Setup Part 4: DNS Configuration - Establishing Your Domain's Identity

In this final step of the Setup series, we’ll take a look at configuring your DNS settings to ensure your domain is properly connected to your site. For this example, we’ll use mydomain.com as the domain registrar and statisticalbias.com as the domain name.

Step 1: Add a Custom Domain in Netlify

1. Navigate to your site’s dashboard on Netlify.
2. Click “Domain settings” and then “Add custom domain.”
3. Enter your domain name (e.g., statisticalbias.com) and click “Verify.”
4. Confirm the domain by clicking “Yes, add domain.”

Step 2: Configure DNS Settings at Your Domain Registrar

In this example, we’ll use mydomain.com as the domain registrar. The process may vary slightly depending on your registrar.

1. Log in to your account at mydomain.com.
2. Navigate to the “Domain Central” or “Domain Management” section.
3. Select the domain you want to configure (statisticalbias.com).
4. Locate the DNS settings or “Nameservers” section.
5. Change the nameservers to the ones provided by Netlify (e.g., dns1.p04.nsone.net, dns2.p04.nsone.net, dns3.p04.nsone.net, dns4.p04.nsone.net).

Step 3: Update DNS Records in Netlify

1. Return to your site’s “Domain settings” page on Netlify.
2. Click “Add new record” under “DNS records.”
3. Add any necessary DNS records (e.g., CNAME, A, or MX records) as needed. For a basic setup, you might only need a CNAME record.

Step 4: Wait for DNS Propagation

DNS changes may take some time to propagate across the internet, typically between a few minutes and 48 hours. Be patient, and periodically check if your domain is correctly pointing to your Netlify site.

Step 5: Enjoy Your Custom Domain

Once the DNS propagation is complete, your custom domain should be connected to your site. Now you can share your content with the world using your unique domain name!

With the Setup series concluded, we’ll move on to Workflow, where we’ll explore composing and publishing posts with efficiency and finesse. Stay tuned!