Agent Vanity URLS

Agent Vanity URLS

What is a Vanity URL?

A vanity URL is a custom web address that is easy to remember and often branded for personal or marketing use. 

Let's put this in a real life example that you can use throughout this article. Instead of using a longer, more complex web address like https://www.johnsmith.companyurl.com, you can register and use a shorter, more personalize domain like www.JohnSellHomes.com 

There are several types of ways to use a Vanity URL which we discuss below:

Forwarding A Custom Domain

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO FORWARD A DOMAIN
Forwarding a domain means that when someone types your vanity URL (from our example above www.JohnSellsHomes.com)  into their browser, they are automatically redirected (aka forwarded) to another web address (www.JohnSmith.CompanyURL.com). This is done through your settings at your domain host or registrar (i.e. GoDaddy, Namecheap, etc.) 

THERE ARE TWO COMMON TYPES OF FORWARDING
1. Standard (302 or 301) Forwarding. This redirects the user without masking the URL. They type in the vanity URL and will be on the will end up on the page that URL is directed to.
  1. The action item here is to enter your Agent Vanity URL into the Website Address field of your agent profile.
2. Forwarding with Masking. This hides the URL that the Vanity URL is pointed towards and will keep the Vanity URL in the URL bar. 
  1. Back At You does not support Forwarding with Masking. If an agent has this on, they will need to switch to either Standard Masking OR option 3 DNS changes. 
HOW THIS WORKS WITH BACK AT YOU SITES
  1. If your websites are set up with a standard forwarding and your subdomain remains the same, no technical changes or SSL setup is needed.
  2. No SSL setup is required when forwarding your vanity domain. Your subdomain is already protected by the company's wildcard SSL certificate, which covers all subdomains.

Domain Mapping

WHAT IS DOMAIN MAPPING?
Domain Mapping is when you configure your DNS (Domain Name System) settings so that your own custom domain (like www.JohnSellsHomes.com) replaces the default or company-provided domain (like www.JohnSmith.CompanyURL.com) entirely. 
Instead of forwarding to the company domain, your custom domain becomes the primary address. Visitors only see your domain in the browser, not the original company subdomain. 

INSTRUCTIONS FOR UPDATING DNS SETTINGS FOR YOUR BACK AT YOU WEBSITE
If you are using a vanity domain (www.JohnSellsHomes.com) and want it to display instead or your company provided URL (www.JohnSmith.CompanyURL.com) you will need to map your domain by updating your DNS settings.

Login to your domain host or registrar account (i.e. GoDaddy, Namecheap, etc.) and follow the below instructions: 

Once the DNS settings are set, you will need to get an office admin at your company to make some needed changes in your domain settings within ClientBAY.
ADMIN: to learn how to forward an Agent's website to a Different URL in ClientBAY - click here. Once these changes have been made, be sure to notify support@backatyou.com that you need an agent SSL for the domain and they will help facilitate the rest.
Info
If you are unsure about how to make any of these changes:
  1. Reach out to your domain host or registrar's support
  2. Provide them with the A and CNAME record instructions above and ask them to assist.
  3. Support@backatyou.com can help with all of this!

Agent Has Purchased Their Own Custom Website

If an agent has purchased their own website they can continue using that custom website and have their marketing and branding in ClientBAY point to that website.
  1. To make sure that your custom website appears on all of your marketing and branding instead of the Back At You agent website URL, simply enter the custom website domain into the Website Address field in your agent profile. 
We will still generate a Back At You agent website in the background for you. This is necessary because multiple parts of the ClientBAY platform - like Property Watch and Market Watch - depend on the Back At You created websites. This set up acts as a safeguard to prevent clients from landing on broken links. 
Please note that features like Property Watch and Market Watch will always directs clients to your Back At You agent website. There is no way to change this behavior. 






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