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All About Domains: A Master Help Guide

Learn all about how domains work inside Ivorey™ and see step-by-step video and written instruction of how to set them up.

Bec Burtt avatar
Written by Bec Burtt
Updated over 2 weeks ago

Getting Started With Ivorey™ Domains

There are multiple domain connections available inside of Ivorey™ based on your use case. Before moving forward, please choose which ones you would like to setup based on your needs and goals:

  1. [STRONGLY RECOMMENDED] A domain to use for any websites, funnels, online stores or blogs you build on Ivorey™ e.g. yourdomain.com
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  2. [STRONGLY RECOMMENDED] A dedicated sending domain to send your emails through e.g. mail.yourdomain.com. No one will actually see this domain, but it allows you to improve your long-term email deliverability and domain reputation.
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  3. [OPTIONAL] A branded domain if you want to use your own domain for Ivorey™ calendar, form and invoice links - instead of using the generic URL's that the system generates.
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  4. [OPTIONAL] A client portal domain if you want to use your own domain for your client portal - instead of using the semi-custom URL that the system generates. In this case, we'll show you how to setup a subdomain such as clients.yourdomain.com or members.yourdomain.com to use for your client portal.
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IMPORTANT: If you're currently using your domain on another platform, please click the dropdown below to decide on the best way to move forward before connecting your domain to Ivorey™.

Click here if you're using your domain on another platform

If you currently have a website on another platform (like Wordpress, Wix, Squarespace, Showit etc) that uses your main domain, it will disconnect when you setup that same domain on Ivorey™. This is standard across any platform in the world - as domains can only point to one site at a time. In this case, your options are:

  1. Only connect your domain to Ivorey™ when you're ready for your old site to come down. For example, start building your new site in Ivorey™, but don't connect it until you're ready for the transfer to take place. Please allow up to 72 hours for the domain to start pointing to Ivorey™ instead of your old site (however it's usually much quicker); OR
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  2. Create a subdomain to use for Ivorey™ so you can keep your existing site live and not affect it. To do this, simply type a word before your domain when setting in up in Ivorey™ and this will create whats called a subdomain. An example could be site.yourdomain.com or offers.yourdomain.com.
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STEP 1: Connect your Domain or Subdomain to Ivorey™

Let's guide you through setting up your domain with Ivorey™. This process involves making some adjustments to your DNS records from the provider you purchased your domain from. Once you have your domain connected, you can use it to provide custom links for your Ivorey website, funnels, calendars, forms, client portals and more! Please allow up to 48 hours for domain changes to go live.
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If you're having issues updating your DNS records with your domain provider, please reach out to them directly for support. 9 times out of 10, they will be able to make the changes for you. In all cases, they will need to troubleshoot any issues to establish the connection as your domain service is hosted and managed by them.

Click here for instructions from common domain providers

Below are links to some common domain providers with steps on how to connect your domain or subdomain within their platform.

STEP 2: Set the Default Home Page and Error Page for Your Domain

Still Need Help? Here's a Deep Dive Into The Different Domain Use Cases (Plus Detailed Setup Instructions)

If you'd like more detailed instruction on setting up each of the different domains inside Ivorey™, please find a training video and instructions for each of them below:

Domain for Website, Funnels, Blogs + Online Stores

How to connect a domain or subdomain to Ivorey™ (click to open)

  1. From the Ivorey™ main menu, go to [Settings] > [Domains] > then click [+ Connect a Domain] (if you haven't purchased a domain yet, you will need to purchase a domain with a provider like GoDaddy for example first. Alternatively you can purchase a domain within Ivorey directly by selecting [Purchase a Domain] here)
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  2. On the Funnel/Website/Store/Blog/Webinar tab, click [Connect →] > then enter your domain or subdomain in the 'Domain' field
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    🛑 IMPORTANT NOTE!
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    1. If you have a website on another platform you want to keep live that is currently using your main domain, (e.g yourdomain.com) DO NOT connect your main here inside of Ivorey as this will close down your external site (main domains can only be connected to ONE site at a time) Instead you will need to connect a subdomain (e.g offers.yourdomain.com)
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    2. If you don't have an external website that you want to keep live, then you can connect your main domain to Ivorey™
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  3. Once you have written your main domain or subdomain click the [Continue] button
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    1. If you are connecting your main domain (yourdomain.com) make sure you the 'I also want to add www.yourdomain.com' is toggled on
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    2. If you are connecting a subdomain (offers.yourdomain.com), you won't have the option to add the 'www.' as this is for main domains only
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  4. Depending on who your domain provider is, you may be able to click [Continue] to have these DNS records updated inside your domain automatically, however in most cases you will need to click 'Add Record Manually' to manually update your DNS records
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    1. If you are connecting your main domain (yourdomain.com) you will need to add both records to your domain DNS settings
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    2. If you are connecting a subdomain (offers.yourdomain.com), you will only need to add the one record to your DNS settings
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  5. To add the records from Ivorey™ to your Domain DNS settings, you will need to log into the platform your domain is hosted with (e.g GoDaddy) and add these DNS records inside the DNS settings. Alternatively you can share these records with your Domain Provider directly through their chat support as they will be able to update your DNS records for you
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  6. Once your DNS records have been added to your DNS domain settings, you will need to come back to the domain page in Ivorey™ and click [Verify Records]

