Google domain setup guide
Using a custom domain with Ghost(Pro) not only makes your site memorable, but also establishes your publication as a professional brand.
You can connect any domain or subdomain you've purchased from Google Domains to your Ghost(Pro) publication by adding a CNAME record to your domain's DNS settings. SSL certificates are automatically provisioned (and renewed each year) for you.
If you own a domain through Google Domains, the following steps explain how you can map your custom domain to your Ghost(Pro) publication.
Step 1: Access Domain DNS Settings
The first step in setting up your custom domain is to sign into your Google Domains account and head over to your domain's DNS settings.
Configure your DNS for the domain you'd like to map to your Ghost(Pro) publication:
Under name servers, ensure Google Domains name servers are selected.
Step 2: Create CNAME Records
In the "Custom resource records" section of your DNS settings, create the following DNS records:
| Subdomain DNS Configuration | ||
|---|---|---|
| Record Type | Host | Value |
CNAME |
www |
<subdomain>.ghost.io |
A |
@ |
178.128.137.126 |
Note: The A record will automatically redirect the http and https root domain to the subdomain you configure.
Root Domain Configuration
Google Domains does not support CNAME root domain configurations and using an A record to achieve a root domain is not supported. To setup a root domain configuration, we recommend that you consider using Cloudflare for additional flexibility.
Step 3: Activate the Custom Domain
The final step to complete your custom domain setup is to go back to Ghost.org and activate your custom domain.
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Log into your Ghost.org account at my.ghost.org/signin and setup a custom domain in the "Domain Settings" section.
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Enter the domain into the custom domain field on my.ghost.org, e.g.
www.yourdomain.com::
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Activate your custom domain - this can take anywhere from a few seconds to a few hours due to the length of time your DNS takes to propagate.
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Once activated, you can view your publication by going to the custom domain directly from the browser.
Summary
Nice work! 🎊 You've successfully configured your domain on Google Domains to map to your Ghost(Pro) site. Now your readers will have an easy-to-remember way to access your publication.