Custom Domain — DNS Setup

This page shows exactly how to add the DNS record for a custom domain at the most common registrars. It complements the Custom Domain settings page.

What you're adding (shown on the Custom Domain page after you register a domain):

Type Host / Name Value
CNAME your sub-domain, e.g. booking or www sites.consultationly.com

After you save the record, return to Admin Settings → Custom Domain and click Check DNS. DNS changes can take up to 48 hours to propagate, though they're often much faster.

!!! note "Use a sub-domain" Use a sub-domain such as booking.yourdomain.com or www.yourdomain.com. A root domain (yourdomain.com) can't be a CNAME — see Using your root domain below.

GoDaddy

  1. Sign in and go to My Products → Domains, then next to your domain choose DNS (or Manage DNS).
  2. In the Records section click Add and set:
    • Type: CNAME
    • Name: the sub-domain only — e.g. booking (or www). Don't include your domain.
    • Value: sites.consultationly.com
    • TTL: 1 hour
  3. Click Save.

Namecheap

  1. Sign in, go to Domain List, and click Manage next to your domain.
  2. Open the Advanced DNS tab.
  3. Under Host Records click Add New Record and set:
    • Type: CNAME Record
    • Host: the sub-domain only — e.g. booking (or www)
    • Value: sites.consultationly.com
    • TTL: Automatic
  4. Click the green ✓ to save.

Cloudflare

  1. Sign in, select your domain, and open DNS → Records.
  2. Click Add record and set:
    • Type: CNAME
    • Name: the sub-domain only — e.g. booking (or www)
    • Target: sites.consultationly.com
    • TTL: Auto

  3. Set Proxy status to DNS only (grey cloud), not Proxied (orange cloud).

    !!! warning "Turn the orange cloud off" If the record is Proxied (orange cloud), Cloudflare terminates HTTPS with its own certificate and hides your domain behind its IPs. That breaks the secure certificate and the ownership check. It must be DNS only (grey cloud).

  4. Click Save.

Using your root domain

A root/apex domain (e.g. yourdomain.com, with no sub-domain) can't be a CNAME at most registrars — the domain's root already holds required records that a CNAME isn't allowed to sit alongside. Two ways to still use it:

  • Recommended — redirect the root to www: add the CNAME for www (as above), then use your registrar's domain/URL forwarding to redirect yourdomain.com → https://www.yourdomain.com (a permanent / 301 redirect). Visitors typing your root domain land on your booking site.
    • GoDaddy: Domain settings → Forwarding → add a forward to https://www.yourdomain.com.
    • Namecheap: Domain → Redirect Domain → source @, destination https://www.yourdomain.com, Permanent (301).
  • Cloudflare only: Cloudflare supports CNAME flattening, so you can add a CNAME at the root (Name: @) → sites.consultationly.com with DNS only (grey cloud). Cloudflare serves it at the root without a separate redirect.

Troubleshooting

  • "DNS record not found yet" — the record hasn't propagated. Wait a few minutes and click Check DNS again.
  • Enter the sub-domain only in the Host/Name field (e.g. booking), not the full domain — most registrars add your domain automatically.
  • Cloudflare — double-check the record is grey cloud (DNS only).
  • Still stuck? Contact support with your domain name.