How Do I Fix Custom Domain Verification Failing in Feedspace?

Overview

When you click Verify Domain in Feedspace and see a “CNAME record not matched” error, it means Feedspace checked your DNS settings and couldn’t find a valid record pointing to its servers. The setup is otherwise working correctly. You just need to resolve why the DNS record isn’t matching.

There are four common causes. Work through them in order.

Cause 1: the CNAME record hasn’t been added yet

Before clicking Verify Domain, you need to add a CNAME record in your domain registrar’s DNS settings. In Feedspace, go to Settings and open Domain. On Step 2 of the setup timeline, you’ll see the exact values to use:

• Type: CNAME
• Host / Name: the subdomain you entered (e.g., reviews if your domain is reviews.yoursite.com)
• Value / Points to: app.feedspace.io

Click the copy icon next to each value to copy it without a typo. Log in to your domain registrar and add those exact values. If you’re not sure how to add a CNAME record on your registrar, see the guide for your registrar in the related articles below.

Cause 2: the values were entered in the wrong fields

DNS management panels label fields differently. Some say “Name” and “Value”; others say “Host” and “Points to” or “Alias” and “Target”. The rule is simple: the subdomain part (e.g., reviews) goes in the name or host field, and app.feedspace.io goes in the value or points-to field.

A common mistake is entering the full domain (e.g., reviews.yoursite.com) in the host field instead of just reviews. Many registrars automatically append the root domain, so entering the full domain results in a record like reviews.yoursite.com.yoursite.com. Check your existing records and delete any that look malformed, then re-add with just the subdomain.

Cause 3: DNS changes haven’t propagated yet

After you save a new DNS record, it typically takes between 5 and 30 minutes to become visible across the internet, though some registrars can take longer. If you just added the record and clicked Verify Domain immediately, wait a few minutes and try again.

To check whether your CNAME is live before clicking verify, use a free DNS lookup tool such as MXToolbox or DNS Checker. Enter your subdomain and select CNAME as the record type. Once the lookup returns app.feedspace.io as the result, go back to Feedspace and click Verify Domain.

Cause 4: you used a root domain instead of a subdomain

Feedspace strongly recommends using a subdomain (e.g., reviews.yoursite.com) rather than the root domain (yoursite.com). Root domains typically can’t point to a CNAME target; they require an A record or an ALIAS record, and not all registrars support this. If you entered a root domain in Feedspace and verification keeps failing, remove it and start over with a subdomain.

Go to Settings, open Domain, then click the trash icon on Step 2 to remove the current domain entry and add the subdomain version.

What’s next

Once verification succeeds, Feedspace activates SSL and your domain moves to “Live” status. If the domain verifies but your page still doesn’t load, see Why Is My Custom Domain Page Not Loading in Feedspace? for the next steps.

Common questions

How long should I wait before trying to verify again?

Wait at least 5 minutes after saving the DNS record, then use a DNS lookup tool to confirm the record is live. Once the lookup returns app.feedspace.io you can click Verify Domain in Feedspace. There’s no limit on how many times you can attempt verification.

The DNS checker shows the right value but Feedspace still fails

If a public DNS checker shows app.feedspace.io but Feedspace still returns an error, try removing the domain in Feedspace settings (click the trash icon on Step 2), then re-add it and click Verify Domain again. This refreshes the verification lookup. If it continues to fail, contact support@feedspace.io with a screenshot of your DNS record.