How to Add a Custom Domain to a URL Shortener
Connect your own domain so every short link carries your brand, not a generic shortener's.
A custom domain replaces the generic part of a short link with your own, so every link you share reinforces your brand. Adding one involves a short DNS step at your domain provider. This guide walks through the whole process with ShortifyMe, from adding the domain to verifying it.
Quick Answer
To add a custom domain, sign in to a paid ShortifyMe plan, open Custom Domain in the dashboard, click Add a Domain, and enter your domain. ShortifyMe then shows the DNS record to add at your domain provider. Add that record in your provider’s DNS settings, return to ShortifyMe, and click Verify. Custom domains require a paid plan.
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What You Need Before You Start
- A paid ShortifyMe plan: Custom domains are not available on the free plan. Starter includes 1 custom domain, Basic includes 3, and Premium includes 10.
- A domain you own: You can use a full domain or a subdomain. A subdomain, such as a ‘link’ or ‘go’ prefix on your main domain, is a common choice for short links.
- Access to your domain provider’s DNS settings: This is the registrar or host where you manage the domain, the place you can add DNS records.
Step 1. Open the Custom Domain Screen
Step 1
Sign in to ShortifyMe on a paid plan.
Step 2
Click Custom Domain in the left navigation.
Step 3
You see the Custom Domain screen, with a search option, an Add Domain button, and a list of any domains you have already added.
Step 2. Add Your Domain
Step 1
Click Add Domain button.
Step 2
Enter the domain or subdomain URL you want to use.
Step 3
Submit it. ShortifyMe then shows, right below, the DNS record you need to add, presented as a record Type, a Host/Name, and a Value to point to.
Step 3. Add the DNS Record at Your Domain Provider
This step happens outside ShortifyMe, in the DNS settings of whoever you registered or host your domain with. The exact menu names vary by provider, but the process is the same everywhere.
Step 1
Log in to your domain provider, the registrar or host where you manage your domain.
Step 2
Find the DNS settings or DNS management area for your domain.
Step 3
Add a new DNS record that matches what ShortifyMe showed you: the same record Type, the same Host/Name, and the same Value.
Step 4
Save the record at your provider.
Step 5
Allow some time for the change to take effect. DNS changes can be quick but sometimes take a few hours to propagate.
Step 4. Verify the Domain
Step 1
Return to the Custom Domain screen in ShortifyMe.
Step 2
For the domain you added, click Verify.
Step 3
ShortifyMe checks whether the DNS record has been added correctly. If it has, the domain becomes active and ready to use.
Step 3
If verification does not succeed right away, the DNS change may still be propagating. Wait a little and click Verify again.
Step 5. Start Using Your Custom Domain
Once your domain is verified, it appears in the domain dropdown whenever you create a new short link or QR code. Select it in place of the default domain, and that link or QR code uses your branded domain. You can manage your domains anytime from the Custom Domain screen, where you can view the DNS detail again, edit a domain, or delete one.
Before You Remove a Domain or Downgrade Your Plan
This is important to understand before you rely on a custom domain. If you remove a custom domain from your account, or downgrade to the free plan, which does not include custom domains, the short links you published on that domain will stop working. They will not redirect until you set up a domain redirection in your own DNS, or setup the custom domain again on a paid plan. If you have printed custom-domain links on signs, packaging, or business cards, plan carefully before removing the domain or downgrading, because those printed links would stop working.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Custom domains are not available on the free plan. Starter at $7.99 per month includes 1 custom domain, Basic includes 3, and Premium includes 10.
Yes. ShortifyMe supports subdomains. Many businesses use a short subdomain prefix on their main domain specifically for short links, which keeps the main domain separate.
It depends on DNS propagation. After you add the DNS record at your domain provider, the change can take effect within minutes or take a few hours. Use the Verify button in ShortifyMe to check; if it does not verify at first, wait a little and try again.
A DNS record is a setting that tells the internet how your domain should behave. You add it where you manage your domain, your registrar or host, in the section usually labeled DNS or DNS management. ShortifyMe shows you the exact record to add.
Short links published on that domain will stop working until you set up a domain redirection in your own DNS or set up the custom domain again on a paid plan. If you have printed those links anywhere, plan carefully before removing the domain or downgrading your plan.
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