How to set the default home page of your domain (click to open)

  1. Now you have connected your domain or subdomain, you can set your default page by going to [Settings] > [Domains] > then click [Manage] next to your main domain
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  2. Under your main domain e.g yourdomain.com, click the 3 dots and select [Edit]
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  3. From here you can choose any existing website or funnel page that you would like to set as the default home page. For example, if your website is under construction you might want to temporarily set a landing page, a coming soon page, or even lead people to your funnel instead
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  4. Then click [Save] to update the default page settings for your domain

  5. Ensure the page you have selected has actually been published, by going into the page and selecting [Publish]
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  6. Next you will need to go to [Site Pages] > and select the relevant area you want to connect your domain from the top menu bar (e.g the funnels tab) > click into your funnel or website > then click the [Settings] tab
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  7. Select your main or subdomain from the dropdown menu under 'Domain' > then update your Path URL (e.g for a link in bio page you would select your domain, then update your Path URL to /link-in-bio)
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  8. You can use the same main or sub domain for ALL of your Funnels, Websites, Online Store and Blog Sites, you will just need to make sure that the Path URL is different for each one

Dedicated Sending Domain for Email Marketing

With Ivorey™, you can use our shared domain, but we strongly recommend spending just 10-15 minutes to set up your own dedicated sending domain instead. This way, you’ll build up your domain’s reputation over time, boosting the chances of landing directly in the inbox (not the junk folder!) and significantly improving your open rates.

How to connect a subdomain to Ivorey™ for email marketing (click to open)

  1. From the Ivorey™ main menu, go to [Settings] > [Domains] > then click [+ Connect a Domain] (if you haven't purchased a domain yet, you will need to purchase a domain with a provider like GoDaddy for example first. Alternatively you can purchase a domain within Ivorey directly by selecting [Purchase a Domain] here)
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  2. On the Email tab, click [Connect →] > then enter a NEW subdomain in the 'Domain' field (e.g mail.yourdomain.com)
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    🛑 IMPORTANT NOTES

    1. your dedicated sending domain is NOT the same as your gmail email address. It is important that the subdomain you add here (e.g mail.yourdomain.com) is NOT connected or used anywhere else.
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  3. Once you have written your subdomain click the [Continue] button
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  4. Depending on who your domain provider is, you may be able to click [Continue] to have these DNS records updated inside your domain automatically, however in most cases you will need to click 'Add Record Manually' to manually update your DNS records
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  5. Ivorey™ will give you a set of domain records (TXT, CNAME, and MX). Please add these into the DNS settings of whoever you purchased your domain through.
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  6. We strongly recommend also adding the DMARC record that shows as optional.
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  7. To add the records from Ivorey™ to your Domain DNS settings, you will need to log into the platform your domain is hosted with (e.g GoDaddy) and add these DNS records inside the DNS settings. Alternatively you can share these records with your Domain Provider directly through their chat support as they will be able to update your DNS records for you
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  8. Once your DNS records have been added to your DNS domain settings, you will need to come back to the domain page in Ivorey™ and click [Verify Records]
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    PLEASE NOTE: This process can take up to 48 hours depending on your domain provider. Once all records turn green, your dedicated sending domain is verified and you're ready to start sending emails!

How to setup your dedicated sending domain headers (click to open)

Once you have set up your dedicated sending domain, you can now set your 'headers'. Your headers are for display purposes only, and will show the 'From' Name and Email on all outgoing emails sent from Ivorey™. Setting up your headers gives a more professional look and feel to your emails.

If the dedicated sending domain you set up was mail.yourdomain.com, and your business email is [email protected], you can add your business email to the Email header. It's just important to note here that the email you add to your header, must have the same root domain as the domain you created your sending domain with.
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For example, you can see below how we have this set up inside of Ivorey™. Our dedicated domain is mail.ivorey.io, but the email we've placed in our email header is [email protected] which is our business email. Because we've kept the root domain the same (ivorey.io) our emails will show that they have been sent from our business email instead of our dedicated sending domain address.

