Custom Domains for Reports

By default a share link lives on the RankNest domain and report emails come from a RankNest address. Both can carry your own domain instead, so a client sees reports.youragency.com in the address bar and your agency's domain in the From line. The two are set up separately and each needs a few DNS records at your domain provider.

Where to find it

Open Agency Settings, click the Branding tab, and scroll to the Report domains and Email sending domain cards. Only the account owner or a manager can change them.

If a card says custom domains are not switched on for your workspace, contact support.

Report domains

A report domain serves your clients' share links. You can connect up to five. One is the default; a client can pick a different one in its Report settings under Served from.

How to add a report domain

1. In the Report domains card, enter the hostname you want to use, such as reports.youragency.com or youragency.com, and click Add.
2. RankNest shows the DNS records to create. There are two:
   • A record that points the hostname at RankNest. For a subdomain this is a CNAME record; for a bare domain such as youragency.com it is an A record.
   • A TXT record at _ranknest-report.<your hostname> holding a token that proves the domain is yours.
3. Create both records at your domain provider.
4. Click Check now. DNS changes can take up to an hour to be visible. The domain shows as verified once both records are in place.

Once verified, the share link for every client that uses this domain switches to it. Existing links keep working; they just change address.

Set as default and disconnect

• Set as default makes a domain the one every client uses unless the client picks another.
• Disconnect removes the domain. Share links that used it fall back to the default domain, or to the RankNest domain if none remains.

RankNest re-checks verified domains about once a week. If a record disappears, the domain shows as needing attention and links fall back until it is fixed.

Email sending domain

The sending domain puts your own domain in the From address of report emails. Until one is verified, report emails come from reports@updates.ranknest.io with your agency name as the sender name, and replies still go to your contact email.

How to add a sending domain

1. In the Email sending domain card, enter your domain, such as youragency.com, and the address local part you want, such as reports. Click Add.
2. RankNest lists the DNS records to create. These let mail providers confirm that RankNest may send on your domain's behalf.
3. Create the records at your domain provider.
4. Click Check now. Verification usually completes within an hour of the records appearing.

Once verified, the next report email goes out from your address. Click Remove to go back to the RankNest address.

Tips

• Use a subdomain for the report domain, such as reports.youragency.com. A CNAME on a subdomain is simpler to manage than an A record on your main domain, and it keeps your marketing site untouched.
• Verify the sending domain before the first scheduled send so clients never see a change of sender.
• If several clients need different domains, verify them all and pick per client under Served from.

Troubleshooting

Check now keeps saying pending. DNS changes take time to spread, sometimes up to an hour. Confirm the records at your provider match the ones shown exactly, including the _ranknest-report. prefix on the TXT record, then try again.

The domain verifies but the link still shows the RankNest address. The client may be set to a different domain. Open the client's Report settings and check Served from. Then click Save settings.

Someone else added my domain first. A claim is only honoured once the TXT record proves ownership. Add the records for your own claim and click Check now; the unverified claim never blocks yours.

Related

• Report Branding
• Sharing & Privacy
• Scheduling & Email