Set up a custom tracking domain

When you track clicks, the links in your emails briefly pass through a tracking address before reaching their destination. The open-tracking image, web-view link and unsubscribe link use it too. A custom tracking domain makes these links use your own brand, such as track.yourcompany.com, instead of the shared platform domain.

It's optional. Without one, campaigns use the platform tracking domain.

Add a tracking domain

1. Click Tracking domains in the sidebar.
2. Under Add tracking domain, enter a Subdomain such as track.yourcompany.com. Use a subdomain, not your main domain.
3. Click Add.

The panel shows the target your CNAME must point to. After you add the domain, its card shows the full record, for example:

track.yourcompany.com.  CNAME  <target shown in your account>.

Create the CNAME record

1. Sign in to your DNS provider.
2. Create a CNAME record:
   • Host / Name: the subdomain you chose, such as track. Some providers want the full name.
   • Target / Value: the value shown in InboxRoads.
3. Save the record. If you use Cloudflare, set the record to DNS only (grey cloud) so the CNAME stays visible.

Verify it

Click Verify on the tracking domain's card.

• When the CNAME is found, the status changes to verified.
• If it's missing, you'll see "No CNAME record found yet". If it points somewhere else, the card shows the target it found.

DNS changes can take from a few minutes up to 48 hours to spread, so try again later if needed.

Once verified, the card shows either Serving HTTPS or "HTTPS not detected yet, links use http://". Secure links are preferred. If HTTPS isn't detected, check again later or contact support.

Choose which domain to use

• Your first tracking domain is set as Default automatically. To change it, click Make default on another verified domain.
• Campaigns use the default unless you choose a different one in 4 · Tracking → Tracking domain.

Warning: Removing a tracking domain breaks the links in emails you've already sent. Only delete it if you no longer need those links to work.

Related

• Open and click tracking and reports
• Add and verify a sending domain
• How to improve email deliverability

Key takeaways

• Add a subdomain under Tracking domains and point a CNAME to the target shown.
• Click Verify. HTTPS is detected automatically.
• The default tracking domain is used for every campaign unless you pick another.