Skip to main content

What it is

Use a domain you own as the short-URL host. go.acme.com/q2-launch instead of the system default. SSL is auto-issued once the CNAME verifies.

When to use it

  • Customer-facing channels: email, social, podcasts, packaging.
  • Anywhere the URL is read by a human and brand trust matters.
  • Multi-brand agencies running per-client domains.
Skip it for ads-only links - auto-generated codes on the system domain are fine and the URL isn’t visible.

How to set one up

1

Pick a subdomain

Recommended: a fresh subdomain like go.acme.com, link.acme.com, acme.link. Don’t use a domain or subdomain already serving production traffic.
2

Add the domain in linkutm

Sidebar → DomainsAdd Domain. Enter go.acme.com. The system creates the record in pending status and shows you the CNAME target.
3

Configure DNS

In your DNS provider (Cloudflare, Route 53, etc.):
TypeNameValueTTL
CNAMEgocname.linkutm.com300-3600
The exact CNAME target is shown in the Domains page after you add the domain.
If you use Cloudflare, set the record to DNS only (gray cloud), not proxied. Proxying breaks SSL provisioning.
4

Verify

Click Verify on the domain row. The system runs a CNAME lookup against your DNS. Status flips to active once the CNAME points correctly. SSL is issued automatically within ~1 minute.
5

Set as default (optional)

Mark the domain as Default so new links use it without picking. Only one default per workspace.
6

(Optional) Default redirect

You can set a defaultRedirect URL on the domain record. Whether bare-domain hits forward to it depends on your deployment’s edge configuration - verify by visiting https://go.acme.com/ after saving.
Domains page - list of custom and system domains with Verified status badges
Add Custom Domain modal - domain field, optional default redirect, and DNS setup note

Real-world example

Acme has two brands, two domains:
Workspace: Acme Main
Domain:    go.acme.com  (default, verified, active)

Workspace: Acme Pro
Domain:    pro.acme.link  (default, verified, active)
Marketers in Acme Main create links on go.acme.com; Pro team on pro.acme.link. Per-workspace branding stays clean.

Common mistakes

Orange-cloud (proxied) breaks the CNAME lookup and SSL handshake. Set to gray-cloud (DNS only).
acme.com directly is rarely a good idea - most DNS providers won’t allow CNAME at apex, and it conflicts with your main site. Use a subdomain.
DNS changes can take minutes to hours. If verification fails, re-check with dig CNAME go.acme.com and retry.

Edge cases

Domain limit. Each workspace has a maximum number of custom domains. If you reach it, remove an unused one before adding another.
Renaming a domain. Editing the domain field resets verification. Re-verify after the rename.
**System default cannot be deleted. It exists for new workspaces to function out of the box.