Custom domains, and why they change your click rate

Moving a page onto its own domain is the smallest change with the largest measured effect we see, and it takes about ten minutes.

The effect is real but modest

Pages that moved to a custom domain saw a median click-through improvement of just under nine percent, measured over the four weeks either side of the move.

The improvement is concentrated in traffic from platforms that show the destination host before the tap. Where the host is hidden, the effect nearly disappears.

What to do about the certificate

Point the record, then wait. A certificate is issued automatically once the record resolves, which is usually minutes and occasionally an hour.

Keep the old handle working. It keeps every link you have ever posted alive, and it costs nothing.

If you already own a domain you are not using, this is the best available use for it.