Create a Custom Tracking Domain

A custom tracking domain improves email deliverability and enhances brand consistency by ensuring that tracked links in your emails are redirected through your own domain rather than a third-party service. This reduces the chances of your emails being flagged as spam and provides a better experience for recipients.

If you are using link click tracking, configuring a custom tracking domain is highly recommended. For a complete overview of email tracking best practices, see Email Tracking: Best Practices and Overview.

Step 1: Access Your DNS Provider

Before making any changes, you need access to your domain’s DNS settings. Your DNS provider is typically where you purchased your domain (e.g., GoDaddy, Cloudflare, Namecheap).

  1. Log in to your DNS provider's website.
  2. Navigate to the DNS settings or DNS management page.
  3. Locate the section where you can add a new record (usually called "Manage DNS" or "Advanced DNS").

Tip: If you’re unsure who your DNS provider is, you can use a Whois Lookup tool to find your DNS host.

Step 2: Add a CNAME Record

To set up a custom tracking domain, you need to add a CNAME record. This record tells email providers to route tracking links through your domain.

  1. In your DNS provider’s settings, add a new record.
  2. Select CNAME as the record type.
  3. Enter the following details:
    • Host/Name: Choose a subdomain prefix such as track or tracking.
    • Points To: Enter tracking.autoklose.com.
    • TTL (Time to Live): If required, set it to the default or 1 hour.
  4. Save the new DNS record.

Example: If your domain is yourcompany.com and you set the Host as track, your tracking URL will appear as track.yourcompany.com.

Step 3: Allow Time for DNS Propagation

DNS changes may take up to 48 hours to fully propagate across all internet providers. In most cases, updates happen within a few hours, but some providers may take longer.

You can check if your DNS changes have propagated using a tool like What's My DNS. Enter your tracking domain (e.g., track.yourcompany.com) and look for the CNAME record pointing to tracking.autoklose.com.

Step 4: Notify VanillaSoft to Complete Setup

Once your DNS changes have propagated, contact VanillaSoft Support to finalize the setup. Support will verify the domain and enable link tracking through your custom tracking domain.

  1. Submit a request to VanillaSoft Support.
  2. Provide your custom tracking domain (e.g., track.yourcompany.com).
  3. Wait for confirmation that the setup is complete.

 

Next Steps

  • Enable Link Click Tracking: Once your tracking domain is set up, you can enable link click tracking in your email settings. See Configuring Email Tracking Settings for detailed steps.

  • Monitor Your Deliverability: Ensure that your emails are being delivered successfully by reviewing open and click-through rates in your email reports.

By following these steps, you ensure that your tracking links remain branded, improve email deliverability, and reduce the risk of emails being marked as spam.

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