Your own domain name and https for your radio, explained in plain language

Your own domain name, such as yourstation.com, makes your radio recognisable and trustworthy. And with https your site is secured, which browsers and Google expect nowadays. What is involved? We explain it without jargon.

Why your own domain name?

• Recognisable: yourstation.com is easier to remember than a long address at a provider.
• Yours: if you ever switch to another website or streaming provider, you take your domain with you. Your listeners and your place in Google stay.
• Professional: also for sponsors and advertisers.

Registering a domain name

You register a domain name with a registrar or hosting company. Choose a name that is short, easy to spell and fits your station. Your country's domain (such as .nl, .de or .co.uk) or a .com is usually the most trusted. Check that the name is also still available on social media.

Connecting your domain to your website

A domain name works like an address in the internet's phone book (the DNS). To point your domain to your website, change a few settings at your registrar:

• an A record for your domain (yourstation.com) with the IP address of the server your site runs on;
• the same for www (www.yourstation.com), or a CNAME pointing to your main domain.

After saving, it usually takes less than an hour, sometimes longer, before the change is visible everywhere.

What is https?

With https, the connection between the visitor and your site is encrypted. You can see it by the padlock in the address bar. You need a certificate for it. Fortunately that is often free nowadays via Let's Encrypt, and many hosting plans arrange it automatically.

Why your stream needs https too

This is where it often goes wrong. Is your website on https, but your stream on http? Then browsers block the sound, because you load an insecure source on a secure page. Listeners press play and hear nothing. The solution:

• ask your streaming provider for an https address for your stream;
• or use a panel like AzuraCast that offers the stream over https.

Email on your own domain

With your domain you can also create email addresses, such as [email protected]. Want emails from your site (for example for requests or contact forms) to arrive properly? Then set up SPF and DKIM for your domain. They let recipients know that the email really comes from you and does not end up in spam.

Checklist

• Domain name registered in the name of the station or its owner.
• A records for the domain and www point to your server.
• Website on https with a valid certificate.
• Stream reachable over https.
• Email address on your domain with SPF and DKIM.

Read more about what a good radio site needs in what makes a good website for your radio station.