How to Connect a Custom Domain

Kayla M.

Updated

Connecting your custom domain to Kajabi only requires a few, easy steps. Follow our guide as we walk you through how to connect your custom domain, create a subdomain, and connect a custom email domain to your Kajabi site. 

In this article:

Default Kajabi Domain 

One of the first steps you will take in your journey with Kajabi is creating a subdomain for your Kajabi website.

An example of this subdomain would be the "cooking with Carl" piece to cookingwithcarl.mykajabi.com.

This subdomain must be unique. Meaning, just like with an email address, there cannot be two of the same subdomain under Kajabi. 

If you would like to change your subdomain:

  • Open the Settings tab from your Dashboard. 
  • Click Domain.
  • Then, in the Kajabi default Subdomain section, you can edit your Kajabi subdomain.
  • Click Save to keep and apply your changes:

Kajabi ensures that your site can be accessed through both your Kajabi subdomain and your connected custom domain!

Connecting your custom domain to your Kajabi site (even after your site has been live for some time) will allow your visitors to access your site with both your original Kajabi subdomain and your connected custom domain.

For example:

You launch your site with the Kajabi subdomain, cookingwithcarl.mykajabi.com, then decide to connect your custom domain to Kajabi (i.e., cookingwithcarl.com).

Your site visitors can access your site using both the Kajabi subdomain cookingwithcarl.mykajabi.com and your connected custom domain cookingwithcarl.com!

Accessing Your Domain Settings On Kajabi 

Connecting a custom domain is a great way to reinforce brand identity and build trust between prospects/customers and your business while giving your website an added professional look and feel.

And, as much as we love when our Heroes represent Kajabi, we understand that you want your site to feel like your site. So, take away the .mykajabi.com in your URL by connecting your Kajabi site with your custom domain. 

To connect your custom domain to your Kajabi site:

  • Opening the Settings tab from the Dashboard.
  • Click into Domain.
  • Then, click Setup custom domain:

Custom Domain vs. Subdomain

Connect Domain to Kajabi

Connecting a custom domain is a great option if your business's main website is hosted by Kajabi and you would like to give your site a custom URL.

Example: cookingwithcarl.com

Create a Subdomain for Kajabi

If your site is hosted elsewhere, like Wordpress, Wix, or Squarespace, we recommend creating a subdomain for your Kajabi site.

Example: courses.cookingwithcarl.com

Domain_Setup_Options.png

How to Connect Your Custom Domain to Kajabi

Note:
To connect a custom domain to your Kajabi site, you must first purchase a domain. If you haven't done so already, follow our guide to help you get started in purchasing a domain:

To connect your custom domain via nameservers, you will need to replace the existing nameservers in your domain registrar with the unique nameservers that Kajabi has created for you.

Note:
Some domain name registrars (such as Wix) may not have the capability to replace your existing name servers. We recommend contacting your domain name registrar to ensure that you will be able to replace your existing name servers with the unique name servers that Kajabi has created for you.

To connect your custom domain:

  • Select Connect Custom Domain to Kajabi from the How should we connect your domain? block in the Domain Setup settings.
  • Input your domain name into the Domain Name textbox (example: cookingwithcarl.com).
  • This will take you to a page that will show your existing Nameservers in your registrar and two unique Nameservers that Kajabi has created for you:

Warning:
Do you have a webmail service (Google Workspace, Office 365, etc.) connected to your custom website domain? If yes, make sure you know who your webmail provider is and take a screenshot of all your original DNS records, including any MX (mail server) records, prior to updating your Nameservers.
  • On a separate page, log into your domain registrar account and navigate to the DNS Settings.
  • Navigate to your Nameservers in your Domain Registrar DNS settings. 
  • Remove the existing Nameservers in your domain registrar.
  • Add the two Nameservers Kajabi has provided for you to your domain registrar. 
  • Click Save.
  • Then, in the Kajabi Domain Settings page, click Done, Let's Verify Nameservers:

Note: Replacing will look slightly different with each domain registrar. 

DNS Settings

If you have successfully connected your custom domain, you will then have access to DNS settings in your Domain Settings in Kajabi. 

To access your DNS settings in Kajabi:

  • Open the Settings tab from the dashboard and click Domain.
  • Click into your connected domain. 

From here you can view your DNS records and add the following custom records:

  • A
  • CNAME
  • MX
  • SRV
  • TXT

If you've previously connected a webmail service (i.e. Google Workspace, Office 365) to your custom domain, check for the MX records in your Kajabi DNS Settings after connecting your domain to make sure they imported correctly. Learn more about how to prevent an email disruption.

Note:
If you're using a webmail service and are experiencing issues sending and receiving emails after connecting your custom domain to Kajabi, you may need to manually add your MX records from your webmail service to your DNS Settings on Kajabi. Learn more

Connecting a Custom Email Domain

Once your domain is connected, you will have the option to send your Marketing emails from your custom domain.

Note:
You must have a paid Kajabi account in order to set up a custom email domain. If you are on a free trial, you will not have access to this feature.

To set up your Custom Email Domain:

  • Click Setup Custom Email Domain.
  • Then, input a From name, create a From email, and you will also have the option to input a Reply to email address. 
  • Click Save. Your marketing emails will now be sent from a custom email domain:

Creating a Subdomain for a Kajabi Site

Creating a subdomain for your Kajabi site (without repointing your top-level website domain to Kajabi) requires the creation of a CNAME record in your domain registrar that points to ssl.kajabi.com.

Note:
The creation of a DNS record will differ slightly with each domain registrar.

To create a subdomain for a Kajabi site: 

  • Select Create subdomain for my Kajabi site from the How should we connect your domain? block in the Domain Setup settings.
  • Input your domain name into the Domain Name textbox (example: cookingwithcarl.com).
  • Input a subdomain into the Subdomain Name textbox (example: courses).
  • A preview of your full subdomain URL will then appear below in the Preview domain textbox (example: courses.cookingwithcarl.com).
  • Then, click Next. The Subdomain Setup wizard will provide you with the information you need to add your CNAME record:

  • On a separate page, log into your domain registrar account.
  • Navigate to your DNS Records in your Domain Registrar DNS settings.
  • Add your CNAME record per the data provided by the Kajabi Subdomain Setup wizard:

    Type: CNAME
    Name/Host: (see Subdomain Setup wizard)
    Data/Domain/Target/Value: ssl.kajabi.com
    TTL: (see Subdomain Setup wizard)

  • Click Save.
  • Then, on the Kajabi Subdomain Setup page, click Done, verify subdomain:

DNS Provider Resources

GoDaddy

Note:
When replacing your nameservers on GoDaddy be sure to select the "Enter my own nameservers (advanced)" option.

And that's how to connect a custom domain! Please vote below and let us know if you found this article helpful. We value your feedback. Thanks for being the best part of Kajabi!

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