CNAME FAQs

What is a CNAME?

A Canonical Name (CNAME) is a type of Domain Name System (DNS) record which maps one domain name to another. There are two parts to setting up a CNAME: the Name and the Value. 

• Name: Is also commonly known as alias, subdomain, or host

  • Examples: sli.example.com, sli.liveintent.com

• Value: This is the destination that the alias “points to.”

  • Examples: 

    • For Legacy configurations set up in Akamai: c3d45614c6bd2d41b208ce05bea5da8e.edgekey.net

    • For New configurations set up in CloudFront: g1gn3p04daxrh4.cloudfront.net

• Connecting the two together:

  • The name sli.liveintent.com is pointed to the value d34z6ij80rp1wx.cloudfront.net

What is the Benefit of Using a CNAME?

Mailbox Providers such as Gmail, Yahoo, etc., inspect the number of 3rd party links and use this as a part of their spam score. A secure CNAME will lower the chances of your newsletters being sent to a subscriber’s spam folder or promotions tab.

What is a Spam Score?

Most email and security companies have software that rates how likely an incoming email is spam. This rating is known as a spam score, and this will impact email deliverability.

What are Some Restrictions with Setting up a CNAME?

• A CNAME record must always point to another domain, never directly to an IP address.

• A CNAME record cannot co-exist with another record for the same name. It’s not possible to have both a CNAME and a TXT record for www.example.com.

• A CNAME can point to another CNAME, although this configuration is generally not recommended for performance reasons.

• The publisher must own the domain that is being used for the CNAME.

Where does LiveIntent get CNAME records from?

LiveIntent issues CNAMEs from Amazon Web Services (AWS).

What is a Domain Name System?

A DNS translates human-readable domains (eg, liveintent.com) into machine-readable IP addresses.

What is the Difference between the CNAME Record and the Validation Record?

• The CNAME Record points to a Cloudfront function on AWS, which handles web traffic

• The Validation Record is the SSL secure certification, which auto-renews every 395 days in AWS.

What is a Secure CNAME vs. a Non-Secure CNAME?

• A Secure CNAME guarantees the use of a secure connection and is best practice for ad rendering. It uses a https protocol.

  • Ex: https://sli.example.com 

• A Non-Secure CNAME allows the potential of nefarious actors intercepting traffic between the web browser and the website, and can cause ad rendering issues. It uses a http protocol.

  • Ex: http://li.example.com

How do I set up a Secure CNAME?

Please review the Setting up your CNAME Knowledge Base article, and reach out to your LiveIntent Account Team.

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