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BETA: Vanity Links for Offers

Replace generic affiliate URLs with branded, creator-personalized links using your own custom domain.

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Written by Product Solutions
Updated over a month ago

Vanity links are custom branded links that use your own domain instead of standard Aspire tracking URLs. Instead of sharing links like https://get.aspr.app/SH1YwY, your creators can share memorable, on-brand links like go.yourbrand.com/sarah.

Why Use Vanity Links?

Vanity links help you maintain brand consistency across your creator program. When creators share links on social media, in emails, or within their content, the links display your brand's domain—building trust with your audience and reinforcing brand recognition.

Standard Aspire Link

Vanity Link (example)

https://aspireiq.go2cloud.org/aff_c?offer_id=1000000&aff_id=20000

https://go.yourbrand.com/sarah

How Vanity Links Work

When someone clicks a vanity link, here's what happens:

  1. Customer clicks go.yourbrand.com/sarah

  2. Link redirects through Aspire tracking (attribution is captured)

  3. Customer lands on your destination page (e.g., yourbrand.com/shop)

All tracking and attribution works exactly the same as standard links. Vanity links simply add a branded layer on top.

Before You Start

To set up vanity links, you'll need:

  • A domain or subdomain you own –– (e.g., go.yourbrand.com or shop.yourbrand.com)

  • Access to your DNS settings — If not already configured (step 2), you'll need to add a DNS record. If your IT team manages DNS, coordinate with them before starting.

Setting Up Your Custom Domain

Step 1: Add Your Domain in Aspire

  1. Navigate to Settings → Custom Domain Settings

  2. Enter your desired domain (e.g., go.yourbrand.com)

  3. Click Add Domain

After adding your domain, you'll see a status indicator:

Status

Meaning

What to Do

🔴 Not Registered

🟡 SSL Pending

DNS record not detected

Proceed to Step 2

🟡 Configured

🟡 SSL Pending

DNS verified, SSL certificate being provisioned

Wait 1–5 minutes, then refresh

🟢 Active
​🟢 SSL Installed

Domain ready to use

Start generating vanity links (Skip Step 2 & 3)

Step 2: Configure Your DNS

If not already configured (step 2), you'll need to add a DNS record. If your IT team manages DNS, coordinate with them before starting.

Add a CNAME record in your DNS provider to connect your domain to Aspire.

DNS Record to Add:

Field

Value

Type

CNAME

Name

Your subdomain (e.g., go for go.yourbrand.com)

Value

cname.short.io

Where to configure DNS: Log in to your domain registrar or DNS provider (GoDaddy, Cloudflare, Namecheap, AWS Route 53, etc.) and locate the DNS management section.

Step 3: Verify Your Domain

  1. After saving your DNS record, return to Custom Domain Settings in Aspire

  2. Click Refresh Status to check verification

  3. DNS propagation typically takes 5–30 minutes, but can take up to 2 hours

Once verified, your SSL certificate is automatically provisioned and the status changes to Active.

Generating Vanity Links for Creators

Once your custom domain is active, vanity links are automatically generated when you add creators to offers.

To enable vanity links for an offer:

  1. Create a new offer or edit an existing one

  2. Enable the Use Custom Domain toggle

  3. Add creators to the offer

How link slugs work:

  • For promo code offers: The link uses the creator's promo code (e.g., go.yourbrand.com/SARAH20)

  • For link-only offers: A random slug is generated (e.g., go.yourbrand.com/sH12M)

Creators can find their vanity link in their creator portal.

Troubleshooting

Domain stuck on "Not Configured"

  1. Verify your CNAME record: Use dnschecker.org to confirm your CNAME resolves to cname.short.io

  2. Check for typos: Ensure the subdomain name matches exactly what you entered in Aspire

  3. Remove conflicting records: If an A record exists for the same subdomain, remove it

  4. Wait and retry: DNS can take time—wait 1–2 hours and click Refresh Status

SSL certificate not provisioning

SSL is automatically provisioned once DNS is verified. If SSL remains pending for more than 10 minutes:

  1. Click Refresh Status

  2. If still pending, contact Aspire support

Links not redirecting properly

  1. Confirm the domain status is Active in Custom Domain Settings

  2. Verify the specific link exists and hasn't been deactivated

  3. Clear your browser cache and try again

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does domain setup take?

Most domains are fully active within 30 minutes. DNS propagation is the variable—it typically takes 5–30 minutes but can occasionally take up to 2 hours.

Can I use my root domain (e.g., yourbrand.com)?

We recommend using a subdomain (e.g., go.yourbrand.com) to avoid conflicts with your main website.

Can I use multiple custom domains?

Currently, Aspire supports one custom domain per brand. Support for multiple domains is planned for a future release.

Do vanity links affect tracking or attribution?

No. Vanity links work seamlessly with Aspire's tracking system. All clicks, conversions, and attribution data are captured exactly as they would be with standard links.

What happens if I remove a custom domain?

Existing vanity links using that domain will stop working. Creators would need new links generated with your new domain.

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