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Short Link

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Overview

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Why Use Short Links?

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Benefits

• Clean, professional-looking URLs
• Easier to read and remember
• Better for social media sharing with character limits

• Short links appear more trustworthy
• Less intimidating than long parameter-filled URLs
• Better for SMS and print marketing

• Use custom branded domains
• Reinforce brand identity in every link
• Build trust with recognizable domains

• Simplified link management
• All UTM parameters hidden but still tracked
• Easier to share internally with teams

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How Short Links Work

1. Original URL: https://example.com/product?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=summer_sale&utm_content=ad1
2. Shortened URL: https://yourbrand.link/abc123
3. User clicks short link → Redirects to original URL with all UTM parameters intact
4. Analytics tracked → All click data and UTM information captured

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Creating a Short Link

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During Link Creation

1. Create a new link or edit an existing one
2. Navigate to the Link Shortening section
3. Select your preferred shortener:
   • Custom Branded Domain (recommended)
   • Default Project Shortener
   • No Shortening (use full URL)
4. Save your link

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For Existing Links

1. Go to your Links page
2. Find the link you want to shorten
3. Click the Edit button
4. Enable link shortening
5. Select your shortener
6. Save changes

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Shortener Options

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Custom Branded Domain

• Full brand control
• Builds trust with your audience
• Professional appearance
• Custom domain ownership

• Own a domain
• Configure DNS settings
• Verify domain ownership

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Default Project Shortener

• No setup required
• Instant availability
• Consistent across project

• Quick testing
• Internal links
• Small campaigns

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No Shortening

• Transparency required
• Email marketing (some filters flag shortened links)
• Partners require full URL visibility
• Internal documentation

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Managing Short Links

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View Short Link

1. Go to Links page
2. Your shortened URL appears in the link list
3. Click the Copy icon to copy to clipboard

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Edit Short Link

• You can change the shortener service
• You cannot change the short code (it’s permanent)
• Original URL and UTM parameters can be modified

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Deactivate Short Link

1. Edit the link
2. Change shortener to “No Shortening”
3. The short code becomes inactive
4. Previous short links will show an error

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Short Link Analytics

• Total clicks on the short link
• Unique visitors who clicked
• Geographic data of clickers
• Device and browser information
• Referrer sources that shared your link
• Click timeline showing activity over time

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Custom Short Codes

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Automatic Generation

• Example: abc123, x7k9m2, qr4t8p
• Ensures uniqueness
• Case-sensitive

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Custom Short Codes (Feature Availability)

• Example: summer-sale, signup-now
• Must be unique within your domain
• Limited characters (a-z, 0-9, hyphens)

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Best Practices

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Domain Selection

1. Use Branded Domains for External Campaigns
   • Customer-facing marketing
   • Social media posts
   • Print materials
2. Use Default Shortener for Internal Use
   • Team sharing
   • Testing
   • Draft campaigns
3. Avoid Shortening for Email
   • Some email filters flag shortened URLs
   • Consider using full URLs in emails
   • Test with your email service provider

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Link Management

1. Organize by Campaign
   • Group short links in folders
   • Tag by platform or campaign type
   • Use descriptive link names
2. Test Before Launching
   • Verify the short link redirects correctly
   • Test on different devices
   • Check analytics tracking
3. Monitor Performance
   • Track click-through rates
   • Compare short vs. long links
   • Analyze user behavior

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Security

1. Password Protect Sensitive Links
   • Pre-launch campaign links
   • Internal resources
   • Limited audience content
2. Set Expiration Dates
   • Time-sensitive offers
   • Event-specific links
   • Seasonal campaigns
3. Use Click Limits
   • Limited inventory offers
   • Early bird specials
   • Exclusive access

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Short Link Examples

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Social Media Campaign

Original: https://example.com/summer-collection?utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=summer_2024
Shortened: https://brand.link/summer24
Use case: Instagram bio link, Instagram stories

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Email Newsletter

Original: https://example.com/blog/new-features?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=weekly_digest
Shortened: https://brand.link/features
Use case: Email newsletter, text-based emails

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Print Advertisement

Original: https://example.com/special-offer?utm_source=magazine&utm_medium=print&utm_campaign=fall_ads
Shortened: https://brand.link/offer
Use case: Magazine ads, billboards, business cards

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SMS Campaign

Original: https://example.com/flash-sale?utm_source=sms&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=flash_friday
Shortened: https://brand.link/flash
Use case: SMS marketing, character limit constraints

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QR Code

Original: https://example.com/menu?utm_source=qr&utm_medium=offline&utm_campaign=restaurant_table
Shortened: https://brand.link/menu
Generate QR: Yes
Use case: Restaurant table tents, product packaging

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Common Issues & Solutions

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Short Link Not Working

• Verify the link is still active
• Check if link has expired
• Ensure click limit hasn’t been reached
• Verify domain DNS is configured correctly

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Short Link Analytics Not Tracking

• Confirm analytics integration is active
• Check that tracking is enabled for the link
• Wait a few minutes for data to sync
• Verify your analytics tool is properly connected

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Custom Domain Not Working

• Verify DNS records are correctly configured
• Allow 24-48 hours for DNS propagation
• Check domain verification status
• Contact support for domain troubleshooting

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Security Considerations

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Link Expiration

• Set expiration dates for time-sensitive links
• Configure redirect URLs for expired links
• Automatically deactivate after campaign ends

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Password Protection

• Protect pre-launch links from public access
• Require password for sensitive content
• Share password securely with intended audience

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Click Limits

• Prevent abuse with maximum click thresholds
• Useful for limited offers
• Stops tracking after limit reached

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Comparing Shortener Options

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Integration with Other Features

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QR Codes

• Generate QR codes for short links
• Perfect for offline marketing
• Shorter URLs create simpler QR patterns
• Learn about QR codes →

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Templates

• Include shortener settings in templates
• Automatically apply to new links
• Consistent shortening across campaigns
• Learn about templates →

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UTM Rules

• Set default shortener at project level
• Enforce shortening for specific campaigns
• Standardize link formats
• Learn about UTM rules →

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Advanced Features

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Domain Rotation

• Use multiple custom domains
• Distribute links across domains
• Reduce dependency on single domain
• Better for high-volume campaigns

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Link Aliases

• Create multiple short codes for same destination
• A/B test different short URLs
• Platform-specific short links

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Redirect Types

• 301 (Permanent redirect)
• 302 (Temporary redirect)
• 307 (Temporary redirect, preserve method)

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Related Documentation

• Custom Domains Setup
• DNS Configuration
• Link Analytics
• QR Code Generation
• Link Security

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Need Help?