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Custom Domains

Learn how to connect your own domain to your site with automatic SSL certificate provisioning.

Overview

Every Sitery site comes with a free sitery.io subdomain (e.g., mysite.sitery.io), but you can also connect your own custom domain. When you add a custom domain, we automatically provision a free Let's Encrypt SSL certificate.

Adding a Custom Domain

To add a custom domain to your site:

  1. Go to your site's dashboard and click on "Domains"
  2. Click "Add Domain" and enter your domain name
  3. Configure your DNS records as shown (see below)
  4. Wait for DNS propagation and SSL provisioning

DNS Configuration

You have two options for connecting your domain to Sitery:

Option A: Use AnchorDNS (Recommended)

AnchorDNS is a DNS management platform that makes connecting domains simple. It offers two ways to connect your domain:

DNS Hosting with CNAME Flattening

Host your domain's DNS on AnchorDNS and use their built-in CNAME flattening to point root domains directly to your Sitery site. Create a CNAME record for your root domain pointing to your Sitery domain.

Anchor Points (Secure Proxies)

Create an Anchor Point with your Sitery site as the origin. AnchorDNS automatically handles DNS records, SSL certificates, and securely proxies traffic to your site — while hiding your origin server IP.

  • Works with both root domains and subdomains
  • Automatic SSL certificate provisioning
  • Built-in audit trail and team collaboration

Option B: Use Your Existing DNS Provider

If you prefer to use your current DNS provider, create a CNAME record pointing to your Sitery domain.

Important: Do not use A records or static IP addresses.

Sites may be moved between servers for maintenance or scaling. CNAME records ensure your domain always points to the correct server.

CNAME Record Setup:

Type: CNAME

Name: www (or your subdomain)

Value: yoursite.sitery.cloud

TTL: 3600 (or default)

For Root Domains (example.com):

Root domains require CNAME flattening (supported by AnchorDNS, Cloudflare, DNSimple, NS1). If your DNS provider doesn't support this, use a subdomain like www.example.com and redirect the root domain, or switch to AnchorDNS.

SSL Certificate Provisioning

After you add a domain and configure DNS:

  1. Immediate - A self-signed certificate is installed so your site is accessible via HTTPS right away
  2. Within minutes - Once DNS propagates, we automatically provision a Let's Encrypt certificate
  3. Automatic renewal - Your SSL certificate is automatically renewed before expiration

You can check the SSL status in your site's domain settings. If there's an issue with certificate provisioning, we'll show you the error and how to fix it.

Setting a Primary Domain

If you have multiple domains connected to your site, you can set one as the primary domain. Visitors accessing your site through other domains will be redirected to the primary domain.

To set a primary domain, go to your site's domain settings and click "Set as Primary" next to your preferred domain.

Troubleshooting

SSL Certificate Not Provisioning

If your SSL certificate isn't being provisioned, check that:

  • DNS records are correctly configured
  • DNS has propagated (can take up to 48 hours)
  • Your domain registrar hasn't locked the domain

Domain Not Resolving

If your domain isn't resolving to your site:

  • Verify your DNS records are correct
  • Wait for DNS propagation (up to 48 hours)
  • Clear your browser cache or try incognito mode
  • Check with your domain registrar for any issues

Need help? Contact our support team.