This then means that when we send an email from Ivorey™, this is the name and email our email will display it is sent from. Example shown below:

Follow the steps below to set up your Dedicated Sending Domain Headers:

  1. Make sure you have completed the step above and set up your dedicated sending domain
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  2. From the Ivorey™ main menu go to [Settings] then > [Email Services] then click on > [Dedicated Domain and IP] button
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  3. Click on the 3 dots of your dedicated sending domain > then click [Set Headers]
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  4. In the [Name] field, enter the name you would like your emails to display in the 'Sent From' details
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  5. In the [Email] field, enter the email you would like your emails to display in the 'Sent From' details

Click here to watch how to setup your Sending Domain Headers

OPTIONAL: Custom Domain for Client Portal URL

This is an optional domain to setup. You do NOT have to setup a custom client portal domain as Ivorey™ offers a generic URL that can be semi-customised for your client portal. However, if you would like to add the extra personalisation to your client portal link, then you can setup a custom sub-domain to achieve this.

How to connect a subdomain for your client portal to Ivorey™ (click to open)

  1. From the Ivorey™ main menu, go to [Settings] > [Domains] > then click [+ Connect a Domain] (if you haven't purchased a domain yet, you will need to purchase a domain with a provider like GoDaddy for example first. Alternatively you can purchase a domain within Ivorey directly by selecting [Purchase a Domain] here)
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  2. On the Client Portal tab, click [Connect →] > this will then re-direct you to the client portal domain settings found by going to [Courses] > [Client Portal] > [Settings] > [Domain Settings]
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    ​🛑 IMPORTANT NOTES

    1. If you are creating a custom domain, this needs to be a NEW subdomain that is NOT used anywhere else (e.g members.yourdomain.com)
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  3. You have two options for customising your client portal domain:

    1. Option 1: You can customise your client portal domain by updating the text in the 'Sub Domain' section - this doesn't require you to update your domain DNS records and will mean that your client portal URL will end in 'app.clientclub.net'

    2. Option 2: You can create a subdomain (e.g members.yourdomain.com) for a more customised client portal URL
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  4. If you choose Option 1 above, type your chosen text into the 'Sub Domain' field > then click [Update Domain] to update your client portal > you have now customised your client portal URL and you can skip the next steps
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  5. If you choose Option 2 above, add your sub domain to the 'Custom Domain' field > then click [Update Domain] > please continue with the steps below
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  6. Depending on who your domain provider is, you may be able to click [Continue] to have these DNS records updated inside your domain automatically, however in most cases you will need to click 'Add Record Manually' to manually update your DNS records
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  7. To add the records from Ivorey™ to your Domain DNS settings, you will need to log into the platform your domain is hosted with (e.g GoDaddy) and add these DNS records inside the DNS settings. Alternatively you can share these records with your Domain Provider directly through their chat support as they will be able to update your DNS records for you

OPTIONAL: Custom Domain for Forms, Calendars, Invoices & Proposals (Branded Domain)

This is an optional domain to setup. You do NOT have to setup a branded domain as Ivorey™ will create a generic URL for all of your Calendars, Forms and Invoices. However, if you would like to add the extra personalisation, then you can set up a branded domain to achieve this.

How to connect a subdomain for your branded domain to Ivorey™ (click to open)

  1. From the Ivorey™ main menu, go to [Settings] > [Domains] > then click [+ Connect a Domain] (if you haven't purchased a domain yet, you will need to purchase a domain with a provider like GoDaddy for example first. Alternatively you can purchase a domain within Ivorey directly by selecting [Purchase a Domain] here)
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  2. On the Branded Domain tab, click [Connect →] > this will then re-direct you to the branded domain settings found by going to [Settings] > [Business] > [Branded Domain]
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    ​🛑 IMPORTANT NOTES

    1. If you are creating a branded domain, this needs to be a NEW subdomain that is NOT used anywhere else (e.g links.yourdomain.com)
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  3. Inside your Business Settings, add your branded domain (e.g links.yourdomain.com) > then click [+ Add Domain]
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  4. Depending on who your domain provider is, you may be able to click [Continue] to have these DNS records updated inside your domain automatically, however in most cases you will need to click 'Add Record Manually' to manually update your DNS records
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  5. To add the records from Ivorey™ to your Domain DNS settings, you will need to log into the platform your domain is hosted with (e.g GoDaddy) and add these DNS records inside the DNS settings. Alternatively you can share these records with your Domain Provider directly through their chat support as they will be able to update your DNS records for you
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  6. Once these records have been added, you will now see your branded domain in the share link URL's of your Forms, Calendars, and Invoices.

Frequently Asked Questions About Domains

What should you use your main domain for in Ivorey™?

If you're building a website on Ivorey™, it is best practice to connect it to your main domain. You can also use the same main domain for all of your funnels, online store and blog - as long as they are all built in Ivorey™.

Your main domain should NOT be connected to your Client Portal URL, your Branded Domain, or your Dedicated Sending Domain - these should all be setup as NEW sub-domains.

What Ivorey assets would need a sub-domain?

