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Documentation Index

Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.tracklysms.com/llms.txt

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When you send messages with link tracking enabled, recipient-facing URLs are rewritten to short URLs on a domain you own — for example link.yourbrand.com/abc123 instead of a generic shared host. This page walks through pointing a domain you control at our link-tracking service so it can serve those short URLs. White-label landing pages are configured separately — see Custom Domains & White-Labeling.

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DNS Setup

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1. Choose Your Domain

Pick a subdomain dedicated to short links — most customers use something like:
  • link.yourbrand.com
  • lnk.yourbrand.com
  • A short standalone domain you’ve registered (e.g. yourbrand.click)
A short, memorable subdomain keeps your message text concise.

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2. Add a CNAME Record

In your DNS provider, create a CNAME record pointing your subdomain at our short-link target:
TypeNameValue
CNAMElinklinks.tracklysms.com
(If you’re using a different subdomain like lnk or go, substitute that in the Name column.)
If you’re on Cloudflare, set the proxy status to DNS only (gray cloud). The orange cloud (proxied) replaces real client IPs with Cloudflare edge IPs, which prevents bot detection from working correctly.

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3. Add the Domain in Account Settings

  1. Go to Account Settings → Domains in the dashboard
  2. Click Add External Domain
  3. Enter your domain (e.g. link.yourbrand.com)
  4. Either:
    • Use Automatic Setup (Entri) — automatically configures DNS for 35+ providers including GoDaddy, Cloudflare, and Namecheap
    • Or follow the manual instructions shown in the dialog

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4. SSL Certificate

Once your CNAME is in place, an SSL certificate is provisioned automatically — no manual setup needed. Provisioning typically completes within a few minutes of DNS propagation.

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5. Verify

The Domains page in Account Settings shows the verification status of each domain. Once it shows Verified, your short-link domain is ready to assign to a sending list.

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How It Works

Recipient clicks link.yourbrand.com/abc123
    → CNAME resolves through links.tracklysms.com → tlrk.us
    → Cloudflare for SaaS terminates SSL using your custom hostname
    → Request forwarded to our link-tracking service
    → Click event recorded, redirect to your destination URL

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Existing Customers

If you set up your domain before May 2026 and it’s pointing at one of our older targets — tlrk.us directly, or proxy.tracklysms.com — there’s nothing you need to do. Both targets remain supported and your short links will continue working without changes. New customers and new domains should use links.tracklysms.com.

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Apex Domains

If you want to use an apex domain (e.g. yourbrand.click instead of link.yourbrand.com), most modern DNS providers support apex CNAMEs via flattening or ALIAS records. If your provider doesn’t, contact support — there are workarounds.

Link Tracking Overview

How link tracking and click attribution work

Bot Detection

Filter out automated link scanners

Custom Domains (White-Label)

Set up a branded landing page on your own domain

Attribution

How clicks are attributed to messages