Custom Domains

If you have an Enhanced or Advanced Connect Cloud account, you can use Custom Domains to map your content to a web address you own. This makes your work easier to find, easier to remember, and consistent with your brand.

To ensure your data and your viewers remain protected, Connect Cloud provides built-in support for SSL/HTTPS. Once your custom domain is configured, the service automatically handles the security certificates required to encrypt the connection between your users and your content. This not only protects sensitive information but also ensures that your site displays the “lock” icon in web browsers as a signal of security.

Apex Domain (e.g., mydomain.com)

An apex domain, sometimes referred to as a root or naked domain, is the simplest version of your web address, without any prefixes like www. or blog. attached to the front.

Wildcard Subdomains

Subdomains are extensions added to the front of your apex domain (e.g., app.mydomain.com or client1.mydomain.com).

Instead of setting these up one by one on Connect Cloud, you can use a wildcard record. Represented by an asterisk (*), a wildcard record acts as a “catch-all” for your domain. For example, if you set up *.mydomain.com on Connect Cloud, you then have the ability to assign any subdomain to a specific piece of deployed content.

This means you don’t need to maintain individual DNS records for each piece of content assigned to a unique subdomain.

How to Add a Custom Domain

Follow these steps to link your own domain to your Connect Cloud account.

Add the Domain in Connect Cloud

  1. Navigate to Admin → Domains in your dashboard.
  2. Click the + Add Domain button.
  3. Enter the domain name (e.g., mydomain.com).
Note

If you select the Use wildcard checkbox, you will be able to assign multiple subdomains (e.g., client1.mydomain.com and client2.mydomain.com). This expands the utility of a single domain by allowing you to assign unique subdomains to different projects or clients without creating a new DNS entry every time.

Wildcard support does not include the apex domain. You must create separate records for mydomain.com and *.mydomain.com in Connect Cloud if you want to use both types.

  1. Click Save. Once added, this domain will be available to assign to specific pieces of content.

Update Your DNS Records

To make the connection official, you must update the settings with your domain registrar (e.g., GoDaddy, Namecheap, Google Domains, etc.).

You will need to add two specific CNAME records:

  • Routing: Add a CNAME record with the provided host and value to point your web traffic to Connect Cloud.

  • TLS (Security): Add a second CNAME record with the provided values. This allows Connect Cloud to generate your SSL certificate and secure your site via HTTPS.

Note

If you do not have access to your company’s domain settings, you will need to copy the values provided in the next step and send them to your IT Administrator for implementation.

Wait for Verification

Once you have updated your DNS settings, the system needs to verify the connection. While verification often happens within minutes, it can take up to 72 hours for DNS changes to propagate across the entire internet.

You can check the current status at any time by clicking Verify from the Domain List or within the Domain Details modal.

Assigning Content to a Custom Domain

Once your domain is verified, you are ready to assign it to a piece of deployed content. This is done from the URL tab on the content Settings page.