How to set up a custom domain for your journal
By default, if you're using Scholastica OA Publishing for your journal website, the URL / domain that readers will use to access your pages will be something like "journal-name.scholasticahq.com".
If you instead want to use a custom domain, like "www.your-journal.com", you can follow the steps below to direct readers to your Scholastica site through a custom domain.
Please note: Custom domains are only available for journals that use Scholastica OA Publishing.
Domains normally cost ~$20 USD / year and may be purchased through a registrar such as GoDaddy, NameCheap, etc. Scholastica does not sell domains.
Connecting your custom domain is generally something you'll only need to do once. If you are moving your domain from a different hosting site to Scholastica, this process may look different for you. In that case, please contact your current host to get assistance.
Note: After completing this process, it may take up to 48 hours for your changes to go live. That said, it often takes only a few hours.
Basic terms to know:
A Record : An A Record connects your domain or subdomain name to an IP address and lets web browsers find your website.
CNAME : A CNAME (Canonical Name) points one domain or subdomain to another domain name, allowing you to update one A Record each time you make a change, regardless of how many Host Records need to resolve to that IP address.
ALIAS: Sometimes called an ANAME or CNAME flattening. This is a special type of DNS record that can mimic a CNAME.
For more information about DNS record terminology, this help document, provided by Bluehost, provides additional definitions : DNS Records Explained
Note : Your domain registrar site may have something similar in their Knowledge Base
Step 1: Configure your domain
Login and navigate to the "Publishing Settings" section of the app. If you're subscribed to Scholastica OA Publishing, then you will see a tile named "Custom domain" . Click "Set up" to begin. You will be guided through a setup wizard. If you're unsure how to complete any of the steps, please don't worry, we're happy to assist.
Step 2: Configure your DNS
After you've gone through the entire set up wizard, you'll need to enter some info with your domain registrar/DNS provider. You should see a similar screen to the one below. Once you're confident that you have entered the information as described, you will need to click "I have entered this information at my registrar".
Having Trouble?
Here are some step by step guides from a few common domain registrars:
If you need additional assistance, we're happy to help! If you're comfortable sharing the login credentials for your domain registrar site, we can login and make the updates for you. Please email us at support@scholasticahq.com with the details and we can work with you to complete the set up.