Set up a custom short domain

Use this guide when you want branded links such as go.yourbrand.com instead of a shared Nimriz domain.

Before you start

• Pick the exact host you want to use. Nimriz treats example.com and www.example.com as different domains.
• Use a dedicated short-link host when possible, such as go.example.com or links.example.com.
• Make sure you can edit DNS for that host in your DNS provider.
• Plan your fallback landing pages on a separate marketing or website host instead of the short domain itself.

Recommended setup flow

1. Open the dashboard and add the custom domain.
2. Copy the DNS values Nimriz shows for verification and routing.
3. Create the DNS records in your provider exactly as shown.
4. Wait for DNS to propagate.
5. Run verification from Nimriz.
6. After the domain shows as ready, create a test link on that domain.
7. Test the root host, a working short link, and a missing short link so you know the fallback behavior is correct.

DNS records to double-check

• Verify the hostname exactly matches the host you added in Nimriz.
• Verify the record value has no extra spaces or missing characters.
• If Nimriz asks for a TXT record, publish it on the exact label shown in the UI.
• If Nimriz asks for a CNAME, make sure you do not also have conflicting records for the same host.

Best practices

• Keep your short domain and your main website on separate hosts.
• Use HTTPS destinations whenever possible.
• Choose one branded host and use it consistently in campaigns, QR codes, and internal templates.
• Decide early whether your team will use default generated slugs or mostly custom slugs.

What “ready” should mean

Your domain is ready when:

• verification has succeeded
• the domain is marked as usable in the dashboard
• you can create a link on that host
• a test redirect works on the live hostname

If the domain is still pending, do not share live short links from it yet.

Common mistakes

• Adding www.example.com in Nimriz but publishing DNS for example.com
• Copying a DNS value from an old setup attempt instead of the current one
• Publishing multiple conflicting TXT records when only one should be authoritative
• Pointing fallback landing pages back to the short domain and creating a loop

When to contact support

Contact support if:

• verification is still failing after you confirmed the exact hostname and waited for propagation
• the domain looks verified in DNS tools but Nimriz still shows it as unusable
• redirects on the verified host are not working even though a test link exists

Include:

• the exact hostname
• the DNS provider you are using
• screenshots or copied values of the DNS records you published
• the approximate time you made the DNS change