How to Connect a Custom Domain to Your Custom Website

Overview

Connecting a custom domain points a web address you own — or a new one you buy — at your Cohart custom website, so visitors reach your site on your own domain instead of the default site address. It exists because the default site address belongs to Cohart, while a connected domain gives you an address that matches your brand and can be printed, posted, and shared as your own. It is for artists and galleries with an existing custom website who want a branded, memorable web address for marketing, search results, and buyer trust. The work happens in the Connected Domains section of the Custom Website page, while the visible result appears to visitors in their browser address bar and to you as the domain’s verification status. Adding a domain only registers the intent: an existing domain stays at Invalid Configuration until its DNS records verify, and its analytics report stays locked until then. When you finish, you will have your domain connected and verified — or, for a new purchase, found and priced — with visitors able to reach your site on your own address.

Before you start

• A Cohart seller account with a custom website already set up (see “How to Set Up Your Custom Website”). Connecting is separate from publishing: the page shows Upgrade to Pro and Upgrade to Publish while the site is Unpublished.
• Either a domain you already own, with access to that domain provider’s DNS settings — or a plan to buy a new one through Cohart. Domain search needs a full domain with its extension, and each available option shows its yearly price with privacy protection.
• The exact record values shown in the Learn more panel: one CNAME record for your chosen name (usually www) pointing at the content target shown; any conflicting A, AAAA, or CNAME records for the same name removed; plus an optional forwarding record so the address without www reaches the www address.
• Expect delay, not instant success: DNS changes can take anywhere from a few minutes to 24 hours to take effect, so the domain reads Invalid Configuration until you click Verify URL and it passes. Removing a domain uses Delete with a confirmation dialog.

Steps

1. Sign in to Cohart

Sign in with your email address and password, or use Google or Apple.

2. Open Custom Website

Click Custom Website in the left sidebar.

The page shows your template (for example The Classic), its Primary URL, and the Unpublished status. It also shows the Connected Domains section with three buttons: Add Existing Domain, the Claim … option labeled with your own domain, and Choose your domain. Use Preview to view your site. Publishing requires Upgrade to Pro and Upgrade to Publish.

3. Click Add Existing Domain

Click Add Existing Domain.

The Connect Your Custom URL dialog opens. It says: “Connect your custom URL to your website. We’ll guide you through updating your DNS settings.”

4. Enter your URL and click Connect URL

Type your domain in the Enter Your URL field (placeholder www.example.com ).

Click Connect URL.

Use an address that starts with www (for example www.yourdomain.com), or another prefix such as blog (for example blog.yourdomain.com). Addresses with no prefix (like yourdomain.com) are not supported. Click Cancel or Close to leave without connecting.

5. Add the DNS records at your domain provider

After connecting, your domain appears with the status Invalid Configuration. Click Learn more to expand the instructions.

Go to your domain provider’s DNS settings and add a CNAME record:

Delete any existing A, AAAA, or CNAME records for this domain that may conflict with the new setup.

To forward the non-www address to the www address, add this optional A record:

Watch the video or read the detailed tutorial linked in the panel for provider-specific help.

6. Click Verify URL after updating DNS

Click Verify URL to re-check your DNS.

The Status area shows DNS Record Verification and Connect Custom Website. Both show a red cross until verification passes. DNS changes can take anywhere from a few minutes to 24 hours to propagate. Click Verify URL again later if the status is still Invalid Configuration. View Analytics Report stays locked until the domain verifies. To remove a domain, click Delete, then confirm in the DELETE URL dialog (“Do you want to delete this url?”) with Delete, or keep it with Cancel.

7. Open Choose your domain

To buy a new domain instead: click Choose your domain.

The Buy a New Domain dialog opens with a Search domain name field and a Search button. (The Claim … option opens the same dialog with your own domain pre-filled.)

8. Search for an available domain and review prices

Type a full domain with its extension (for example myexamplegallery12345.com) and click Search.

Available domains show an Available badge, a price such as USD 16 / 1 year, and Privacy protection. More options appear under Suggested Results (for example .net at USD 17 / 1 year, .org at USD 16 / 1 year, .io at USD 71 / 1 year, .co at USD 38 / 1 year). Click Buy Now next to the domain you want. Taken names show Not Available with suggestions instead. Searching without an extension shows Domain is invalid.

Completing the purchase itself is [UNVERIFIED — check manually]. Clicking Buy Now may show an “Expired API Key provided” error, in which case the checkout step cannot be completed — report it rather than retrying payment. Close the dialog with Close (the × button) when you are done searching.

Tips

• Your site stays Unpublished until you use Upgrade to Pro and Upgrade to Publish.
• View Analytics Report stays locked until the domain verifies.
• Watch the video or read the detailed tutorial linked in the panel for provider-specific DNS help.

Troubleshooting

• Domain shows Invalid Configuration right after connecting → your DNS change has not taken effect yet → wait, then click Verify URL again (this can take anywhere from a few minutes to 24 hours).
• Verification keeps failing → old A, AAAA, or CNAME records for the same name conflict with the new setup → delete the conflicting records at your provider, then click Verify URL again.
• Provider rejects @ in the Name field → some providers (for example Wix) do not accept @ → leave the Name field blank (some providers use * instead).
• Entering an address with no prefix fails → addresses like yourdomain.com are not supported → enter the www version, or add a prefix such as blog.
• Search shows Domain is invalid → the search needs a full domain with its extension → type the extension (for example .com, .org).
• Clicking Buy Now shows “Expired API Key provided” → this looks like a configuration issue on the payment step → report it rather than retrying payment.