Shortening links in newsletters: how to do it correctly

Shortening links in newsletters or short SMS messages intended for distribution is an essential part. These links lead to the brand’s website. However, often these links may not look attractive or contain too many characters. Special services come to the rescue where links can not only be shortened but also have special tags added and analytics tracked.

What is a shortened link?

By a shortened link, we mean a short URL, typically less than 20 characters long. Special applications help reformat links to achieve a short and attractive format. Short hyperlinks are much easier to use, especially important for SMS distributions.

Key cases where link shortening is necessary:

• When there’s a need to frequently send URLs to different users.
• To hide affiliate identifiers.
• To prevent distortion during copying.
• To improve the visual perception of text.

Shortened links also save space, especially crucial for SMS messages due to character limits.

It’s worth emphasizing that concise links are useful for preventing address distortion. This is particularly advantageous for marketers who add tags that significantly lengthen URLs. Properly shortened links remain undistorted and aesthetically pleasing.

Sometimes, addresses are dictated aloud, making the shortened form easier to understand.

Short URLs also facilitate analytics, though not all services offer this option, so it’s important to familiarize yourself with the functionality beforehand.

What tools can be used for link shortening?

There are many services available, but we will discuss only the most well-known ones here..

Tinyurl.com — this service has been operating since the early 2000s and is known for its simplicity and reliability. Shortening a link here is very straightforward and doesn’t require registration. If you want a unique link, you’ll need to create an account. To create a unified resource locator, enter the URL name in the “alias” field.

Pros:

• Free for 14 days (if you want to add your own domain).
• No registration required.
• Customization options (available in the paid version).
• Convenient to use via search engines.

Cons:

• No analytics.
• Contains advertising banners.

Rebrandly.com — service not only shortens links but also offers many additional features. You can create a short resource address without registration, but registered users enjoy better benefits.

However, registered users of the service receive better benefits:

• Ability to add their own domain.
• Attachment of UTM tags.
• Generation of random, shortest, or SEO-optimized URL variants.

Access to statistics can be obtained for free or for a fee.

With free access, users can see the number of clicks.

Paid access provides detailed data about the target audience. Additionally, there is an option to attach multiple domains, receive reports, and create retargeting audiences.

Pros:

• Many features available.
• Ability to create personalized short links with your own domain and UTM tags.
• Audience creation for retargeting.
• Detailed analytics.

Cons:

• Registration required.
• Main features are paid.

This service is useful for large brands and media representatives.

Bitly.com — Bitly is a URL shortening service where registration is not required to shorten URLs.

However, to view statistics, registration is necessary. Analyzing statistics helps determine daily clicks, sources, and audience locations.

You can create a shortened site name in the “Customize” window, resulting in a customized short link.

The service is paid with monthly payment, and the cost depends on the number of features and the duration of the short links.

Pros:

• Free short URL generation.
• Access to statistics.
• Option to choose a short site address.

Cons:

• Registration required for analytics.
• Advanced features are available with payment.

Bitly is suitable for users who need access to analytics and prefer to create their own short link names.

Additionally, in the SMS Club personal account, you can add a link when forming individual or bulk mailings. To do this:

• Register or log into your personal account.
• Go to “Individual SMS” or “Bulk Distribution”.
• Above the message text frame, there is a blue button “Insert Short Link”.

To track statistics after a campaign, find “Short Links” in the left toolbar.

Here you’ll find click and transition statistics for the links used during the campaign.