September 11, 2023
If you want to give your Substack publication a more personalized touch, using a custom domain is an excellent option. In this guide, we'll walk you through the steps to link your own domain to your Substack publication. Please note that Substack charges a one-time $50 USD fee for this service, and you must be the publication's owner or group administrator to connect a custom domain.
Method:
Step 1: Access Your Newsletters's Settings
- Begin by logging in to your Substack account.
- Navigate to your publication's Settings page.
- In the left navigation bar, select "Domain."
- Click on the "Add custom domain" button to get started.
Step 2: Enter Your Custom Domain
- Enter your custom domain in the provided field.
- Substack will generate the correct CNAME alias you need to add in your DNS provider.
Step 3: Configure Your DNS Provider
To link your domain successfully, you'll need to make changes in your DNS provider's settings. Below, you can find links to support pages for popular providers on how to add CNAME records:
- Google Domains: Create a CNAME record
- GoDaddy: Add a CNAME record
- Namecheap: How to create a CNAME record
- Domain.com: How to update a CNAME
- DreamHost: Adding a CNAME
- Bluehost: What is a CNAME?
- Hover: Managing DNS records
- Dynadot: How do I create a CNAME?
- Cloudflare: If you use Cloudflare, ensure that the “Proxy status” on your CNAME record is set to “DNS only.” The orange cloud icon should be grey, not orange.
Step 4: Verify Configuration Status
To manually check if your configuration is ready, use the “check status” button in the Custom domain section on your Settings page.
âś…Â All Done!
How Long Does It Take?
After linking your custom domain to Substack, it may take up to 36 hours to fully configure. If it takes longer, check that your domain begins with "www" in your configuration settings. If needed, you can delete the configuration and start over without incurring additional charges.
Â
Still Not Working?
If your domain is not functioning correctly, please contact Substack Support Team with a screenshot of your full CNAME record list from your DNS account, and they will assist you in resolving the issue.
Â
TTL Section
You may be asked to configure a TTL by your provider; feel free to leave it as-is.
Â
"www" in Substack Newsletter URL
Substack requires your new newsletter URL begins with "www." Learn more about root domains here.
Â
You’ve successfully updated your substack newsletter to use your custom domain ! Thanks for reading this guide. If you’ve found it useful, continue reading to learn about SubstackAPI…
🚀 Grow your newsletter with SubstackAPI
Now, let's take your Substack newsletter to the next level by introducing you to SubstackAPI…
Gideon from SubstackAPI here! I created SubstackAPI so that all Substack writers have access to the growth tools used by the biggest newsletters. I’m constantly building tools to extend Substacks current functionality to maximise your growth. Here are some tools I’ve built so far!
🌊 Stay tuned for fresh growth tools and insights 👇
Subscribe to my newsletter to stay up-to-date and get growth hacks sent straight to your inbox!
Â