How do I set up my DNS?

In this article, you will learn how to set up your DNS in order to configure your subdomain or your subdirectory integration with Weglot

1. What kind of integrations are available?
2. How to set up a subdomain integration?
3. How to set up a subdirectory integration?
4. How to verify if everything is correctly setup?

1. What kind of integrations are available?

With the subdomain-based and subdirectory-based integrations, your translations are made server-side on a dedicated URL. For example, if your website is translated into English, you can have the following:

- Subdomain https://en.website.com/

- Or subdirectory https://www.website.com/en/

These integrations are equivalent in terms of SEO, as it allows Google to index your translated pages.

More info here 👉 How does Weglot manage the SEO

2. How to set up a subdomain integration?

You are trying to set up (a) subdomain(s) for your translated pages, and you have trouble setting up your DNS? No worries, it's easier than it looks

• First, log in to your Weglot Dashboard

You should see this:

Here, you just need to enter the URL of your domain, your original language, and your translated language(s). You should also choose the type of URL you would like to have (subdomains or subdirectories). To have a URL using the subdomains for your translated versions, you should choose "Subdomains".

Then, click on "Next"

• Add your DNS entry into your domain registrar

You should now see this step:

Into your domain registrar, you have to go to your domain settings and you have to set up DNS.

Your domain registrar should be where you're paying in order to manage your main domain (for instance > yourwebsite.com)

You'll have to create the DNS record below (if French is your translated language)

host > fr

CNAME

point to > number_and_letters.translate-cf.weglot.io (instead of websites.weglot.com in the example above)

If you are using GoDaddy, Google Domains, Namecheap, or Hostinger you can see how to do it in the videos below:

GoDaddy -->> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9407vj9pXbY

Google Domains -->> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0vbawaPUN4

Namecheap -->> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syC5EGllqrs

Hostinger -->> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7aPlUQtNCk

Once this step is done, the red cross should become green after a few seconds or minutes:

Then, click on "Next"

If you have any trouble, you can contact us at support@weglot.com and provide us access to your domain registrar, we can add the DNS entry for you.

• Wait for the subdomain(s) initialization

Here, Weglot is initializing your subdomain(s) and you just have to wait a little bit until you see the message "Domain ready":

Meanwhile, feel free to follow the instructions and add the JavaScript code snippet right before your closing head tag, it will display the language switcher on your website, and also add hreflang tags to let Google know you have different versions of the same page and favor indexing of these pages (which is important for your SEO)

Once it's done, you can click on "Finish" and you're done! You can now visit the pages on your subdomain(s) in order to generate your translations

3. How to set up a subdirectory integration?

You are trying to set up (a) subdirectory(ies) for your translated pages, and you have trouble setting up your DNS? No worries, it's easier than it looks

• First, log in to your Weglot Dashboard

You should see this:

Here, you just need to enter the URL of your domain, your original language, and your translated language(s). You should also choose the type of URL you would like to have (subdomains or subdirectories). To have a URL using the subdomains for your translated versions, you should choose "Subdirectories (Beta)".

Then, click on "Next"

• Add your DNS entry into your domain registrar

You should now see this step:

Into your domain registrar, you have to go to your domain settings, and you have to set up DNS.

Your domain registrar should be where you're paying in order to manage your main domain (for instance > yourwebsite.com)

You'll have to create the DNS record displayed on your Weglot dashboard (the values are specific for each project)

host > cloudflare-verify

TXT

point to > value with numbers and letters

Once this step is done, the red cross should become green after a few seconds or minutes:

You should see that the SSL certificate is validated. This means that the first step has been completed.

Then, you should replace an existing DNS. You should look for a CNAME record with the name displayed on your Weglot dashboard, and you should change its value to set it to the new value indicated on your Weglot dashboard. This value should have the pattern below:

number_and_letters.translate-cf.weglot.io

The propagation of the DNS make take a few minutes. Once done, you should see feedback indicating that you succeed to set up your subdirectories.

Then, click on "Finish"

If you have any trouble, you can contact us at support@weglot.com and provide us access to your domain registrar, we can add the DNS entry for you.

4. How to verify if everything is correctly setup?

Once you set up your DNS to use the subdomains-based integration or the subdirectories-based integration, you can check if they are set up correctly.

To do so, on your Setup Page, you should look for the information under "Subdomains / Subdirectories".

If your Subdomains or Subdirectories are correctly setup, you should see "Online" next to the status of your website.

Using the Subdomains-based integration, you should see

Using the Subdomains-based integration, you should see:

If you have any trouble, you can contact us at support@weglot.com and provide us access to your domain registrar, we can add the DNS entry for you.

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