Custom Domains
Use your own domain for your affiliate portal, referral links, and join pages.
By default, your ViralRef pages live on a subdomain like acme.viralref.com. With a custom domain, you can use your own address instead — like referrals.yourbusiness.com — for a fully branded experience.
What a Custom Domain Does
When you connect a custom domain, all your public-facing referral pages move to your own address:
| Page | Default URL | With Custom Domain |
|---|---|---|
| Affiliate Portal | acme.viralref.com/portal | referrals.yourbusiness.com/portal |
| Join Page | acme.viralref.com/join | referrals.yourbusiness.com/join |
| Referral Links | acme.viralref.com/r/sarah-abc123 | referrals.yourbusiness.com/r/sarah-abc123 |
| Referral Landing Pages | acme.viralref.com/ref/sarah-abc123 | referrals.yourbusiness.com/ref/sarah-abc123 |
Your affiliates and their referrals see your domain everywhere. No mention of ViralRef in the URL.
How to Set It Up
Step 1: Choose Your Domain
Go to Settings > Organization > Custom Domain and enter the domain you want to use. This can be:
- A subdomain like
referrals.yourbusiness.com(most common) - A subdomain like
refer.yourbusiness.com - Any subdomain you control
Step 2: Add a DNS Record
After entering your domain, ViralRef shows you a CNAME record to add at your domain provider (GoDaddy, Cloudflare, Namecheap, etc.):
| Type | Name | Value |
|---|---|---|
| CNAME | referrals | cname.viralref.com |
The exact name depends on the subdomain you chose. If your custom domain is referrals.yourbusiness.com, the name is referrals.
Step 3: Verify
Once the DNS record is in place, click Verify in ViralRef. DNS changes can take a few minutes to propagate, though most providers update within 5 minutes.
When verification succeeds, all your public pages immediately start working on your custom domain.
Why It Matters
Brand Trust
Referral links from your own domain look more trustworthy. When a customer receives a link like referrals.yourbusiness.com/r/sarah-abc123, they recognize your brand and are more likely to click.
Higher Conversion Rates
Links from unfamiliar domains get ignored more often. A recognizable domain in a text message or email increases click-through rates on referral links.
Professional Appearance
Your affiliates see a polished, branded portal when they log in. It reinforces that your referral program is a real part of your business, not a third-party add-on.
Existing Referral Links
When you add a custom domain, your old acme.viralref.com links continue to work. Both addresses resolve to the same pages, so nothing breaks for affiliates who already have their link saved.
Troubleshooting
Verification Fails
- DNS not propagated yet: Wait a few minutes and try again. Some providers take up to an hour.
- Wrong record type: Make sure you added a CNAME record, not an A record or TXT record.
- Wrong value: Double-check that the CNAME target matches exactly what ViralRef shows you.
SSL Certificate
ViralRef automatically provisions an SSL certificate for your custom domain. Your pages will be served over HTTPS with no extra configuration.
Custom domains are available on Pro and Business plans. Upgrade from Settings > Organization > Billing if you're on the free tier.
Next Steps
Affiliate Portal
Learn what your affiliates see when they log in.
Settings Guide
Explore all organization settings and configuration options.