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How do I add my own custom domain to Bitly?

Tony Roma
  • Updated

Bitly has introduced a new navigation menu and interface!
Learn how to switch the look of your Bitly account.

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:

  1. Sign in to your Bitly account.
  2. Click the profile menu.
    image-001.jpg
  3. Select Settings.
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  4. Click Custom Domains below your account name.
    image-003.jpg
  5. 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.
    image-004.jpg
  6. If you're using a free domain from Bitly. Follow the prompts and skip the next few steps.
    2022-02-28_03h49_58.png
  7. Enter your custom domain.
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  8. 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.
  9. Select the group or groups where you'll use this domain to shorten links.
    image-010.jpg
  10. Click Next.
  11. Log in to your domain provider, such as GoDaddy.
  12. 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. 

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  13. Go back to Bitly and click Add domain.
    image-013.jpg
  14. Click View your domains on the confirmation screen.
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  15. Click Manage to set up your error pages.
    image-015.jpg
  16. 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.
    image-023.jpg
  17. 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.
    image-025.jpg

Now you're ready to create branded links with your own custom domain!