LinkForge
Educational Guide

Step-by-Step Branded Custom Short Domain Setup Guide

Connect your custom domain to LinkForge in under 5 minutes. Follow this DNS configuration guide for subdomains and apex domains.

Published by LinkForge Product TeamUpdated August 2026

Step 1: Choose Your Short Domain

Many companies register a dedicated short domain (e.g. `nike.news` or `yt.be`) or use a dedicated subdomain on their primary domain (e.g. `go.company.com`).

Step 2: Add CNAME Record in Your DNS Provider

Log into your DNS provider (Cloudflare, GoDaddy, Namecheap, AWS Route 53) and add a new CNAME record:

Type: CNAME
Name: go (or link, or @ for apex)
Target: cname.linkforge.site
TTL: Auto or 3600

Step 3: Verify Domain in LinkForge Workspace

In LinkForge, navigate to Workspace Settings > Domains and enter your domain. LinkForge will query DNS servers automatically. Once verified, SSL certificate issuance takes less than 60 seconds.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about DNS domain setup.

What CNAME value should I point to LinkForge?

Point your CNAME record for your chosen short domain (e.g. `go.yourbrand.com`) to `cname.linkforge.site`.

Can I use an apex domain (e.g. `yourbrand.com` without `go.`)?

Yes. If your DNS provider supports CNAME flattening or ALIAS records (like Cloudflare or Route 53), you can point apex domains to LinkForge.

Do I need to buy or upload an SSL certificate?

No. LinkForge automatically provisions and renews TLS/SSL certificates at the edge for verified custom domains.