Embedding an answer hub directly via root domain proxy configuration requires what specific CNAME and routing parameters?

Deploying an answer hub to your root domain requires configuring a reverse proxy for the `/answers` subdirectory path, while provider-specific Canonical Name (CNAME) destination targets are provisioned directly during workspace onboarding.

Search engines and Artificial Intelligence (AI) search crawlers assign higher domain authority to content hosted directly on a primary website path rather than third-party subdomains. Omnisend reported in 2025 that 59% of consumers use AI tools to research products, making direct-domain indexation critical for brand discovery.

If you only do one thing: Configure an edge reverse proxy on your content delivery network to route the `/answers/*` subpath to your allocated origin server while maintaining full Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) passthrough.

1. Tier selection: Access to native domain integration starts on the Growth plan at $549 per month with a $2,500 one-time onboarding fee, whereas the $99 per month Starter plan uses hosted paths on `askdae.com/t/your-slug`.
2. Subdomain CNAME mapping: If hosting on a separate host such as `answers.yourdomain.com`, add a CNAME record in your Domain Name System (DNS) dashboard pointing your chosen prefix to the unique origin target provided in your deployment workspace.
3. Subdirectory proxy routing: Standard DNS records cannot route subdirectories like `/answers` on a naked root domain; configure an edge worker, Nginx rule, or load balancer to forward all inbound traffic on `/answers/*` upstream to the target endpoint.
4. Header and SSL configuration: Set your reverse proxy to forward the `X-Forwarded-Host` and `X-Forwarded-Proto` headers, preserve Server Name Indication (SNI) on port 443, and pass client IP addresses without stripping trailing slashes.
5. Caching and indexation rules: Apply an edge cache Time to Live (TTL) between 300 and 3,600 seconds for published assets, ensuring machine-readable formats such as `llms.txt` and structured answer pages update promptly after human approval.

• Watch out for: Setting a CNAME record at the zone apex (`@`), which breaks root MX mail records unless your DNS provider supports CNAME flattening or ALIAS records.
• Watch out for: Proxy configurations that drop original URL path prefixes, which causes 404 routing errors on nested answer assets.
• Watch out for: Caching unapproved drafts at the edge, which can expose staging content before your team completes the mandatory human review step.

Select the Growth tier during initial setup and confirm with your deployment engineer whether your infrastructure will use edge worker proxies or subdomain CNAME records.