Set up your own domain: connect, buy, DNS and SSL

Want your website to be called exactly like you? With Artistnest you start right away with a free address and can add your own domain at any time. In this article, we show you step by step what options you have and how it all works.

Free subdomain or your own domain – which one suits you?

Every artist on Artistnest gets a free address from day one in the form `your-name.artistnest.com`. That puts your page online and makes it shareable right away – you don't need to buy or set up anything.

If you'd like a more professional, personal address (for example your-name.de), you can also connect your own domain. Standard domains up to a set annual price are included in your plan; for special domains you see a clear price up front, before anything is registered.

Where you manage your domains

You manage your domains centrally in the artist settings, in the Domains tab (no longer per website). There you'll find your subdomain, your connected domains and their status in one place.

Step 1: Customize your free subdomain

1. 1Open the artist settings and switch to the Domains tab.
2. 2Enter the name you want in the Subdomain field (lowercase letters, max. 32 characters).
3. 3Save the change.

Your page is then reachable at your-name.artistnest.com.

Step 2: Search for and connect your own domain

In the same area, enter the domain you want (for example your-domain.de) in the search field and click Search. Right after, you see the result including the price – either "Included in your plan" or the annual price. Depending on whether the domain is available or already yours, there are two ways:

Buy an available domain

If the domain is available, click Buy domain. You fill in the required owner details, confirm the required consents and complete the purchase with Buy (paid). Artistnest registers the domain for you and sets it up automatically.

Link an existing domain

If the domain already belongs to you (or it's taken because you already own it), click Link an existing domain to Artistnest. You'll then see the specific DNS records to add at your current provider so the domain points to your Artistnest page. Your domain stays with your provider.

Step 3: Track the status

Once added, your domain appears in the list with a status:

• Active – the domain is connected and reachable.
• Waiting for DNS records – checked automatically. – you've linked an external domain; as soon as the DNS records take effect, Artistnest activates it automatically (the check keeps running on its own).
• In progress – the domain is being set up right now.

Step 4: SSL and HTTPS – secure automatically

You don't need to take care of secure encryption (SSL/HTTPS) yourself. As soon as your domain is connected, the security certificate is set up and renewed for you automatically. Your visitors see the lock icon in their browser, and your page loads over a protected https:// connection.

Tips

• Type domains without typos: Enter your domain in lowercase and without https://, so simply your-domain.de.
• DNS changes take a little patience: When you set DNS records at your provider, it can take a while until the change is visible everywhere – Artistnest keeps checking automatically.
• Your free address stays: Even if you connect your own domain, your *.artistnest.com address keeps working – so you don't lose any existing links.