Introduction

This article will cover the topic of domain configuration for when you want to use your own domain for your Chime IDX website. There are multiple points that are part of this topic:

• Chime Support Domain Setup Assistance
• Company Sites/Group Sites/Team Sites
• Domain Configuration Process
• Agent Subdomains
• Agent Websites
• SSL Certificates
• Sending Email Domain Configuration 

*IMPORTANT: Your Chime site will appear at _________.chime.me until it is configured to another URL via the steps indicated in this article.

Chime Support Domain Setup Assistance

If you would like the Chime Support Team to configure your domain for you, please send the domain name provider and login credentials to support@chimeinc.com with instructions to do so.

For domains with GoDaddy and Google, we also ask that you grant delegate access to chimedomainTS@gmail.com. Then, be sure to email Chime Support and our team will be able to help you finalize the configuration as soon as possible. 

*IMPORTANT: When delegating access to Chime via GoDaddy, please email our Support Team with the name that the domain is under (even if it is your own name, but especially if it's not). All that is seen on our end when delegate access is received is a very long list of names delegating access so our team needs to know which specific one to look under.

What Will We Change? 

If you wish for Chime Technologies Support to edit your domain information, we will do the following. 

 If your Chime IDX site is going to be configured with the domain abc.com, the A records will appear like this:

or

*IMPORTANT:

• Please note that other A records or AAAA records other than one of the sets shown above need to be removed.
• Always take a screenshot or make note of any existing A records should you need to undo any changes.

Next, Support will add a CNAME with the "Name" = www and "Value" = yourdomain.com, using your domain, of course. This is to make sure www.abc.com (for example) works properly in that format. The value should be your domain.

Also, if you have agents on the team who also need Agent Subdomains (e.g. ericjohnson.chimerealestate.com), support will add a wildcard CNAME. See the configuration instructions below under Subdomains. 

*IMPORTANT: To avoid URL downtime as much as possible, please coordinate the best timing to do this change with the Chime Support Team if possible.

Company Sites/Group Sites/Team Sites

As Company Sites/Group Sites/Team Sites will be parent sites to subdomains, they need to own a top-level vanity domain(like chimedemo.com).  

There are two ways to configure your domain 

1. Use Your Own Domain

You will need to have a domain name purchased from a domain provider. Once you have a domain name to configure, you can follow the instructions below on connecting your domain to Chime:

*IMPORTANT: If you purchase a domain via Chime (see Vanity Domain Purchase), you do not need to follow any of the following steps as they will be done for you automatically.

• Connect your own domain to Chime
• There are 2 locations where to do this step. Location 1: CMS dashboard> VANITY DOMAIN SETUP> Use Your Own Domain> Enter the domain name and click Next.

• Location 2: CMS dashboard> Setting> Basic Info> Domain> Enter the domain name and click Save.

Note: To finish the connection, you should update your domain's DNS records in your domain host account (usually the company you bought your domain from). You will see a step-by-step outline in your Chime dashboard, which will help you to go through the steps to change the DNS records in your domain's current host account.

Domain Configuration Process

When your domain has not yet been connected to your Chime website, we will guide you step by step to update your domain settings. Below are the 5 steps. 

• Step 1 - Log in to the domain provider  
  • Open a new tab in your browser
  • Go to your domain host's site and log in
  • Click I have logged in
• Step 2 - Find the domain settings page
  • Go to the domains page on your domain host's site
  • Find where you manage the domain‘s settings
  • Click I found my domain settings
• Step 3 - Find your DNS Records
  • In your domain settings, find the area where you manage or edit DNS server records
  • Return to the Chime domains page
  • Click I found the DNS records
• Step 4 - Change the A Records
  • For example, if your Chime website was going to be configured with the domain "abc.com," the A records would need to be configured as follows. Do the same but with your domain:

Value: 52.52.24.52 / 52.9.101.47

• • Note: other A records or AAAA records other than one of the sets shown above need to be removed
  • Click I have updated my A records
• Step 5 - Add a new CNAME record
  • "Name" = www and "Value" = yourdomain.com (replace with your domain)

• • Save your changes
  • Return to your Chime domain page
  • Click I have updated my CNAME records

Domain Verification

If your domain setup failed, please check your domain settings again and contact Chime Support (support@chimeinc.com) if you need additional assistance. If your domain has been set up successfully, we will automatically install the SSL certificate on your website. In addition, Facebook and Google log-ins will be configured automatically.

