In the world of online advertising, links are one of the most important (if not the most important) tools you will need. After all, it’s kind of the only form of transportation on the internet. Perhaps that’s why URL shortening services are so useful—they specialize in links and all the potential links hold.
Thankfully, URL shortening services have provided us with opportunities to maximize the use of the link. Gone are the days when links were simple things. Today, links can be versatile—they can target, track, and retrieve information from their clickers.
Let’s check out a few of the advanced features short links provide.
A Few Features You Can Use Right Now
Short links are equipped with several advanced features, but in this article, we will focus on how they can target particular audiences. When it comes to targeting, the most popular forms are Android-, iOS-, and Geo-targeting.
What is Android- and iOS- Targeting, and How Do I Do It?
Android- and iOS- targeting are both forms of mobile targeting. This feature called “mobile links” is available in Short.io.
It’s a feature that will guide your users to specific URLs, depending on their mobile devices’ OS. This function is especially useful for ads relating to application installation. Every user that clicks your mobile-targeted link will be directed to either the App Store, Google Play, or, in some cases, directly to the application download.
How to Apply Mobile Targeting Using Short.io
Setting up Short.io’s “mobile links” feature is surprisingly easy. The feature is available in all Short.io plans, so ensure you don’t miss out on this opportunity. Here is a short and easy tutorial on how to set up mobile targeting.
4 Steps to Setting Up Mobile Targeting:
- Log in to your Short.io account.
- Shorten a link and click on either the iOS or Android tab.
- Place a link to where you want to redirect your Apple/Android users.
- Save.
You can also read this more detailed guide to set up mobile targeting for your links.
Why Mobile Targeting?
For many of us, the mobile phone is glued to our hands. The impact mobile phones have on our lives cannot be overstated. We use it for almost everything. From something as simple as checking the time to making calls across the globe, the mobile phone is deeply entrenched in most people’s daily lives.
This is one of the reasons why advertising via mobile phones can be such an advantage. It’s in the hands of a user almost all the time. Not everyone is planted in a chair and is directly exposed to a computer 24/7.
A large percentage of your potential customers are bored people going through their phones. They could be waiting in some grocery line, browsing through Instagram. They could be sitting on the subway, eyes on their phone while going to work.
Plus, having a phone is far more common than having a PC or a laptop, and we are far more dependent on it than our other devices. Sneaking in a few ads that work especially for the device of the person looking at it is sure to bring results!
Geotargeting and Its Practicality
Imagine you had ten blindfolded archers who had to shoot ten bullseyes. After hundreds (more likely thousands) of arrows missing its target, one bullseye is finally shot. A happy occasion, but one bullseye at the cost of several archer’s efforts and several wasted arrows hardly seems like a victory.
Often, online advertising can be like that. Such is the importance of Geotargeting. Advertising blindly won’t be nearly as cost-effective as Geotargeting. With Geotargeting, your archers have their blindfolds off and their targets locked.
Sure, they may not get the bullseye immediately, but you’d save a great amount of energy, time, and supplies. That’s Geotargeting. Geotargeting (also known as geotargeted advertising) is a type of online advertising that targets users based on their location data, locality, and behavior.
This technology ensures that your ad lands in the location you want to advertise to. For example, if you’re looking to advertise your restaurant, it would be wise to use Geotargeting to target the area.
This way, when people in the targeted location are on their phones, they might encounter your ad just as they walk home, deciding what to do for dinner. You may even target really specific locations like courthouses, parks, concert buildings, etc.
Geotargeting also ranks higher in search results. So when a family is on vacation and happens to search the web for a good restaurant close by, Geotargeting will rank higher in search results. This will increase the chances of your restaurant being picked instead.
How Do I Set Up Geotargeting?
Setting up geotargeted advertisements can be daunting, especially for amateur link users. Fortunately, link shortening services make the process simpler for beginners. In Short.io, you can set it up in just seven easy steps.
Steps to Setting up Geotargeting:
- Log in to your Short.io account.
- Shorten your desired link.
- Click the “Geotargeting” feature. (It’s the one that looks like a globe symbol.)
- Open the page for editing.
- Click on the “Geotargeting” tab.
- Choose your desired country or region and specify a needed URL for them.
- Click “Add”.
And there you have it! With seven simple steps, your Geotargeting is set up, ready to expose the users in your targeted location. Even beginners will have an easy time setting it up.
If you want to know more about how to set up geotargeting, check out our in-depth guide.
Short.io Has Your Back
Large businesses and big brands know the importance of links in online advertising. Brands across the globe find that maximizing a link’s potential is necessary for their daily work processes. Short.io offers any of the aforementioned features a link has to offer and more. Consider subscribing to a link shortening service today.
Progressing with the Times
Every day businesses online are popping up, and brands are opening official websites. Online stores have also skyrocketed in fame and popularity. Learning to take advantage of online advertising or campaigning may just prove to be a valuable skill for the future.
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