  • You can setup a custom subdomain for your client portal such as 'clients.yourdomain.com' or 'members.yourdomain.com' - NOTE: You do not have to setup a custom subdomain for your client portal if you don't want to, as you can customise the system domain instead that ends in 'app.clientclub.net'
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  • If you'd like your calendars, forms, invoices and proposal links to have your domain instead of a system-generated one, you can create a subdomain for your "branded domain" such as 'links.yourdomain.com' to use for this. NOTE: You do not have to setup a custom branded domain if you don't want to, as Ivorey™ will give you generic URL's to use instead if nothing is added here.
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  • For email marketing we recommend you setup a custom dedicated sending domain such as 'mail.yourdomain.com' so that your emails are sent from your domain instead of the systems shared domain used by everyone. NOTE: You do not have to setup a custom dedicated sending domain for email marketing, however we highly recommend you do for better email deliverability.

How do I change the generic URL's in Ivorey™ to have my custom domain e.g. for calendars and forms?

To customise the links of your forms, calendars, invoices and proposals, you will need to create a subdomain for your Branded Domain. You can set this up under [Settings] > [Domains] > [Branded Domain]

How can I set the default page when someone visits my domain/website?

To set the default page that visitors see when they visit your URL (aka your domain), follow these steps:

  1. From the main menu in Ivorey™, go to [Settings] > [Domains] > then click [Manage] next to your main domain
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  2. Under your main domain e.g yourdomain.com, click the 3 dots and select [Edit]
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  3. From here you can choose any existing website or funnel page that you would like to set as the default home page. For example, if your website is under construction you might want to temporarily set a landing page, a coming soon page, or even lead people to your funnel instead
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  4. Then click [Save] to update the default page settings for your domain
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  5. Ensure the page you have selected has actually been published, by going into the page and selecting [Publish]

How can I set the error page if someone lands on a broken link?

You can set up a 404 Error Page to display if someone visits a URL that doesn't exist. This page will guide them back to your main site or suggest other areas to explore. Here's how to set this up:

  1. From the main Ivorey menu, go to [Site Pages] > [Website] and either create a new website or add a page to your existing website.
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  2. For your error page, we suggest creating a very simple page that includes your main menu and header, footer, and text that says "Sorry, this page is not available", then finally a button that says "Return Home" and leads back to your home page
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  3. Ensure the page you have created has actually been published, by going into the page and selecting [Publish]
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  4. Then go to [Settings] > [Domains] > and click [Manage] next to your main domain
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  5. Under your main domain e.g yourdomain.com, click the 3 dots and select [Edit]
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  6. From here you can choose the error page you just created as the 404 error page
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  7. Then click [Save] to update the 404 error page settings for your domain

Can you host your website and funnels on the same domain in Ivorey™?

Yes, you can host both your website and funnels on the same domain in Ivorey™. Here's how it works:

  1. If you're building a website on Ivorey™, you can use your main domain (e.g. yourdomain.com) for it
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  2. You can use this same domain for all your funnels, online store, and blog - as long as they're built in Ivorey™.
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  3. When publishing funnels, you can simply create different URL paths under your main domain. For example, 'yourdomain.com/funnel-name'. You do this in the Settings tab of each funnel.
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  4. Alternatively - if your main domain is already being used on an external platform (not on Ivorey™) and you want to keep it live, then you can use a subdomain like 'offers.yourdomain.com' for your Ivorey™ website and funnels instead

How do I find my DMARC record for my dedicated sending domain?

To find or check your DMARC record for your dedicated sending domain, please go to:
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1. [Settings] > [Email Services] > the click the [Dedicated Domain and IP] button
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2. click the 3 dots of your dedicated domain > click 'Verify Domain'
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3. here you will see all of your DNS records for your dedicated sending domain Your DMARC record is usually at the bottom of the list.

How do I delete a domain in my dedicated domain settings?

You'll need to click on [Settings] > [Email services] > [Dedicated Domain And IP] > click on the three dots next to the domain name you want to delete, and click [Delete domain]
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From there, you'll be able to start fresh by following the steps in the 'Domain for Email Marketing' section of this guide.

When you're asked to put in your subdomain, you can enter 'mail.yourdomain.com' and add the DNS settings from there.

How do I check if my dedicated sending domain records are verified?

To check if your dedicated sending domain records have been verified, please go into [Settings] > [Domains] > select the [Email] tab > then click the 3 dots of your email domain > and click 'configure'. This will then take you to your dedicated sending domain DNS records where you will be able to see the records that have or haven't been verified. Here you can click 'verify records' at the bottom right of your screen, or add them to your DNS records first and then come back to verify.

How long for my domain changes to go live?

Updates to DNS records can take up to 72 hours to take effect across the web. If you encounter any error messages or SSL certificate issues during this time, they usually resolve by waiting for up to 72 hours, or re-connecting the domain.

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