Continue to Set up the Domain

Navigate to: CMS dashboard> VANITY DOMAIN SETUP> Configure Domain

When your domain configuration process has not yet been completed, you can click the button Configure Domain to continue.

SSL Certificate Setup

After the domain has been set up successfully, we will automatically install the SSL certificate on your website. If the SSL certificate installation failed, we will send a notification email after SSL has been installed successfully.

2. Get a New Domain

If you do not have a domain yet, you can purchase one via Chime. For more details, please visit Vanity Domain Purchase.

Agent Subdomains

More information regarding subdomains can be found HERE. Subdomains refer to third-level domains only. Examples of a third-level domain could be the following (firstlast.domain.com):

• maryrodriguez.chimerealestate.com
• ericjohnson.chimerealestate.com
• susilancaster.chimerealestate.com

Please note that using "firstlast.domain.com" will only be an option once the main team site domain is configured as a vanity domain (e.g. chimerealestate.com) AND a wildcard CNAME has been added to the domain settings as seen here below:

• Name = *
• Value = yourdomain.com

*Please note that not all domain providers support wildcard rules. A wildcard rule in place will allow for the Agent Subdomains to be created automatically but you can still contact Chime Support if they need to be configured manually.

If you do not want to add the wildcard CNAME to set all of your subdomains to point to our servers, you can still configure your subdomains one by one. As an example, we can use "chimerealestate.com" as the main team website and "maryrodriguez.chimerealestate.com" as the subdomain to demonstrate how this would need to be set up. To make this work you would need to do the following (using your domain + subdomain, of course):

1. Change the A records

2. Add the CNAMEs

3. Create a subdomain manually in your site list.

If you have multiple Agent Subdomains to add, you would add another CNAME with their name and make sure everything else is in place as described above.

*IMPORTANT: We do not recommend including "www" within the subdomain CNAME itself. In other words, you would not want to put "www.maryrodriguez" in the CNAME value instead of what was shown in the example above.

Agent Websites

More information regarding Agent Websites can be found HERE. Please note that an Agent Website is an add-on purchase per agent and can be added via the Chime Marketplace: 

Regarding domain configuration, the following options are available for Agent Websites:

1. Use your own domain
   • Examples: firstlast.com  |  teamname.com  |  mybrand.com
2. Get a New Domain
   • Please refer to Vanity Domain Purchase
3. Use a third-level domain
   • Examples: firstlast.abcrealestate.com  |  teamname.abcrealestate.com  |  territory.mybrand.com
   • Follow the same steps as outlined for Agent Subdomains.

SSL Certificates

For more information regarding SSL Certificates, please reference the following article: Website SSL Certificates.

Sending Email Domain Configuration 

If you want to configure a new sending email domain, you can choose to use one you already have or purchase a new one via Chime. You will then be guided through the next steps.

1. Login to your domain provider's portal. (Not sure who your provider is? Click here.)
2. Go to the domains page on your domain host's site.
   
3. Find where you manage the domain's settings. (Look for a button or link with the words manage, manage settings, domain settings, or something similar.)
4. In your domain settings, find the area where you manage or edit DNS server records.

5. Add our records to your DNS

• A Records

Enter the information as shown below:

Then choose Yes, then click save.

The name will be parsed into the correct format by the system.

Then add another A Record.

This completes the A records part.

Tips: If your DNS contains the A records below, you don't need to add the A records above, just keep it as is.

MX Records 

NOTE: SKIP THIS STEP IF YOU ALREADY PAY FOR EMAIL FOR THIS DOMAIN

Tips: If your DNS contains other platforms' MX records something like the below image, then we strongly DO NOT recommend configuring this domain as your sending email domain anymore. Doing so may break your original email service.

• Add the MX Records as shown below:
•  Enter the values as shown below:

• Then choose Yes, then click save.
  

• The name will be parsed into the correct format by the system.

• Then add another MX Record.
  
• Your MX records are now all set.

CNAME Records

• Add the CNAME as shown below:

• Add all CNAMES
  

Then choose Yes, then click save.

Your CNAME is now all set.

TXT Records

• Add the TXT Record as shown below: 
  

• Add all records.
  
  
  
• Then choose Yes, and click save.  Add All TXT Records.

6. Congratulations, you have completed all the configuration processes！ Propagation time may vary depending on the provider, then you may use this domain.

 

 

Questions?

If you have any questions regarding this topic or any others, please reach out to our Support Team via email at <support@chimeinc.com>, by phone at 1 (855) 981-7557, or by a chat with us through your Chime CRM.