# Set up a Domain for Advocate

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**Before you begin:** You will need assistance from the person who manages your domain to verify ownership and adjust your DNS settings.
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Advocate can use domains that you own for your referral program’s share links, microsite, and emails. After a domain has been set up, it’s available for use in any of your programs.

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**Warning:** Setting up a root domain (e.g., `example.com`) for hosting will direct all your website traffic to our servers and will break your main brand website. We recommend using a subdomain (e.g., `subdomain.example.com`) instead to avoid this issue.
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Any [full-access](https://help.impact.com/brand/what-would-you-like-to-learn-about/account-administration/account-settings/invite-and-manage-users/advocate-team-member-roles-and-permissions) team member can add and manage new domains and use them in your program. Program managers can only use domains set up by others.

Key benefits include:

* **Brand consistency:** Replace generic domains in share links, microsites, and emails with your own brand name for a unified look.
* **Increased trust:** Branded links build user confidence and are more likely to be clicked, improving engagement with your referral program.

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#### Step 1: Add the domain

Full-access team members start the process of adding a domain from the Settings page.

1. From the top navigation bar, select ![](https://4048883401-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FwMLlMoFBtKJa8ptd3zaw%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-1183576591b45997efe4dc81a25024640591d02a%2F245137dc972a7a7f6165b59538fcdbac8fd5bd8fee4ba9f20c1a2982c5b58b57.svg?alt=media) **\[User profile] → Settings**. 
2. In the *Advocate Settings* section, select **Custom Domains**.
3. Select **Add Domain**.
4. Enter the name of the domain you want to set up.
   * We recommend using a subdomain.
5. Select one or more domain configurations.
   * Skip this step if you just want to verify that you own the domain. You can return later to configure the domain for email or hosting if you change your mind.
6. Select **Next**.

Next, verify that you own the domain and update your DNS records. This step is required before you can start to use the domain for your programs.
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#### Step 2: Update your DNS Records

Ownership verification is required before you can use this domain in your programs.

1. Follow the on-screen instructions to verify ownership of the domain.
   * To access your DNS settings, you will need assistance from the person who manages your domain.
2. Update your DNS settings for *Hosting authentication*, *Email authentication*, or both.
3. Select **Finish**.
4. 48 hours after updating your DNS settings, return to this screen to check to confirm that setup is complete:

   1. From the left navigation menu, select ![](https://4048883401-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FwMLlMoFBtKJa8ptd3zaw%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-1183576591b45997efe4dc81a25024640591d02a%2F245137dc972a7a7f6165b59538fcdbac8fd5bd8fee4ba9f20c1a2982c5b58b57.svg?alt=media) **\[User profile] → Settings → Custom Domains**.
   2. Locate the domain you added and select ![](https://4048883401-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FwMLlMoFBtKJa8ptd3zaw%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-c746d936c908b9090325464502f7c10acda0e993%2F2a92939e8e78dd7e0c0416b1a250d5ef1d7ab0dec966fb5ed320ca62acfc06c5.svg?alt=media) **\[More] → Edit**.
   3. Under *Verify connection*, select **Check Status**.

   <div data-gb-custom-block data-tag="hint" data-style="warning" class="hint hint-warning"><p><strong>Important:</strong> This step is required before you can start to use your domain. If the setup still isn’t complete after 48 hours, then reach out to our <a href="mailto:saasquatch-support@impact.com">support team</a> for help with troubleshooting.</p></div>
5. Select **Finish**.
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#### Step 3: Use your domain

Full-access team members and program managers can now use this domain for the microsite, emails, or share links. A domain that’s used for your microsite can’t be reused for share links.

**For a microsite**

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**Important:** Domains used for microsites can’t be reused for share links.
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Adding a domain to your microsite will replace the default domain (`companyname.advocate.impact.com`).

1. From the left navigation menu, select ![](https://4048883401-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FwMLlMoFBtKJa8ptd3zaw%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-230534471fef5f40808e921e41ee44e4a06ded03%2Fe6cb9548999afdc1ed3ce4942e4cb5b45b5cecbd323267aac2a7cd1915fccc09.svg?alt=media) **\[Engage] → Content**.
2. On the *Microsite* card, select **Edit settings**.
3. Make sure *Site Hosting* is set to ![](https://4048883401-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FwMLlMoFBtKJa8ptd3zaw%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-d0b6669ae76a7bef06a8d6940d7ad5c16bb8d018%2F7cb018d4face8d7cceb880eb5086c812e764fbcfe6f2a0377f88bc7576973070.svg?alt=media) **\[Toggled on]**.
4. Under **Custom Domain**, select your domain from the dropdown list.
   * If you don’t see the domain you expected, then contact a full-access team member to make sure the domain setup process was completed.
5. Select **Save**.

**For emails**

Adding a domain to your emails will replace the default email address.

1. From the left navigation menu, select ![](https://4048883401-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FwMLlMoFBtKJa8ptd3zaw%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-230534471fef5f40808e921e41ee44e4a06ded03%2Fe6cb9548999afdc1ed3ce4942e4cb5b45b5cecbd323267aac2a7cd1915fccc09.svg?alt=media) **\[Engage] → Content**.
2. Select **Edit emails** on the *Emails* card to open the editor.
3. Select the name of the email you want to add the domain to.
4. Close the menu to view the editing canvas.
5. Select **Edit** to the right of the **Contact Information** heading.
6. Select your domain from the **From address** dropdown menu.
7. Select **Save**.

**For share links**

{% hint style="warning" %}
**Important:** Domains used for share links can’t be reused for microsites. Adding a domain to your share links will replace the default domain when customer advocates send their referral share links.
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1. From the top navigation bar, select ![](https://4048883401-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FwMLlMoFBtKJa8ptd3zaw%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-1183576591b45997efe4dc81a25024640591d02a%2F245137dc972a7a7f6165b59538fcdbac8fd5bd8fee4ba9f20c1a2982c5b58b57.svg?alt=media) **\[User profile] → Settings**.&#x20;
2. In the *Advocate Settings* section, select **General**.
3. In the *Tenant Settings* section, select your domain from the **Primary share link domain** dropdown menu.
   * If you want to set up secondary share links too, then contact our [support team](mailto:saasquatch-support@impact.com) for more information. Secondary share links allow you to add more domains for other brands in your company.
4. Select **Save**.
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