Connecting a Custom Domain to Your Draftly Site: Step-by-Step
A custom domain is one of the highest-ROI moves you can make for your site's credibility. A `yourbrand.com` URL builds trust that no subdomain can replicate.
What You Need Before Starting
- A published Draftly site (published sites get a free `.draftly.space` subdomain)
- A domain name you own (bought from GoDaddy, Namecheap, Google Domains, etc.)
- 15–30 minutes
Step 1: Go to Site Settings
In your Draftly dashboard, click your site → Settings → Custom Domain.
Step 2: Enter Your Domain
Type your domain (e.g., `yourbrand.com` or `www.yourbrand.com`). Draftly will show you the DNS records you need to add.
You'll see something like:
| Type | Host | Value |
|---|---|---|
| CNAME | www | sites.draftly.space |
| A | @ | 76.76.21.21 |
Step 3: Add DNS Records at Your Registrar
Log in to wherever you bought your domain. Find the DNS settings (sometimes called "DNS Management" or "Zone Editor").
For GoDaddy:
- My Products → Domains → your domain → DNS
- Add the records shown in Draftly
For Namecheap:
- Domain List → Manage → Advanced DNS
- Add Host Records
For Google Domains / Squarespace Domains:
- Manage → DNS → Custom Records
- Add each record
Step 4: Wait for Propagation
DNS changes take 15 minutes to 24 hours to propagate globally. Usually it's faster — most users see their domain working within 30 minutes.
You can check propagation status at dnschecker.org.
Step 5: Enable SSL
Once your domain is verified in Draftly, SSL (HTTPS) is provisioned automatically. This usually happens within a few minutes of DNS verification.
Common Issues
"Domain verification failed"
Double-check you copied the CNAME value exactly. One extra character breaks it.
"Still showing old site"
Clear your browser cache or try incognito mode. DNS is cached locally.
www vs non-www
Both should work after setup. Draftly auto-redirects `www` to the root domain.
