TL;DR: Use your own domain for branded short links instead of Bitly or TinyURL. Set up redirects like
go.yourdomain.comorsale.yourdomain.com→ any destination using Domain-Forward.com (free plan). Branded, trackable, HTTPS.
Generic short links like bit.ly/3xK9fH2 look spammy. They provide zero brand recognition. People hesitate to click them because they could lead anywhere.
Branded short links — using your own domain — look professional, build trust, and work as mini-ads for your brand. Every time someone sees go.yourdomain.com, they see your brand.
Examples of Branded Short Links
| Short Link | Destination | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
go.brand.com | Latest campaign landing page | Constantly updated |
sale.brand.com | Current sale page | Seasonal |
podcast.brand.com | Podcast on Spotify/Apple | Spoken in episodes |
app.brand.com | App Store listing | App download link |
meet.brand.com | Calendly booking page | Networking events |
resume.name.com | LinkedIn or portfolio | Business cards |
support.brand.com | Help desk or Patreon | Community |
gift.brand.com | Gift card or product page | Holiday campaigns |
Two Approaches
Approach 1: Subdomain-Based (Recommended)
Each short link is a subdomain:
sale.yourdomain.com→ your sale pagepodcast.yourdomain.com→ your podcastapp.yourdomain.com→ your app store listing
Pros: Unlimited short links, clean separation, each is independently configurable
Approach 2: Short Domain
Buy a short domain (e.g., ybr.co for “Your Brand”) and use it purely for short links:
ybr.co→ main website- Point subdomains to different destinations
Pros: Shorter URLs, dedicated link shortening domain
Setup
Step 1: Sign up at Domain-Forward.com
Free, no credit card.
Step 2: Add redirects for each short link
| Source | Destination | Type |
|---|---|---|
sale.yourdomain.com | https://shop.example.com/black-friday | 301 |
podcast.yourdomain.com | https://open.spotify.com/show/yourshow | 301 |
app.yourdomain.com | https://apps.apple.com/app/yourapp/... | 301 |
Step 3: Add DNS records
For each subdomain, add a CNAME:
| Record Type | Host | Value |
|---|---|---|
| CNAME | sale | edge.domain-forward.com |
| CNAME | podcast | edge.domain-forward.com |
| CNAME | app | edge.domain-forward.com |
Step 4: Wait and test
DNS propagation: 1-4 hours. SSL provisioned automatically. Test with our redirect tester tool.
Branded Short Links vs Generic Shorteners
| Feature | Branded (Your Domain) | Bitly / TinyURL |
|---|---|---|
| Brand recognition | ✅ Your domain | ❌ Their domain |
| Trust factor | ✅ High (recognizable) | ⚠️ Low (unknown destination) |
| Custom paths | ✅ You choose | ⚠️ Limited on free |
| Analytics | ✅ | ✅ |
| HTTPS | ✅ Automatic | ✅ |
| Cost | Free (Domain-Forward.com) | Free tier limited |
| Enterprise features | Via paid plans | Via paid plans |
| No dependency on third party | ✅ | ❌ |
Update Destinations Anytime
The power of branded short links: update the destination without changing the URL.
sale.yourdomain.com can point to:
- Your Black Friday page in November
- Your Spring Sale page in March
- Your clearance page in July
Update the destination in Domain-Forward.com. No DNS changes. No reprinting anything. The URL stays the same; what’s behind it changes.
Use Cases
- Podcasters — Say “visit podcast.mybrand.com” on air
- Speakers — Put
slides.mybrand.comon the first slide - Real estate agents —
tour.agentname.comper listing - Retailers —
sale.brand.comfor current promotion - Event planners —
rsvp.eventname.comfor each event - Authors —
book.authorname.comfor preorder page
See also: Vanity URLs use case, Marketing campaigns use case.
Own Your Short Links
Generic shorteners rent you a link. Branded short links on your domain are assets you own. They build brand recognition with every click.
Create your free account, set up your first branded short link in 5 minutes. Email stays working — only subdomain CNAME records are added.