What is a Custom Domain (and Do You Need One)?
By default, every creator on Link In The Bio receives an instant, high-speed bio link formatted as inthebio.link/yourname. For 95% of creators, this default address is perfect, blazing fast, and ready to share immediately across social platforms.
However, if you or your business already own an external domain (such as yourbrand.com or alexrivera.com), connecting a custom subdomain like links.yourbrand.com or bio.yourbrand.com elevates your personal brand and professionalism.
When followers click your link on Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube, your own domain remains in the browser address bar. This gives your audience complete trust and creates a 100% white-label experience without any third-party tool names.
Why We Recommend a Subdomain (links.yourbrand.com)
If you already run an online store, portfolio, or company website on your main domain (e.g., yourbrand.com or www.yourbrand.com), you should NOT point your root domain to your bio page.
Instead, creators create a dedicated subdomain such as links.yourbrand.com, bio.yourbrand.com, or go.yourbrand.com. This keeps your main website completely undisturbed while giving your social media audience a dedicated, high-speed mobile portal.
Step 1: Add a CNAME Record in Your Domain Registrar
To connect your custom subdomain, you need to add a single CNAME (Canonical Name) record in your domain registrar’s DNS control panel (e.g., GoDaddy, Namecheap, Cloudflare, Google Domains / Squarespace, or Porkbun).
A CNAME record acts as a pointer or alias: it tells web browsers "When someone visits links.yourbrand.com, route them to Link In The Bio’s high-speed edge servers."
| DNS Field | Value to Enter | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Record Type | CNAME | Canonical Name alias record |
| Host / Name | links (or bio) | The subdomain prefix before your domain name |
| Target / Value | Copy from dashboard (e.g. 47bb36aab8737184.vercel-dns-017.com) | Your project-specific Vercel edge routing target |
| TTL | Auto (or 3600) | DNS propagation cache lifetime |
Step 2: Save Your Domain in Account Settings
Once your CNAME record has been added in your domain provider’s DNS dashboard, head over to your Link In The Bio dashboard:
1. Navigate to Account Settings (/dashboard/settings).
2. Scroll to the Custom Domain section.
3. Enter your full subdomain (for example: links.yourbrand.com) and click Save Domain.
Our servers will verify the DNS record and automatically provision an SSL certificate (the HTTPS security padlock). This process typically takes between 5 to 15 minutes to propagate across worldwide DNS resolvers.
Step 3: Update Your Social Media Profiles
Once your custom domain is active with SSL verified, copy your new branded link (e.g., https://links.yourbrand.com) and paste it into the Website field of your Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X (Twitter), and LinkedIn profiles.
When fans tap your link, they will enjoy your custom aesthetic theme, zero ads, sub-50ms edge load speed, and your personal brand URL in their browser.
Frequently Asked Questions & Troubleshooting
Q: How long does DNS propagation take? Most DNS providers update within 5 to 30 minutes, although in rare situations it can take up to 24 hours depending on your registrar’s TTL cache.
Q: Does this cost anything extra? No. Custom domain support and automated SSL certificate renewals are included at no extra cost in the Link In The Bio Pro plan ($3.99/month or $39/year).
Q: Does this affect my main website? No. Using a subdomain like links.yourbrand.com only affects that specific prefix. Your main website (www.yourbrand.com) and email accounts (you@yourbrand.com) remain completely unaffected.
Q: Need help? If your domain is still not resolving after 2 hours, contact our support team at support@inthebio.link and our engineering team will inspect your DNS configuration.