Pointing Your Domain to ULTRV

Your blog should live at your own address. Whether you're starting fresh or migrating from WordPress, connecting your domain to ULTRV takes just a few minutes. No server configuration, no SSL certificates to manage — you update a DNS record and ULTRV handles the rest.

Here's exactly how to do it.

Before you start

You'll need two things:

A domain you own — registered through any registrar (Namecheap, Cloudflare, Google Domains, GoDaddy, etc.)

Access to your DNS settings — this is usually in your registrar's dashboard, or wherever your nameservers are pointed

You'll also want to have your ULTRV blog set up with your content already in place. If you're coming from WordPress, check out our guide on moving your WordPress blog to ULTRV first.

Option A: Using a subdomain (e.g., blog.yourdomain.com)

This is the simplest setup. If you want your blog at something like blog.yourdomain.com, you just need a single CNAME record.

Go to your DNS settings at your registrar or DNS provider

Add a new CNAME record:

TypeNameTarget CNAMEblogultrv.com

Replace blog with whatever subdomain you prefer — writing, thoughts, journal, whatever feels right.

Then in your ULTRV dashboard, go to Blog Settings → Domain and enter your full subdomain (e.g., blog.yourdomain.com). Save it, and ULTRV will automatically provision an SSL certificate for your domain.

DNS changes can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours to propagate, though it's usually fast. Once propagation is complete, your blog will be live at your custom subdomain with HTTPS enabled.

Option B: Using a root domain (e.g., yourdomain.com)

If you want your blog at the root of your domain — just yourdomain.com with no subdomain prefix — you'll need an A record instead of a CNAME.

Go to your DNS settings

Add (or update) an A record:

TypeNameTarget A@76.76.21.21

The @ symbol represents your root domain. Some DNS providers want you to leave the name field blank instead — either way, it means the same thing.

Then, same as before: go to Blog Settings → Domain in your ULTRV dashboard, enter your root domain, and save. SSL is provisioned automatically.

Note: If you're using Cloudflare as your DNS provider, make sure the proxy (orange cloud) is turned off for this record. Set it to DNS only (grey cloud) so the traffic routes directly to ULTRV. This ensures the SSL certificate provisioning works correctly.

What about www?

If you're using a root domain and also want www.yourdomain.com to work, add an additional CNAME record:

TypeNameTarget CNAMEwwwultrv.com

ULTRV will handle the redirect from www to your root domain (or vice versa) automatically.

How SSL works

You don't need to buy, generate, or configure an SSL certificate. Once your DNS records are pointing to ULTRV and propagation is complete, we automatically provision a free SSL certificate for your domain using Let's Encrypt.

This happens behind the scenes — usually within a few minutes of your DNS records going live. Your blog will be served over HTTPS with no action required on your part.

The certificate renews automatically. You never have to think about it again.

Verifying everything works

After updating your DNS records and saving your domain in ULTRV:

Wait a few minutes for DNS propagation (you can check status with a tool like dig or an online DNS checker)

Visit your domain in a browser — you should see your ULTRV blog

Check for the padlock icon in the address bar confirming HTTPS is active

Test a few post URLs to make sure your slugs resolve correctly

If you migrated from WordPress and kept your original slugs, all your old URLs will work at the new domain immediately. Bookmarks, search engine results, and shared links will land exactly where they should.

If you're migrating from WordPress

The ideal sequence is:

Export your content from WordPress (your site stays live)

Import into ULTRV — images and all are fetched automatically

Review your imported posts, clean up any formatting quirks

Publish your posts on ULTRV

Point your domain to ULTRV using the DNS steps above

Done — your blog is now running on ULTRV at your original domain

Because ULTRV preserves your slugs during import, the transition is seamless for your readers. They visit the same URL and get the same content — just served faster and with no tracking scripts.

For the full WordPress export and import walkthrough, see How to Move Your WordPress Blog to ULTRV.

Common questions

Can I use a domain I bought anywhere?
Yes. ULTRV works with any domain registrar. You just need to be able to edit DNS records.

Does it cost extra to use a custom domain?
No. Custom domains are included. There's no premium tier or upsell for this feature.

What if I change my mind?
Just update your DNS records to point elsewhere. Your domain is always yours — ULTRV never takes ownership of it.

Can I point multiple domains to the same blog?
Currently, each blog supports one custom domain. If you need multiple domains, you can set up redirects at the DNS level to your primary domain.

How long does SSL take to activate?
Usually a few minutes after DNS propagation. If it's been more than an hour, double-check your DNS records are correct and that no proxy (like Cloudflare's orange cloud) is intercepting the traffic.

Your domain, your blog

Having your blog at your own domain is one of the most important things you can do for your online presence. It means your URL doesn't change when you change platforms. It means your readers always know where to find you. And it means you're not renting your address from someone else.

Point your domain to ULTRV, and your blog is truly yours.