Domain Name Registry Tech-Tip

Introduction

Group Package 1 websites contain a mix of default verbiage and imagery, with your group's details. This is managed for you by Scouts Online. There is no ability to link your own domain name to your website.

If you'd like to upgrade to a higher package level, please contact us.

Adding your own domain name to your website will help others remember your website address and increase search engine optimisation, so others can find you more easily.

Domain names (E.g. www.MyScoutGroup.org.uk) are relatively cheap and can be purchased through registrars like www.123-reg.co.uk. Your domain name can then be linked to your Scouts Online website instead of/as well as your sub-domain URL (E.g. MyScoutGroup.ScoutsOnline.co.uk).

Configuring Domain Name DNS

To direct website traffic from your domain name to your Scouts Online website, you need to configure two 'A' records in your domain name's DNS settings. This can be done within your domain name registrant's control panel, following the instructions below:

  1. Locate the settings for your domain name and access the DNS (or advanced DNS) settings
  2. Add/replace a wildcard (@) and a 'www' entry with the destination IP address set to 92.205.110.166
  3. Leave any other DNS entries in place

This should look similar to the following:

DNS Settings

In the example screenshot above, website traffic for both the 'www' and default (@) entries will be directed to Scouts Online hosting server platform (92.205.110.166).

Please note that it may take up to 2 days for these changes to propagate and become active across the World Wide Web.

Inform Scouts Online - To complete the process

Once you have made the DNS changes to your domain name, please contact Scouts Online to inform us of your new domain name.

We will add your domain name to your website's Group DetailsGlobal Settings admin page, and add an SSL (https secure browsing) certificate to your website.

Boost Your Website Traffic

Once your domain name is attached to your Scouts Online website and it's operational, you should submit it to Google and Bing so that they can crawl your website and add it to their search results.

See Google and Bing instructions.

You can also increase website traffic using other tips in the Promote Your Website tech-tip.

Email Hosting and/or Forwarding

Some domain name registry companies also off email hosting and email forwarding.

Email Hosting allows you to setup email addresses for each of your team members. E.g. chair@MyScoutGroup.org.uk. Email Forwarding allows you to setup similar addresses which simply forward any emails received to the volunteer's private email address. There are pros and cons on both of these.

Email Hosting tends to be more expensive, and means that volunteers have to monitor another email address, but their replies are sent from their Scouting email address.

Email Forwarding is cheaper and means that volunteers don't have to monitor another email address, but their replies are sent from their private email address.

Microsoft 365 for Nonprofits

Another option, which is free of charge, but requires some technical knowledge is to register a Microsoft 365 Nonprofits account for your GroupDistrict County and setup Email Hosting and/or Email Forwarding there.