Figuring out custom domain names always feels complicated. However, they are vital for building brand awareness and trust.
I was surprised by how easy it was to set up a custom domain on Kajabi. In fact, it only takes a few clicks to get the job done.
Key Takeaways:
- Kajabi assigns you a default domain of .mykajabi.com
- Connecting a custom domain is automated for most major domain registrars
- You can create a subdomain to connect Kajabi to an existing website
You Don’t Need a Custom Domain for Kajabi (But It’s Better If You Do)
When you create an account with Kajabi, you are automatically assigned a subdomain that you can use for your Kajabi website. All platform users get the same one, and it looks like this:
businessname.mykajabi.com
So, if your business is called “Cool Courses,” your subdomain might be coolcourses.mykajabi.com.
Getting use of a subdomain is useful because it allows you to publish your website, courses, and other web pages without purchasing a new domain.
However, it doesn’t do much for your brand image. The problem with a Kajabi domain is that people will think your business is Kajabi, which can easily cause confusion.
If you want to build a strong brand (which I’m sure you do) and “hide” the fact you’re using Kajabi, you need to purchase a unique domain.
Good News: Kajabi Has Automated Domain Setup (Mostly)
Connecting a custom domain to a website used to be a fairly technical process. Thankfully, it’s no longer as complicated as it used to be.
In fact, Kajabi has set up an automated process for several of the big domain registrar sites. However, it doesn’t reveal exactly which ones they are.
I do know that Namecheap is one because that’s where I bought my custom domain. If you are unsure, I recommend reaching out to Kajabi and asking if your preferred domain registrar features an automated connection process.
For all other domains, you must follow a manual process, which you will be guided through step-by-step.
How to Connect Your Custom Domain to Kajabi (Full Guide)
Getting a new domain is easy. You can pick any main domain registrar website like GoDaddy, NameCheap, Cloudflare, etc. Head over to one of these sites, choose your domain, and purchase it.
1. Head to Kajabi Domain Settings
Head to Settings > Domain Settings > Setup Custom Domain.
2. Add Your Domain Name (Automated Process)
Type your domain in the space provided, then click Continue. It may take a few moments for Kajabi to find your domain.
If your domain registrar has an automated authentication process with Kajabi, you will see a pop-up like this. Click Continue, and the system will work its magic.
If you don’t see this pop-up, you will have to follow a manual process. Scroll down and skip to Step 3.
You will then be asked to log into your domain registrar account. Like I said, I use Namecheap, so your pop-up may look a little different if you use a different domain provider.
Once you have added your login credentials, the system will now go through the authentication process.
When the authentication process is complete, you’ll get a nice shower of digital confetti and confirmation that everything is done.
3. Get and Add Your Kajabi Name Servers (Manual Setup)
If you see a screen like the one above when you go to connect your domain, you will know that you have to do it manually. The manual domain setup process is slightly more complicated, but it’s not difficult.
First things first: Open a new browser window and log into your domain registrar account. Head to the nameserver settings area.
Click to add custom DNS.
Go back to Kajabi and copy the nameservers into the space provided in your domain registrar. Click to confirm.
4. Verify Name Servers (Manual Setup)
Once you have added and confirmed the Kajabi nameservers in your domain registrar, go back to Kajabi and click Done, Verify Domain.
The system will take a minute or two to authenticate your domain. Once it’s done, you’ll get confirmation that the process is complete and your domain is successfully connected.
5. Test the New Connection
Whether you followed the automated or manual domain connection process, make sure you test the connection.
- Open up your Kajabi website in a browser.
- Click the circular icon to the left of your domain name and check that the site is secure.
- Thoroughly test site functionality, including links, forms, and checkout pages. Make sure everything works as it should.
- If you experience a problem, try clearing your cache first. If that doesn’t work, reach out to Kajabi and your domain registrar for further guidance.
What If Your Custom Domain Is Already Being Used Elsewhere?
If you have already spent time and effort creating your website elsewhere (Wix, WordPress, Square, etc.), understandably you may not want to transfer everything over to Kajabi. Who has time for that, anyway?
The problem is that you cannot use your custom domain in more than one place. So, if you have www.coolcourses.com connected to your WordPress site, you cannot use it for Kajabi.
That’s not a problem, though, because you can simply create a subdomain for your Kajabi site, which will connect it to your main website.
For example, a subdomain of coolcourses.com could be community.coolcourses.com or livecoaching.coolcourses.com.
How to Do It
Head to Settings > Domain Settings > Setup Custom Domain > Create a subdomain instead.
Add the name of your subdomain and your existing domain, and click Continue.
Next, you have to add a CNAME record to your domain. You do this by logging into the DNS settings of your domain registrar and adding the information above.
Again, the process for adding a CNAME record will differ between domain registrars, so if you get stuck, consult your registrar’s help pages for guidance.
Once you have added the CNAME record, hop back over to Kajabi and click to confirm. After a few moments, your new subdomain will be created and ready for use.
Why I Also Recommend Setting up a Kajabi Custom Email Domain
Just like the default domain of .mykajabi.com, you also get a default email domain assigned.
However, I don’t recommend sticking with this because it doesn’t build any trust or credibility for your brand.
Think about the amount of suspicious emails you’ve received in your life. Do you bother opening emails if you don’t recognize the address?
Probably not.
For someone to open your email, they need to fully trust your brand. And they won’t do that unless you have a proper, custom domain.
How to Do It
Head to Settings > Marketing Settings, and scroll to Email Settings. Then, click on Set up a custom email domain instead.
Complete the required information and add your custom email domain in the From email and Reply to email fields. Click Continue.
Next, the system will search for your custom email address and then ask you to add the following records to your DNS registrar:
- Three TXT records
- Two MX records
- One CNAME record
The records generated are unique to you. Consult your domain registrar if you’re unsure how to add them (the process is the same as adding a CNAME record, as outlined in the previous section of this article).
Once you have added the records, you can click to confirm on Kajabi, and the authentication process will run and complete.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Many Custom Domains Can I Add to My Kajabi Site?
You can add one custom domain per Kajabi site. The Kajabi Pro plan allows three websites; therefore, you can add three custom domains. All other plans allow one website, so you can only add one custom domain.
Where Can I Buy a Custom Domain for Kajabi?
You can buy a custom domain from any reputable domain registrar like GoDaddy, Namecheap, Cloudflare, Hostgator, and even WordPress. It’s not possible to purchase a domain from Kajabi.
