Use your own domain to create branded short links that build trust and recognition.
What are branded links?
Branded links are shortened URLs that use your own domain instead of hidurl.com. For example, instead of hidurl.com/abc123, your links look like go.yourcompany.com/abc123. This builds trust with your audience, increases click-through rates, and keeps your brand consistent across all marketing channels.
Which plans include branded links?
Custom domains are available on Pro, Bulk, and Enterprise plans. Once you have a verified domain, you can use it when creating links both through the dashboard and via the API (domain_id parameter).
How do I add a custom domain?
Go to Dashboard → Settings → Domains and click Add Domain. Enter your domain or subdomain (e.g. go.yourcompany.com). Your domain will show as Awaiting Setup while our team configures it on our hosting infrastructure — this typically takes 1 business day. You will receive an email with the DNS records to add once the setup is ready.
How does the DNS setup process work?
After you submit a domain, our team sets it up on AWS Amplify and emails you two DNS records to add at your DNS provider:
1. SSL Certificate CNAME — Validates your domain and provisions an HTTPS certificate. This must be added within 72 hours of receiving the email or the certificate will need to be re-issued.
2. Routing CNAME — Points your domain to our servers so links resolve correctly.
Add both records in your DNS provider (e.g. Cloudflare, Route 53, GoDaddy). Once propagated, return to Dashboard → Settings → Domains and click Check DNS. After successful verification your domain becomes active.
How do I set a default domain?
Go to Dashboard → Settings → Domains. Any domain that is verified and active shows a Set as default button. Click it to make that domain your default — it will be pre-selected whenever you create a new link from the dashboard. You can change your default at any time.
How do I use a custom domain when creating a link via API?
Pass the domain field in your POST /v1/shorten or /v1/bulk request body with the hostname of your verified domain (available on Pro+ plans):
curl -X POST https://api.hidurl.com/v1/shorten \
-H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"url": "https://example.com/page", "domain": "go.yourcompany.com"}'
The response short_url will reflect your custom domain. See the full API reference at hidurl.com/app/docs/api.