A shorter link looks neater, offers additional tools for analytics, and fits great on social media. But some of them might seem spammy. And if visitors don’t see a brand name in the link, they may not be brave enough to click on it.

So, are shortened links worth it? Why do webmasters still use them and why should you? We’ll review the types of such links and their advantages in this article. Maybe they aren’t suitable for every occasion, but in a lot of cases, you can win by opting for a great link shortener.

What’s a Link Shortener?

It’s a service where you insert your long link and get a short version to use on social media or for backlinking. The choice of such a service is very important and depends on your goals. If it’s a link for an anchor and you just want additional analysis or another purpose, the only thing that matters is reliability.

Some services just disappear, leaving you with tons of non-working backlinks.
But if you want the link to be your anchor, you need a custom service. It allows you to create a neat link without random letters and suspicious looks. About that, in the next section!

Now, these types may seem a bit similar but pay attention to the differences, and you’ll get it:

1. Natural.
You can find a natural short link or two on any website. It’s a domain.com/aboutus kind of link. Such a type doesn’t have any additional tags for analysis.
2. Third-party.
A third-party link is a short one provided by another service. Have you ever seen links starting with bit.ly? That’s it. The drawback here is that no one sees the name of your domain.
3. Custom.
Many websites allow you to create custom links just for you. Create a domain and write a short version of the name of the article or page. Thus, people will see your website name and recognize you.

Why You Should Use Short Links: All the Advantages of Shorteners

While there are some drawbacks like a closed service that leaves you with ads that don't work, we’ll focus on advantages here. After all, you won’t choose an unreliable service for your ad and backlink campaigns, right?

If you know the basics of backlinks, you should understand that posting one isn’t enough. You have to track the results it brings. Many long links include UTM parameters, and if such a link is posted, users can see it and get suspicious.
If not suspicious, then a little concerned. What if it readdresses you somewhere or collects your data? Potential visitors far from link building may get pretty doubtful as to the quality of the link.

Experts from adsy.com, a service where webmasters usually get backlinks, state that shorteners work great for the purpose of hiding those parameters. When someone clicks, they are redirected to the needed page, and then, the whole URL is visible, of course. But, by that time, visitors will be more interested in the content of the page rather than a long link.

Such links are common online, after all.

Links Aren’t Cut on Social Media

Many advertisements are posted on Twitter. And we’ve all seen those tweets with cut links. You only see the domain but nothing more (sometimes even a part of the domain). This doesn’t look pretty and may turn away many potential visitors.
Social media backlinks are on the TOP list of techniques to drive traffic to a page. So, it’s wise to format the link and the message in a way that would look appealing and reliable.

Custom short links work the best for such ads because people see your domain name. But if it’s not an option, just mention your site name and attach a regular short link like “Visit Domain.com at to.short.io/…”

Shortened Links Don’t Look Dangerous

Indeed, some long links with tons of symbols and weird letter combinations may look terrible. Who knows where it’s redirecting? What if it gathers my data without my consent? Not all people understand that many links require additional parameters to be viewed correctly, bring you to a particular spot on the page, or to know how you got to the website.

The latter is important for every ad campaign. Specialists find out what ads are seen the most and how people find the target page. Don’t be afraid of such links unless you get a warning from your antivirus.

Anyway, many webmasters choose to use short links to make sure people aren’t scared. Sometimes using an anchor to hide a large link isn’t an option.

Some Short Links Include Tools for Analytics

A third-party service can offer you additional analytics. While the initial link parameters that show you the stats in Google Analytics work very well, why not use something extra? Such services offer a dashboard with a ton of information about your link.

How many clicks were made? What’s the whole volume of people interacting with it? Such and other data may be available when you’re using a reliable, customer-oriented shortener.

Keep in mind that this only works if you’re using a third-party service. Your own short links won’t provide such data. But maybe you don’t need it for every single page of the website. Focus on the target ones the most.

What do Statistics Metrics Mean?

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Improve your branding with neat short links. Many services offer possibilities to create links with your domain and a simple keyword. This will encourage people to click and won’t scare them with the complexity of redundant symbols.
When writing sponsored guest posts, for example, everything has to be perfect. Text, images, and links as well. Instead of inserting a bulky one or a short one by a free service, you can collaborate with a special service and add a tiny, easy-to-comprehend link.

You’ll see the difference very quickly. Sometimes, all you have to do for a dramatic change in traffic is a tiny step towards a neater ad link.

Because they look good, offer additional statistics, and get your more traffic!
Even Google has a short version of their link, why shouldn’t you? It saves space, looks more appealing, and can actually make people trust your brand before they even read about it. While experienced Internet users know what these short links are and why they are used, the newcomers don’t. They may get suspicious over a large link we’ve talked about earlier, but not so much over a short one.

Use third-party services properly, consider investing in your own, branded short links, and you won’t have issues with inserting them in ads anymore. No matter if it’s a backlink, a Facebook ad, or a tweet with a call to action.

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About Author: Marie Barnes is a journalist, freelance writer, and editor Studyscroll. She has worked for many major publications, but she also ambitiously pursues challenging freelance projects. Her love for traveling motivates her to explore the world. Marie wants to inspire people to follow their dreams by sharing her experiences online.

The article is about:

  • short links in marketing
  • add tiny URLs to your advertisements
  • social networks and marketing ads

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