What is a CNAME record?
A CNAME record makes one name an alias of another name, such as pointing www.yourbusiness.com to the address your host gives you.
A CNAME record (canonical name) says "this name is really that other name." For example, www.yourbusiness.com might be a CNAME pointing to a hostname your web host provides. The browser follows the alias and looks up the final address there. CNAMEs are also used to verify services and to connect subdomains to outside tools. A name with a CNAME cannot hold other records, so it is not normally used on the bare main domain.
Why it matters for your business: Many services ask you to add a CNAME to prove you own your domain or to connect a tool. Copy the name and value exactly as the provider shows them.
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