How to Use Your Own Domain with Linkflow Dynamic Link Tracker

Published:2025-07-19 Updated:2025-07-19

Transform your link tracking with a professional touch! Instead of using generic short links, you can use your own domain to create branded, trustworthy URLs that your audience will recognize and click.

Why Use Your Own Domain?

Brand Recognition: Links like go.yourbrand.com/signup are more trustworthy than generic URLs
Professional Appearance: Maintain brand consistency across all your marketing materials
Click-Through Rates: Users are more likely to click familiar domain names
Analytics: Track all your links under one branded umbrella

Prerequisites

Before you start, you’ll need:

Access to your domain’s DNS settings (through your domain registrar or hosting provider)
An active Linkflow account
Basic understanding of DNS records (don’t worry, we’ll guide you through it!)

Option 1: Subdomain Setup (Recommended)

This option is hassle-free and quick to set up. You’ll create a subdomain like go.yourdomain.com or links.yourdomain.com that invisibly redirects through Linkflows tracking system to your destination URL.

What this option does: This method creates a dedicated subdomain on your existing website that automatically forwards visitors to Linkflows tracking system. When someone clicks go.yourdomain.com/promo, they’re seamlessly redirected through Linkflows analytics system to your final destination URL. The subdomain acts as a professional “front door” for all your tracked links while maintaining your brand identity.

Why it’s recommended:

No hosting required - works with just a DNS record
Instant setup - no server configuration needed
Perfect tracking - preserves all Linkflow analytics features
Professional appearance - uses your domain name
Easy maintenance - set it once and forget it

Step 1: Create a CNAME Record

Log into your domain provider’s control panel and add a new DNS record:

Record Type: CNAME
Name/Host: go (or choose: links, click, info, etc.)
Value/Target: custom-domain.lflow.dev
TTL: 3600 (or leave as default)

Popular DNS Providers:

Cloudflare: DNS → Records → Add record
GoDaddy: DNS Management → Add → CNAME
Namecheap: Advanced DNS → Add new record

Step 2: Create Your Short Links in Linkflow

Important: Create links normally in Linkflow using the lflow.dev extension, not your custom domain.

How the mapping works:

Your custom link: go.yourdomain.com/abc123
Maps to Linkflow link: lflow.dev/abc123
Or path structure: /subdomain/shortcode = subdomain.lflow.dev/shortcode

Example:

Set up CNAME: go.mystore.com → custom-domain.lflow.dev
Create link in Linkflow: new.lflow.dev/blackfriday
Users visit your site: go.mystore.com/new/blackfriday
System maps: new.lflow.dev/blackfriday to destination URL

Understanding the Path System

The Linkflow system uses a two-slash path structure:

First part: Your domain name (becomes the subdomain identifier)
Second part: Your short code

So lflow.dev/mystore.com/promo means:

Domain: mystore.com
Short code: promo
Accessible via: go.mystore.com/promo (if you set up the CNAME)

Step 3: Wait for DNS Propagation

DNS changes can take 5 minutes to 24 hours to fully propagate. Test by visiting your custom link!

Option 2: URL Redirect Rules (Advanced)

Use this method if you would like full control over the redirect page and support for multiple subdomains and advanced features. This is a more advanced option and typically requires a premium plan from your hosting provider to use redirect rules.

If you’re a developer, you can use this method to create a custom redirect page and use the Linkflow Enterprise API to create your links.

Step 1: Set Up Redirect Rules

In your hosting control panel, create a redirect rule:

From: yourdomain.com/go/* (or any path like /links/*)
To: https://custom-domain.lflow.dev?uri=https://<your short link>
Type: 301 (Permanent) redirect

Common hosting providers:

cPanel: Redirects section
Vercel: vercel.json configuration
Netlify: _redirects file
Apache: .htaccess file

Step 2: Create Links Normally

Create your short links in Linkflow using your regular process - no special formatting needed.

Testing Your Setup

Create a test link in Linkflow: https://lflow.co/test123
Visit your custom URL: yourdomain.com/links/test123
Verify redirect: Should redirect to https://custom-domain.lflow.dev?uri=https://lflow.co/test123
Check analytics: Ensure tracking is working in your Linkflow dashboard

Troubleshooting

Custom link not working?

Verify CNAME points to custom-domain.lflow.dev
Check DNS propagation using online tools like dnschecker
Ensure you created the Linkflow link with the correct path format

Wrong redirect destination?

Double-check your Linkflow link format: https://lflow.co/test123
Verify the full short URL is set as the URI query parameter
Clear browser cache and try again

Analytics not tracking?

Confirm the link was created correctly in Linkflow
Check that JavaScript is enabled for tracking

Popular Subdomain Names

Choose a subdomain that fits your brand:

new.yourdomain.com - Products/services
info.yourdomain.com - Information/updates
claim.yourdomain.com - Offers/discounts
get.yourdomain.com - Downloads/offers
go.yourdomain.com - Analytics

Quick Reference

Subdomain Setup:

Pick A Subdomain Name, represented by the <id> tag
Create CNAME: <id>.yourdomain.com → custom-domain.lflow.dev

- The DNS rule forwards the trailing path to us
Create a link in Linkflow: lflow.dev/shortcode or any-subdomain.lflow.dev/shortcode
Share your link: <id>.yourdomain.com/promo1 maps to lflow.dev/promo1
Extra: Second Path Slash <id>.yourdomain.com/new/promo1 maps to new.lflow.dev/promo1

Security Note

Always use HTTPS for your domain to ensure secure redirects and maintain user trust. Most modern hosting providers include SSL certificates automatically.

Congratulations! Your custom domain is now connected to Linkflows dynamic link tracking service. Remember, for the DNS setup, always create your links using the lflow.dev domain for the method to work properly.

Need help? Check our troubleshooting section above or contact support.