Bit.ly no longer allows free accounts to add a Branded Short Domain (BSD) – also called custom domain or short domain. I could be late to the game (In fact, I’m roughly 1 year late.) according to a FAQ “Q” about new pricing plans and free account limitations published by bit.ly.

Found out the Hard Way

I discovered this change the hard way. I had just bought a wicked, sweet, terrific short domain for my bio website (I don’t know if Bio Website is the right term or not, but I’m running with it). My site’s domain name is michaelpwright.com, and in January 2020, I purchased mpw.fyi to use as a short domain.

Ages ago, I used bit.ly to configure mikewriting.com (my story blog) with the short domain mkwr.co, so I was familiar with the process. I went over to bit.ly, created a new account, clicked settings, and saw a lock icon on the Custom Domains section. I was pointed to Upgrade my account in order to add a custom domain. Mother’s pearls! How dare they up the ante on a brilliant, clearly useful, and beyond validated web tool — the audacity.

Good News

I nerd panicked and thought what about the other guys – my other short domains mkwr.co, pblgr.co, and saymore.media. Well, I logged on with those respective accounts and discovered the good news: if your short domain was already configured, then you’re good to go. *high-five*

This would’ve been less of a surprise had I been subscribed to bit.ly emails to receive the headsup.

As a cool bonus, if your short domain was but was not verified, you can still verify the domain and use it. This was the case with saymore.media. I had added it and configured it to point to saymoremultimedia.com, but somehow forgot to verify the short domain – HA! classic ADHD me. (I should quit joking about that.)

I make ADD/ADHD jokes because I’m a card-carrying Squirrel-er. It’s an Implicit Right.

M. Wright

Bad News

If your short/custom domain was not added before the plan, then you missed the boat. I mentioned earlier in the post that my bio site won’t get it’s extremely cool short name, mpw.fyi. Well, not never. Michaelpwright.com, which I’m using as only a daily journal, will need to reach earnings level of pay-my-own-rent in order to win upgrades like a paid bit.ly subscription.

For now, I’m happy to manually set it to forward at the registrar (Google Domains).

Pro Tip: Use Google Domains to buy domains. It’s the cleanest, least BS-having, most simple User Interface I’ve seen among registrars (companies who rent domain names to you).