George, I was literally with my card in hand, ready to point my custom domain name to Substack when I read your post and found out that bloody detail with "www". Why on Earth they don't let me use my naked domain name, without www?
Not sure what to do now. I've already started my Substack, I got my first 12 subscribers. I do have my domain name. I still got the fifty euro. Just don't like the idea anymore. You spoiled it for me. 😊
One more question (it is not clear at all in Substack's FAQ):
once you registered the 'www' subdomain are you allowed to change it (from your registrar) with any other subdomain of your choice, like'newsletter.magyar.blog' or 'substack.magyar.blog' etc without being charged by Substack again?
I don't know, but once you've payed the $50 you have access to the custom domain admin interface, so it's a one time fee, you should be able to play around.
All other domains, including www.f.express and both https:// and http:// versions are handled by redirect.pizza which results in properly handled redirects and SSL.
GoDaddy "Forwarding" feature only cause headaches - avoid it.
George, I was literally with my card in hand, ready to point my custom domain name to Substack when I read your post and found out that bloody detail with "www". Why on Earth they don't let me use my naked domain name, without www?
Not sure what to do now. I've already started my Substack, I got my first 12 subscribers. I do have my domain name. I still got the fifty euro. Just don't like the idea anymore. You spoiled it for me. 😊
There are other drawbacks, like the required login for Substack users, that might hurt conversion, should they want to subscribe.
If you have the domain, you have all the time in the world to wait with going custom domain here.
One more question (it is not clear at all in Substack's FAQ):
once you registered the 'www' subdomain are you allowed to change it (from your registrar) with any other subdomain of your choice, like'newsletter.magyar.blog' or 'substack.magyar.blog' etc without being charged by Substack again?
I don't know, but once you've payed the $50 you have access to the custom domain admin interface, so it's a one time fee, you should be able to play around.
This works. After you paid you can keep changing
Still struggling with a custom domain for SS?
Here's my solution.
I have two domains, one being a shorthand.
They are hosted on GoDaddy, which sucks with respect to DNS handling.
The way I ultimately set it up is as follows:
1/ Main target for substack:
In line with substack recommendations:
www.futurecrafting.com setup ⇀ http://target.substack-custom-domains.com/
2/ additional redirects from GoDaddy
Their own redirection from @ to www does not work. There are issues with SSL and resolutions.
Therefore you need to setup a workaround — use redirect.pizza
In redirect.pizza I have set up the following:
SOURCE URL
1 f.express
2. www.f.express
3 futurecrafting.express
Destination URL
https://www.futurecrafting.express/path?query
In goDaddy settings for f.express:
A @ → 89.106.200.1
CNAME www → edge.redirect.pizza
This way:
Main SS domain www.futurecrafting.express is set up on Substack and GoDaddy as per their advice.
All other domains, including www.f.express and both https:// and http:// versions are handled by redirect.pizza which results in properly handled redirects and SSL.
GoDaddy "Forwarding" feature only cause headaches - avoid it.
Hope it works for you.
1-2 years in, do you see benefits in having a domain setup for substack? Thanks fellow Hungarian!
I'm keeping it but it's no magic bullet.
You have to write, and write well. Everything else is secondary.