup'.
5) 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 the URL Shortener with your domain until it has been verified.
6) There is a chance you’ll encounter the following error 'Verification Failed'. 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.
Once verified, you can use your custom domain when creating your own links.
Check out the following article for more information about how to Use a Shortened URL.