Domain Names

Every link in your emails – unsubscribe links, tracking pixels, opt-in form URLs, and open tracking beacons – points to a domain. Configuring the right domain ensures your links look professional, match your brand, and work reliably for every subscriber who clicks them.

What Domains Control

Your configured domain determines the base URL for several key features:

  • Unsubscribe links – the URL subscribers click to opt out of your emails
  • Open tracking pixels – invisible images embedded in emails that record when a message is opened
  • Click tracking links – wrapped URLs that pass through Broadcast before redirecting to the final destination
  • Opt-in form pages – hosted forms where visitors enter their email to subscribe

All of these need to resolve to Broadcast’s servers. If the domain is misconfigured or unreachable, tracking breaks and unsubscribe links fail – which can harm both your subscriber experience and your deliverability.

Default Domain in Your Hosted Account

When you sign up for Broadcast at sendbroadcast.com, your account comes with a domain already configured and ready to use. All links in your emails automatically point to this domain without any additional setup on your part.

For most users, the default domain works perfectly. You can start sending campaigns immediately and all tracking, unsubscribe, and opt-in features will function correctly from day one.

Channel Domain Override

If you want your email links to use a custom domain instead of the default, you can configure a domain override on a per-channel basis.

To set a custom domain:

  1. Go to Settings > Sender Details for your broadcast channel
  2. Find the Domain Override section
  3. Enter your custom domain (e.g., mail.yourbrand.com)
  4. Save your changes

Once configured, all links generated for that channel’s emails will use your custom domain instead of the default.

When to Use Custom Domains

While the default domain works well for getting started, there are several scenarios where a custom domain makes sense:

Brand Consistency

Your subscribers see the domain in every link they hover over or click. Using mail.yourbrand.com instead of a generic domain reinforces your brand identity and builds trust. Subscribers who recognize the domain in a link are more likely to click.

Multiple Brands

If you run several brands from one Broadcast account, each with its own broadcast channel, custom domains let each brand maintain its own identity. Your fitness newsletter links can point to links.fitnessbrand.com while your cooking newsletter uses links.cookingbrand.com.

White-Label Sending

For agencies or platforms sending on behalf of clients, custom domains ensure the client’s brand appears in every link rather than yours.

DNS Configuration

To use a custom domain, you need to point it at Broadcast’s servers through a DNS record.

Setting Up DNS

Add one of the following records in your domain registrar or DNS provider:

A Record – Point your domain directly to Broadcast’s IP address:

Type Name Value
A mail.yourbrand.com (Broadcast IP – shown in your settings)

CNAME Record – Point your subdomain to Broadcast’s hostname:

Type Name Value
CNAME mail.yourbrand.com (Broadcast hostname – shown in your settings)

DNS changes can take anywhere from a few minutes to 48 hours to propagate, though most updates are visible within an hour. You can verify propagation using tools like dig or online DNS lookup services.

SSL / TLS Requirements

Your custom domain must support HTTPS for tracking and links to work properly. Modern email clients and browsers expect secure connections, and some will outright block HTTP links or display warnings.

Broadcast handles SSL certificate provisioning for custom domains. Once your DNS is pointed correctly and has propagated, the platform will automatically secure your domain with an SSL certificate. No manual certificate management is required on your part.

If you encounter SSL issues after configuring your domain, make sure your DNS records are correct and have fully propagated. Certificate provisioning happens automatically once the domain resolves to Broadcast.

Multiple Domains Strategy

You can configure different custom domains for different broadcast channels. This is particularly useful when:

  • Running multiple brands – each brand gets its own domain for a fully branded subscriber experience
  • Separating by geography – use country-specific domains for regional audiences (e.g., mail.brand.co.uk for UK subscribers)
  • Organizing by content type – keep your newsletter links separate from your product update links for cleaner analytics

Each channel operates independently, so changing the domain on one channel has no effect on your other channels.

Example Use Cases

Single Brand, Single Domain

The simplest setup. You have one broadcast channel and one custom domain:

  • Channel: “Company Newsletter”
  • Domain: mail.yourcompany.com

All emails from this channel use mail.yourcompany.com for tracking and unsubscribe links.

Multi-Brand Agency

An agency managing email for several clients:

  • Channel: “Client A” – Domain: email.clienta.com
  • Channel: “Client B” – Domain: news.clientb.com
  • Channel: “Client C” – Domain: updates.clientc.com

Each client sees only their own branding in email links. Subscribers never see the agency’s domain.

Product Lines

A company with distinct product lines sharing one Broadcast account:

  • Channel: “SaaS Product” – Domain: mail.saasproduct.io
  • Channel: “E-commerce Store” – Domain: links.shopname.com

Email Deliverability Tips

Your domain configuration has a direct impact on email deliverability. Follow these practices to maximize inbox placement:

  • Use subdomains for sending – configure mail.yourdomain.com or links.yourdomain.com rather than your root domain. This isolates your email reputation from your main website and protects both if issues arise on either side.
  • Keep domains consistent – use the same domain in your From address, tracking links, and unsubscribe URLs. Mismatched domains can trigger spam filters.
  • Set up SPF and DKIM – these DNS records authenticate your emails and are configured through your email provider (see your ESP’s documentation). They tell receiving mail servers that Broadcast is authorized to send on behalf of your domain.
  • Consider DMARC – once SPF and DKIM are in place, add a DMARC record to specify how receiving servers should handle unauthenticated mail from your domain.

Troubleshooting

  • Verify the domain override is saved – check Settings > Sender Details and confirm your custom domain appears in the Domain Override field.
  • Check the channel – domain overrides are per-channel. Make sure you are editing the correct broadcast channel.
  • New emails only – domain changes apply to emails sent after the change. Previously sent emails retain their original links.

DNS Not Resolving

  • Wait for propagation – DNS changes can take up to 48 hours, though most resolve within an hour.
  • Verify the record type – make sure you created the correct record type (A or CNAME) with the correct value.
  • Check for typos – even a small typo in the hostname or value will prevent resolution.
  • Confirm with your registrar – some registrars require you to explicitly save or publish DNS changes after entering them.

SSL Certificate Errors

  • DNS must resolve first – SSL certificates cannot be provisioned until your domain correctly points to Broadcast.
  • Allow time after DNS propagation – certificate provisioning may take a few additional minutes after DNS is confirmed.
  • Check for conflicting records – if your domain has both an A record and a CNAME, this can cause conflicts. Use one or the other.

Tracking Not Working

  • Confirm HTTPS is active – visit your custom domain in a browser and verify it loads over HTTPS without errors.
  • Check email content – make sure your email templates include the standard tracking variables and have not been modified to use hardcoded URLs.

Best Practices

  • Start with the default domain and switch to a custom domain when you have a specific branding need
  • Always use subdomains rather than root domains for email-related DNS records
  • Test after setup by sending a test email and clicking through every link to verify tracking and unsubscribe pages load correctly
  • Monitor deliverability after switching domains – watch your open rates and bounce rates for any changes in the days following a domain switch
  • Document your DNS records so your team knows which records are in use and what they point to

Next: Unsubscribe Settings – Configure unsubscribe behavior to stay compliant and protect your sender reputation.