HEY World with Custom Domain Support: What It Could Mean

HEY World is an interesting idea. It’s simple, deliberately constrained, and clearly designed for people who want to write without thinking about platforms, plugins, or publishing workflows.

But there’s one limitation I keep coming back to whenever I use it: custom domain support is missing.

I wrote recently about why HEY World makes everything else feel like overkill — and custom domains are the one thing that would change that feeling.

I don’t think HEY World needs to become WordPress (I’ve already done the “full platform” route in my move from WordPress to Ghost). But it’s hard not to imagine how different — and how much more compelling — it could be with something as basic as the ability to publish under your own domain.

What HEY World gets right

HEY World removes friction almost entirely. There’s no setup, no configuration, and no decisions to make before you start writing. You open the editor, you write, you publish.

That simplicity is its defining strength. It encourages regular writing and removes many of the distractions that come with running a traditional blog. For people who just want to put thoughts into the world, that matters.

Why custom domains change the equation

Using your own domain isn’t about vanity It’s about ownership and continuity.

When you publish under your own domain, you’re building something that isn’t tied to a single platform’s future decisions. Your writing lives at an address you control, regardless of where or how it’s hosted underneath.

Without that, HEY World content always feels temporary — not because the writing is disposable, but because the address is.

Publishing versus posting

HEY World feels closer to posting than publishing.

That’s not a criticism. It’s just a distinction. Posting is about sharing in the moment. Publishing is about creating something that’s meant to last — the kind of thing I associate with the social web. be found later, and evolve over time.

Custom domain support is one of the clearest signals that a platform is designed for publishing rather than just posting.

What custom domain support would unlock

If HEY World supported custom domains, even in a limited way, it would change how the platform is perceived:

• Writing would feel more permanent
• Content would feel easier to invest in
• Posts could sit alongside other work under the same domain
• The platform would feel like a viable long-term home, not just a side space

It wouldn’t need advanced theming, plugins, or deep SEO controls to achieve that shift. The domain alone would do much of the work.

Constraints can still exist

Custom domain support doesn’t have to mean complexity.

HEY World could remain opinionated and constrained while still allowing writers to publish at their own address. Design could remain fixed. Structure could stay simple. The experience could still be unmistakably HEY.

But the writing would feel like it belongs to the author, not just the platform.

Seeing HEY World in practice

I currently use HEY World alongside my main blog, mainly for shorter pieces and ongoing thoughts. You can see how that looks in practice here:

https://world.hey.com/paul.obrien

It works well for what it is — but it also highlights the difference between writing somewhere convenient and publishing somewhere you fully control.

Why this matters more over time

The longer you write, the more you care about where that writing lives.

Early on, simplicity matters most. Later, continuity does. Custom domains bridge that gap. They allow people to start simple without painting themselves into a corner.

Without that option, HEY World feels like a place you borrow rather than a place you build.

Final thoughts

I don’t expect HEY World to replace full blogging platforms, and it probably shouldn’t try to. Its value lies in restraint, not expansion.

But adding custom domain support would change what HEY World is, without changing how it feels. It would turn a thoughtful writing space into a legitimate publishing option for people who care about longevity as much as ease.

For me, that one change would make all the difference.