For MarketersFor DevelopersFor Product
5 min read

Why Custom Domains?

Every ULink starts with a domain. You can use our shared domain (ulink.to) or bring your own branded domain (links.yourcompany.com). The difference matters more than you might think.

What you'll learn

  • How branded domains improve trust and click-through rates
  • The SEO benefits of custom domain links
  • When to use a custom domain vs the default shared domain

The trust factor

When users see a link, they make a split-second decision: click or ignore.

Shared domain:

https://ulink.to/summer-sale

Custom domain:

https://go.nike.com/summer-sale

Which one looks more trustworthy? The branded link wins every time. Users recognize your brand and trust the link is legitimate.

Key Concept

Custom domains build trust. In a world of phishing and spam, a branded link signals authenticity. Users are 25-35% more likely to click a link from a domain they recognize.

Click-through rate impact

Studies consistently show branded short links outperform generic ones:

  • Email campaigns: 25-30% higher CTR with branded domains
  • Social media: 35-40% higher engagement
  • SMS marketing: 20-25% improvement in click rates

The effect is even stronger on mobile, where users are more cautious about tapping unknown links.

Brand consistency

Every touchpoint matters for brand recognition:

Website:         yourcompany.com
Email:           hello@yourcompany.com
Links:           links.yourcompany.com  ← Custom domain
Social:          @yourcompany

A generic link domain breaks the pattern and reduces brand reinforcement.

Marketing impact: Consistent branding across all channels reinforces recognition. Users see your brand before they even click.

When to use custom domains

Use a custom domain when:

  • You're running marketing campaigns at scale
  • Brand perception matters (enterprise, finance, healthcare)
  • You want maximum click-through rates
  • Your links will be visible to customers (emails, social, ads)

Shared domain is fine when:

  • Testing or prototyping
  • Getting started quickly (no DNS setup required)
  • Internal links only (not customer-facing)
  • Low volume use cases
Gotcha

Don't mix domains inconsistently. If you use a custom domain for some links and the shared domain for others, you lose the trust benefit. Pick one strategy per project.

Common custom domain patterns

Subdomain approach (recommended)

links.yourcompany.com
go.yourcompany.com
l.yourcompany.com

Uses a subdomain of your main domain. Easy to set up, clearly connected to your brand.

Dedicated short domain

yrc.mp (for yourcompany)
nke.co (for Nike)

A separate short domain. Maximum brevity but requires purchasing an additional domain.

Geographic domains

links.yourcompany.de (Germany)
links.yourcompany.co.uk (UK)

Useful for regional campaigns where local domains increase trust.

Cost considerations

Custom domains have minimal additional cost:

  • Domain registration: $10-50/year for most TLDs
  • SSL certificate: Included automatically with ULink
  • DNS hosting: Usually included with your domain registrar

The ROI from improved click-through rates typically exceeds the domain cost after just a few campaigns.

Quick recap

  • Custom domains increase click-through rates by 25-35%
  • Brand recognition builds trust and improves engagement
  • Use subdomains of your main domain for easy setup
  • The cost is minimal compared to the marketing benefits