By default, your gallery profile and public pages are accessible at yourgallery.craftedcall.com. A custom domain (e.g., gallery.myorganization.org) looks professional and reinforces your brand identity. This guide covers adding, verifying, and activating a custom domain.
Custom Domain Capabilities
With a custom domain, you can:
Display your public gallery profile at your branded domain
Host public submission forms on your custom domain
Improve SEO with your own domain name
Maintain consistent branding across all web properties
Crafted Call handles SSL certificate provisioning and CloudFront CDN activation automatically. No technical configuration is required beyond DNS changes.
Prerequisites
Before adding a custom domain:
Your organization must be on a plan or add-on where custom domains or hosted gallery sites are enabled
You must own the domain (registered through any registrar: GoDaddy, Namecheap, Google Domains, etc.)
You must have administrative access to your domain's DNS settings
The domain should not currently host another service
If you do not see custom domain settings in your dashboard, check Settings > Billing or contact support to confirm whether the feature is enabled for your organization.
Adding a Custom Domain
To add a custom domain:
Navigate to Settings > Organization > Custom Domain
Click Add Custom Domain
Enter your domain name (e.g., gallery.myorganization.org)
Click Next
Crafted Call validates domain ownership and begins provisioning SSL certificates. The process takes 2–5 minutes.
Tip: Add the domain via the root domain (myorganization.org) or a subdomain (gallery.myorganization.org). Crafted Call recommends subdomains for galleries so your root domain continues serving your main website.
Verifying Domain Ownership
After submitting your domain, you'll receive verification instructions. Crafted Call supports two verification methods:
TXT Record Verification (Recommended)
Log into your domain registrar's DNS control panel
Create a new TXT record with:
(or as specified)
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Host/Name:
_craftedcall-verify
Value: A unique verification string (provided by Crafted Call)
Add the record and wait for DNS propagation (typically 5–30 minutes)
Return to Crafted Call and click Verify Domain
CNAME Record Verification
If TXT records aren't available:
Create a CNAME record with:
Host/Name: A subdomain like verify.gallery.myorganization.org
Value: The target provided by Crafted Call
Allow DNS propagation (5–30 minutes)
Return to Crafted Call and click Verify Domain
DNS Propagation:
Propagation delays are normal. If verification fails:
Wait 15 minutes and try again
Check your DNS control panel to confirm the record was added correctly
Verify you copied the exact string from Crafted Call (spaces matter)
Use a DNS lookup tool (dns.google.com) to confirm the record is live
Once verified, your domain status changes to "Verified."
Configuring DNS Records
After verification, configure your domain to point to Crafted Call:
You'll receive DNS configuration instructions:
Option 1: CNAME (Simplest)
Create a CNAME record:
Host/Name:gallery (or your chosen subdomain)
Value:craftedcall.yourorg.cdn.amazonaws.com (provided by Crafted Call)
TTL: 300 seconds (or default)
This routes traffic from gallery.myorganization.org to Crafted Call's servers.
Option 2: A Record (Root Domain)
If using a root domain without a subdomain:
Type: A Record
Host: @ (represents root domain)
Value: The IP address provided by Crafted Call
TTL: 300 seconds
Important: Root domain configuration is less flexible than subdomains. Crafted Call recommends using a subdomain like submissions.myorganization.org.
Option 3: ALIAS Record (Alternate Root Domain)
Some registrars support ALIAS records for root domains:
Type: ALIAS or ANAME
Host: @ (root domain)
Value: The target provided by Crafted Call
Not all registrars support ALIAS records. Check your provider's documentation.
SSL Certificate Provisioning
After DNS configuration, Crafted Call automatically provisions a free SSL certificate via AWS Certificate Manager. This typically completes within 5–10 minutes.
Your domain is secure by default—no manual certificate upload required. The certificate:
Covers your domain and www subdomain
Automatically renews before expiration
Supports HTTPS encryption
Once the certificate is active, your domain displays a green lock icon in browser address bars.
CloudFront Activation
Once SSL provisioning completes, your domain is activated on Crafted Call's CloudFront content delivery network (CDN). Benefits include:
Fast performance - Content delivered from geographically distributed servers
Global reach - Pages load quickly for international visitors
Check the browser address bar for the green lock icon (HTTPS/SSL active)
Review that all links and images load properly
Pro tip: Use an incognito/private browser window to bypass cached DNS lookups. If you encounter DNS errors, clear your browser cache and wait for global DNS propagation.
Updating or Removing a Custom Domain
To change your custom domain:
Navigate to Settings > Organization > Custom Domain
Click Update Domain
Enter a new domain and repeat verification
The old domain becomes unavailable once the new domain is verified
To remove a custom domain:
Click Remove Domain
Your gallery reverts to the default yourgallery.craftedcall.com URL
Subdomain DNS records can be deleted from your registrar (optional)
Important: If artists or the public have bookmarked your custom domain, changing it creates broken links. Redirect the old domain to the new domain if possible, or notify users of the new URL.
Email Configuration with Custom Domains
If you use a custom domain for email (e.g., noreply@myorganization.org), configure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records for email deliverability:
Add SPF record: v=spf1 include:amazonses.com ~all
Add DKIM records (provided by your email provider)
Add DMARC record (optional): v=DMARC1; p=quarantine; rua=mailto:admin@myorganization.org
These records improve email authentication and reduce spam filter issues. See your email provider's documentation for detailed setup.
Troubleshooting Custom Domains
Domain not resolving?
Verify DNS records were added to your registrar (not just saved, but published)
Wait for global DNS propagation (up to 48 hours, typically 5–30 minutes)
Use a DNS lookup tool to confirm records are live
SSL certificate not provisioning?
Ensure CNAME or A records are correctly configured
Verify the domain is publicly accessible (not behind a firewall)
Check Crafted Call status for any service disruptions
Pages still showing old domain?
Clear browser cache and cookies
Disable browser extensions that may interfere with DNS
Test in an incognito/private window
Email deliverability issues?
Ensure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are correctly configured
Check email provider's DKIM configuration
Review email authentication status in your email provider's console
Support
If you encounter issues during custom domain setup:
Contact your domain registrar for DNS configuration help
Contact Crafted Call support with your domain name and any error messages
Provide screenshots of your DNS control panel for troubleshooting
Next Steps
With your custom domain configured, explore email marketing in our Email Campaign Basics guide to drive traffic to your branded domain.
