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First Party Domain Tracking Setup

How to setup First Party Domain Tracking in Cometly, so your pixel is served from your own domain for higher accuracy and reliability. Learn how to add DNS records on all major domain providers, and troubleshoot common issues.

Updated over 3 weeks ago

Why This Matters

Ad blockers and browser privacy updates are making it harder than ever to rely on third-party scripts for accurate tracking. That’s why First Party Domain Tracking is so important—it allows you to serve the Cometly pixel from your own domain instead of comet-serve.com.

This gives you:

  • Higher data accuracy (fewer blocked events).

  • Stronger compliance and trust (events look like they’re coming directly from your site).

  • Future-proof tracking as browsers continue to limit third-party cookies and scripts.

⚡ Tip: While setting up your first party domain, you can continue using the default Cometly script so you don’t lose any tracking. Once your domain is verified, simply replace the script with your first-party version.

Step 1: Enable First Party Domain Tracking

  1. Go to the Space Setup page and click Install & Verify Cometly Pixel

  2. Toggle First Party Domain Tracking to On.

  3. Enter the subdomain you want to dedicate (example: m.yourdomain.com or data.yourdomain.com).

    • ✅ Do use a subdomain like data.yourdomain.com or m.yourdomain.com.

    • ❌ Avoid using words like track, click, or analytics that are often flagged by blockers.

    • ⚠️ The subdomain will become dedicated to Cometly tracking only.

  4. Click Configure Domain.

    It will take anywhere from 20-60 seconds for the SSL configuration to complete. Continue to click the Check Status button every 10 seconds until you see the DNS records.

Step 2: Add Required DNS Records

After configuring your domain, Cometly will generate two CNAME records you need to add in your DNS provider:

  1. Certificate Validation – proves ownership of your domain.

  2. Domain Validation – points your subdomain to Cometly’s infrastructure.

Example records:

Once added, go back to Cometly and click Check Status.

  • It’s normal for Certificate Validation to complete first.

  • When both are validated, you’ll see your new First Party Pixel script ready to copy.

DNS Provider Setup Guides

Click your provider below to jump to instructions:

Cloudflare

  1. Log in to your Cloudflare dashboard.

  2. Select your domain.

  3. Go to DNS → Records.

  4. Click Add Record → choose CNAME.

    • Name: Enter the subdomain (from example below: m).

    • Target: Enter the value provided by Cometly.

  5. Make sure Proxy Status is set to DNS Only (gray cloud).

  6. Save the record.

  7. Repeat for the Certificate Validation CNAME if shown.


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GoDaddy

  1. Log in to your GoDaddy account.

  2. Go to My Products → DNS → Manage DNS.

  3. Click Add.

  4. From the dropdown, select CNAME.

    • Host: Enter the subdomain (example: m).

    • Points to: Enter the CloudFront value from Cometly.

  5. Save.

  6. Add the second Certificate Validation CNAME if required.

Google Domains

  1. Log in at Google Domains.

  2. Select your domain → go to DNS.

  3. Under Custom Records, click Add.

  4. Choose CNAME.

    • Host name: Enter the subdomain (example: m).

    • Data: Paste the value from Cometly.

  5. Save.

  6. Repeat for the Certificate Validation record if shown.

Namecheap

  1. Log in to Namecheap.

  2. Go to Domain List → Manage → Advanced DNS.

  3. Scroll to Host Records → click Add New Record.

  4. Select CNAME Record.

    • Host: Enter the subdomain (example: m).

    • Value: Enter the CloudFront URL from Cometly.

  5. Save.

  6. Add the second Certificate Validation CNAME as required.

AWS Route 53

  1. Go to your AWS Route 53 console.

  2. Select your hosted zone (your domain).

  3. Click Create Record.

  4. Choose CNAME.

    • Record name: Enter the subdomain (example: m).

    • Value: Paste the CloudFront URL.

  5. Save.

  6. Repeat for the Certificate Validation record.

Bluehost

  1. Log in to Bluehost.

  2. Go to Domains → Zone Editor.

  3. Click Add Record.

  4. Select CNAME.

    • Host Record: Enter your subdomain (example: m).

    • Points To: Paste the CloudFront value.

  5. Save changes.

  6. Repeat for Certificate Validation CNAME.

Squarespace

  1. Log in to your Squarespace dashboard.

  2. Go to Settings → Domains → DNS Settings.

  3. Scroll to Advanced Settings.

  4. Add a new CNAME.

    • Host: Enter the subdomain (example: m).

    • Value: Paste the CloudFront value from Cometly.

  5. Save.

  6. Add the Certificate Validation CNAME if required.

Wix

  1. Log in to your Wix account.

  2. Go to Domains → Advanced → DNS.

  3. Add a new CNAME record.

    • Host Name: Enter your subdomain (example: m).

    • Value: Paste the CloudFront value from Cometly.

  4. Save changes.

  5. Repeat for the Certificate Validation CNAME.

Step 3: Replace Your Pixel

Once validated, your script will change to use your custom subdomain:

Add to the <head> of your site (or via GTM/WordPress plugin).

Troubleshooting First Party Domain Setup

If your validation isn’t completing or something looks stuck, here are the most common fixes:

  • DNS Propagation Delay

    • DNS changes can take up to 24–48 hours, though most resolve in under an hour. Check back after some time.

  • Proxy Enabled in Cloudflare

    • If using Cloudflare, make sure your CNAME record’s Proxy Status is set to DNS Only (gray cloud). Proxied records (orange cloud) will block validation.

  • Incorrect Record Type

    • Ensure you added a CNAME record, not an A or TXT record.

  • Extra Characters in DNS Entry

    • Double-check for trailing spaces, missing dots, or cut-off values in your DNS panel.

  • Certificate Validation First

    • It’s normal for the Certificate Validation record to complete before the Domain Validation record. Wait until both show as “Validated.”

  • Using the Wrong Subdomain

    • Ensure you entered the exact subdomain you configured in Cometly. For example, if you set up m.yourdomain.com, the CNAME should match exactly.

  • Fallback Option

    • If setup takes longer, you can continue using the default pixel (js.comet-serve.com) until validation is complete.

Disconnecting a First Party Tracking Domain

If you ever need to remove your configured tracking domain, you can disconnect it directly from the Cometly dashboard.

Important Notes Before Disconnecting

  • The tracking domain will stop serving the pixel immediately.

  • The domain will be removed from your account.

  • You will need to reconfigure DNS records if you want to use this domain again in the future.

  • To prevent data loss, we strongly recommend switching back to the default Cometly script before disconnecting.

How to Disconnect

  1. Go to your Cometly Pixel Setup page.

  2. Click Disconnect Domain.

  3. Confirm the action in the popup.

  4. Update your website to use either the general Cometly pixel or a new first-party domain if you’re reconfiguring.

After disconnecting, your site will continue tracking with the default pixel until you reconnect a new first-party domain.

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