Instead of creating links with the bit.ly domain, you can set up your own short domain to brand and personalize your links. To brand your links, you'll need a domain with 32 characters or less, including the dot.
Keep these things in mind as you choose and set up a custom domain:
- The domain for your short links must be different than your website domain.
- It can't be more than 32 characters long, including the dot.
- If you don't have one yet, Bitly offers a complimentary domain.
To add a custom domain:
- Sign in to your Bitly account.
- Click the profile menu.
- Select Settings.
- Click Custom Domains below your account name.
- Click Add Custom Domain. If you're purchasing your own custom domain from a provider like GoDaddy, choose a short domain with 32 characters or less, including the dot.
- If you're using a free domain from Bitly. Follow the prompts and skip the next few steps.
- Enter your custom domain.
- Select No, this is an unused domain if this is a short domain that will only be used to create links in Bitly.
Select Yes, I used this for my website... if you will be using a subdomain. - Select the group or groups where you'll use this domain to shorten links.
- Click Next.
- Log in to your domain provider, such as GoDaddy.
- Configure the following in your domain provider's DNS settings.
RECORD TYPE HOSTNAME VALUE A @ 67.199.248.12 A @ 67.199.248.13 If you're using a subdomain, set a CNAME record type, too.
RECORD TYPE HOSTNAME VALUE CNAME @ cname.bitly.com Here's an example setup from GoDaddy's DNS Management.
- Go back to Bitly and click Add domain.
- Click View your domains on the confirmation screen.
- Click Manage to set up your error pages.
- Enter the Root domain URL and click Save changes. This is the page where you'll direct visitors if they click or enter your custom domain with no back-half.
- Enter the Invalid address URL and click Save changes. This is the page where you'll direct visitors if they click or enter a short link with an invalid back-half.
Now you're ready to create branded links with your own custom domain!