Set up a vanity URL

A vanity URL is a shortened web address that's customized for your brand. Vanity URLs are easy to remember and using them in your social posts is a great way to boost brand awareness. Just like Ow.ly links, you can still track click-through metrics in Hootsuite. You need to buy a vanity URL from an accredited domain name registrar before you can use it in Hootsuite.

Before you begin

Here's what you need before you can add a vanity URL to Hootsuite:

• A Hootsuite organization with teams, members, and social accounts. If you don't have an organization, create one, and then share your social accounts but leave the email address blank. This will allow you to create a team containing yourself and the social accounts that you’ll use with the vanity URL. Learn more about Hootsuite organizations.
• Organization super admin permissions.
• A domain to use for your vanity URL, purchased from an accredited registrar. Your vanity URL domain can be similar to your brand's website domain, but it must be unique. It cannot currently be in use with an active website, or registered on the HSTS preload list. Vanity URLs do not work with HTTPS connections. Learn how to register a domain name for a vanity URL.
• Your own website to use as a root redirect.

Team plans can add one vanity URL to Hootsuite, Business plans can add five, and there is no limit for Enterprise plans.

Add a vanity URL to Hootsuite

1. Go to Account, and then select Profile.
2. Select Vanity URLs from the list on the left.
3. Select Add New Vanity URL.
4. Enter your vanity URL information. Start each with http://.
   
   Note: A root redirect is the URL (usually your company website) that people are taken to when they try to access your vanity URL without a hash on the end of it.
5. Add the vanity URL to your organization so organization members can access it when creating posts.
6. Select Save.
   Hootsuite will generate one of the following IP addresses:
   • 54.241.242.72
   • 54.241.242.79
7. Copy the IP address to update your Domain Name Server (DNS) settings (later in these instructions).
   This information is sent to the email associated with your Hootsuite account.
8. Select Finished.
9. Sign into your domain host account to update the A record in the DNS settings:
   • In the Hostname field, enter @.
   • In the IP address field, paste your IP address.
   How to edit the A record with various domain registrars:
   • GoDaddy
   • Namecheap
   • Enom

Your vanity URL will be ready to use in about 24 hours, pending verification from the domain registrar.

All organization members can use the vanity URL to shorten links in their posts. You can also add your vanity URL to presets and content campaigns. To use your vanity URL in the Hootsuite mobile app, add it to a preset. Learn how to create link settings presets.

Delete a vanity URL

1. Go to Account, and then select Profile.
2. Select Vanity URLs from the list on the left.
3. Select Delete beside the vanity URL.
4. Select OK.

Now that you have deleted your vanity URL, take a moment to update your DNS settings in your domain host account.