Hey there, Vado Boss! 🇳🇬

Running a business in Nigeria means you always have to stand out. While your standard Vado link is great, nothing says"I am a professional, established brand"quite like having your own custom domain name (likeyourbusiness.com.ngoryourbusiness.com). It builds instant trust with your customers and makes your brand unforgettable.

To link your custom domain to yourVado StoreorVado Page,you must use Cloudflare.

Why is Cloudflare Mandatory?

We get this question a lot:"Can't I just use my regular Whogohost, Namecheap, or GoDaddy DNS?"

The short answer isno. To keep your online store secure, lightning-fast on Nigerian mobile networks, and equipped with a free SSL certificate (that little padlock icon that tells customers their information is safe),Vado.ng strictly requires Cloudflare DNS. If you bought your domain elsewhere, don't worry! You keep your current registrar, but you just route the DNS through a free Cloudflare account.

Setting it up is incredibly easy. Here is the step-by-step guide to doing it right.

Step 1: Set Up Your Free Cloudflare Account

If you haven't done this yet, go toCloudflare.comand sign up for afree account.

1. ClickAdd a Siteand type in your custom domain name (e.g.,yourbusiness.com.ng).
2. Cloudflare will give you twoNameservers(they look like://cloudflare.com).
3. Log into where you bought your domain (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Whogohost, etc.) and replace their default nameservers with the Cloudflare ones.

Once your domain points to Cloudflare, you are ready for the next step!

Step 2: Add the Two Required Cloudflare DNS Records

Log into yourCloudflare Dashboard, select your domain, and go toDNS > Records. ClickAdd Record. You need to addtwo specific recordsfor everything to work seamlessly:

Record 1: The Root Domain (A Record)

This record handles traffic when someone types just your business name without the "www" (likeyourbusiness.com.ng).

• Type:SelectA.
• Name (Host):Type@.
• IPv4 Address:Type102.203.166.113.
• Proxy Status:Leave itEnabled (Orange Cloud icon).
• TTL:Leave it onAuto.

ClickSave.

Record 2: The WWW Version (CNAME Record)

This record ensures that if a customer types thewwwbefore your name (like yourbusiness.com.ng), they still land safely on your store. ClickAdd Recordagain:

• Type:SelectCNAME.
• Name (Host):Typewww.
• Target (Value):Entervado.ng.
• Proxy Status:Turn this toggleDisabled (Grey Cloud icon).This is extremely important for sub-domain routing to map perfectly!
• TTL:Leave it onAuto.

ClickSave.

⚠️ Very Important Note:Please ensure the Root Record has the Orange Cloud toggled ON, and the WWW CNAME Record has the Grey Cloud toggled OFF. If both don't match this exact configuration, your store won't resolve correctly!

Step 3: Turn on Security & Redirects

Part A: Force Secure Connections (The 1-Click Method)

Instead of dealing with confusing rules, Cloudflare provides an automated security toggle:

1. On your Cloudflare left-hand sidebar, click onSSL/TLSand selectEdge Certificates.
2. Scroll down until you findAlways Use HTTPS.
3. Switch the toggle toON.

That’s it! Cloudflare will now automatically handle secure connections across your entire site.

Part B: Setup the Domain Redirect Rule

To make sure typingyourbusiness.com.ngredirects seamlessly towww.yourbusiness.com.ng, go to the left sidebar menu, navigate toRules > Redirect Rules. ClickCreate Ruleand use these parameters:

• Rule Name:TypeRoot to WWW Redirect
• If Incoming Requests Match:SelectHostname→Equals→ typeyourbusiness.com.ng (replace with your actual root domain)
• Then URL Redirect Type:SelectStatic
• Target URL:Typehttps://www.yourbusiness.com.ng (replace with your actual domain)
• Status Code:Select301
• Preserve Query String:Leave checked

ClickDeploy.

Step 4: Enter Your Domain on Vado

Now that Cloudflare is configured, you need to tell Vado to accept the incoming connection.

1. Log into yourVado Dashboard.
2. Go to your Vado Page or Store settings.
3. Look for the Custom Domain section.
4. Type in your domain name (e.g.,yourbusiness.com.ng) and hitSubmit.

Step 5: Wait for the Admin Green Light 🟢

Once you click submit, your request will show asProcessing.

Behind the scenes, the Vado admin team will verify that your Cloudflare DNS settings are perfectly aligned with our system. As soon as they confirm it, they will approve and assign the domain to your Vado Page or Store.

Boom! You are officially live with your own custom web address. You can now proudly share it anywhere your customers can find you. 

Need a Hand?

We know dealing with nameservers and DNS records can feel a bit technical. If you get stuck or confused at any point, don't stress at all.

Just look at the bottom corner of yourVado Dashboardand click theWhatsApp chat icon. It will connect you directly to the Vado Support Team on WhatsApp, and we will get you sorted out sharp-sharp!

Go ahead and level up your brand identity today. Happy selling!