For MarketersFor DevelopersFor Product
7 min read

Setting Up a Custom Domain

Adding a custom domain to ULink takes about 10 minutes. You'll configure DNS records, verify ownership, and ULink handles the rest — including SSL certificates.

What you'll learn

  • DNS configuration requirements for custom domains
  • Verifying domain ownership in ULink
  • SSL certificates and security considerations

Before you start

You'll need:

  • Admin access to your domain's DNS settings (usually at your domain registrar)
  • Owner or Admin role on the ULink project
  • A domain or subdomain you want to use
Key Concept

We recommend using a subdomain like links.yourcompany.com rather than your root domain. This keeps your main website separate and makes configuration simpler.

Step 1: Add domain in ULink

  1. Go to your project's Settings → Domains
  2. Click "Add Custom Domain"
  3. Enter your domain (e.g., links.yourcompany.com)
  4. ULink will display the DNS records you need to add

You'll see the required DNS records, including:

  • A CNAME record pointing to ULink's servers
  • A TXT record for domain ownership verification

Step 2: Configure DNS

Log into your domain registrar (GoDaddy, Namecheap, Cloudflare, etc.) and add the DNS records shown in ULink.

Cloudflare: DNS → Add Record. Add both the CNAME and TXT records shown in ULink. Make sure proxy status is 'DNS only' (gray cloud) initially.

Required DNS records

CNAME Record (for subdomains):

SettingValue
TypeCNAME
Name/HostYour subdomain (e.g., links)
Value/TargetAs shown in ULink dashboard
TTL3600 (1 hour) or lower

TXT Record (for verification):

SettingValue
TypeTXT
Name/HostAs shown in ULink dashboard
ValueThe verification token provided
TTL3600 (1 hour) or lower
Gotcha

DNS changes can take up to 48 hours to propagate globally, though most complete within 1-2 hours. Don't panic if verification fails immediately — wait a bit and try again.

Step 3: Verify ownership

Back in ULink:

  1. Click "Verify Domain"
  2. ULink checks that your DNS records are configured correctly
  3. Once verified, your domain status changes to "Active"

If verification fails:

  • Double-check the DNS record values
  • Ensure there are no typos
  • Wait 15-30 minutes for DNS propagation
  • Try verification again

Step 4: SSL certificate

ULink automatically provisions an SSL certificate for your domain using Let's Encrypt. This happens after verification and usually takes 2-5 minutes.

Once complete:

  • Your domain works with HTTPS
  • Certificates auto-renew (no maintenance needed)
  • All links on your domain are secure

Troubleshooting

"Domain not found" error

DNS hasn't propagated yet. Wait 30 minutes and retry verification.

"SSL certificate pending"

The certificate is being issued. Wait 5-10 minutes. If it takes longer, contact support.

"CNAME conflict"

You may have an existing A record for that subdomain. Remove it before adding the CNAME.

"Domain already in use"

The domain is registered to another ULink account. Contact support if you own the domain and need to transfer it.

Advanced: Root domain setup

If you want to use your root domain (yourcompany.com without a subdomain), the setup is slightly different:

  1. Root domains require an A record instead of a CNAME
  2. ULink will show you the IP address to use
  3. Some registrars also support ALIAS or ANAME records as an alternative
Gotcha

Root domain setup can affect your main website if you already have DNS records there. We strongly recommend using a subdomain (like links.yourcompany.com) for most use cases.

Multiple domains

You can add multiple custom domains to a single project:

  • links.yourcompany.com — Primary marketing domain
  • go.yourcompany.com — Alternative short domain
  • l.product.com — Product-specific domain

All domains point to the same links. Use whichever domain fits your campaign.

After setup

Once your domain is active:

  1. Create new links using your custom domain
  2. Update existing links aren't automatically moved — you choose which domain to use
  3. Test thoroughly before launching campaigns

Quick recap

  • Add domain in ULink, configure DNS with CNAME record
  • Wait for DNS propagation (usually 1-2 hours)
  • Verify ownership and SSL is automatic
  • Use subdomains to keep setup simple
  • Multiple domains per project are supported