{"id":2298,"date":"2022-09-03T08:48:08","date_gmt":"2022-09-03T08:48:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pixelfy.me\/blog\/?p=2298"},"modified":"2022-09-04T04:10:35","modified_gmt":"2022-09-04T04:10:35","slug":"url-shortener-custom-free","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pixelfy.me\/blog\/url-shortener-custom-free\/","title":{"rendered":"Custom URL Shorteners: How to Choose the Best One (Free and Paid)"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/pixelfy.me\/blog\/url-shortener-custom-free\/#Generic_and_Custom_URL_Shorteners\" >Generic and Custom URL Shorteners<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/pixelfy.me\/blog\/url-shortener-custom-free\/#Are_Paid_URL_Shorteners_Worth_It\" >Are Paid URL Shorteners Worth It?&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/pixelfy.me\/blog\/url-shortener-custom-free\/#Other_URL_Shortener_Features\" >Other URL Shortener Features<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/pixelfy.me\/blog\/url-shortener-custom-free\/#Tracking_and_Reporting\" >Tracking and Reporting&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/pixelfy.me\/blog\/url-shortener-custom-free\/#Link_Retargeting\" >Link Retargeting&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/pixelfy.me\/blog\/url-shortener-custom-free\/#Link_Rotation\" >Link Rotation&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/pixelfy.me\/blog\/url-shortener-custom-free\/#Frequently_Asked_Questions_FAQs\" >Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)&nbsp;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/pixelfy.me\/blog\/url-shortener-custom-free\/#Can_I_Shorten_URLs_for_Free\" >Can I Shorten URLs for Free?&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/pixelfy.me\/blog\/url-shortener-custom-free\/#Do_I_Need_a_Custom_URL_Shortener\" >Do I Need a Custom URL Shortener?&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/pixelfy.me\/blog\/url-shortener-custom-free\/#Can_I_Get_a_Free_Custom_URL_Shortener\" >Can I Get a Free Custom URL Shortener?&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/pixelfy.me\/blog\/url-shortener-custom-free\/#How_Does_a_URL_Shortener_Work\" >How Does a URL Shortener Work?&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/pixelfy.me\/blog\/url-shortener-custom-free\/#Should_I_Shorten_URLs\" >Should I Shorten URLs?&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/pixelfy.me\/blog\/url-shortener-custom-free\/#Conclusion\" >Conclusion&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p>To find the <strong>best custom URL shortener<\/strong> for your company, you must first determine if a <strong>free <\/strong>one would be suitable for you or a <strong>paid<\/strong> one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also, assess your needs. Otherwise, you\u2019ll end up with the <strong>wrong URL shortener,<\/strong> which may not have the features required for the success of your brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s why in this post, we\u2019ll discuss how you can assess your <strong>requirements<\/strong> as a brand and browse the market for a URL shortener that fulfills them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center has-text-color has-background is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\" style=\"background-color:#e2fcff;color:#292d34\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<h4 class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-heading\">Quick Summary<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity is-style-wide\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>In this post, we will shed light upon:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Generic and custom URL shorteners&nbsp;<\/li><li>Are paid URL shorteners worth it?&nbsp;<\/li><li>What other features of URL shorteners should be considered and why<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>So without further ado, let\u2019s get started.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Generic_and_Custom_URL_Shorteners\"><\/span>Generic and Custom URL Shorteners<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh5.googleusercontent.com\/KCEz6DriVuax-xr5H6WXmpoQCTkh4LB64JOXdoXGe_acV788ILVhLv3-8J8A1fnEN0hGrRBXHBtrp7pmlBKoybiIjV7tsBRTv0rPbbUmPyXiHq6kxC818ZquRo2JmnYPfRe6L0d6Ter0db14JOHhrGWiZhPZP_eVh9jb26sRotUSCHhWtEYSoouJRA\" alt=\"Generic and Custom URL Shorteners\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Before we actually get into the factors you must assess to make the correct choice, let\u2019s talk about the two types of URL shorteners you\u2019ll find online.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center has-text-color has-background is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\" style=\"background-color:#e2ffee;color:#292d34\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>The first type is <strong>generic URL shorteners. <\/strong>They provide you with a shortened URL that typically consists of the URL shortener\u2019s branding. Some may allow you to modify the second part of the shortened URL but not the first part.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Since you cannot customize the domain for these shortened links, they are not ideal for <strong>branding <\/strong>or <strong>marketing <\/strong>purposes. This is because they&#8217;ll contain the URL shortener tool\u2019s branding and thus, they\u2019ll dilute <em>your<\/em> brand image.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Generic URL shorteners are usually free.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Since they\u2019re free, you can definitely save yourself a fair amount of cash if you opt for them. However, if you want to use shortened links for advertising and other branded content, we highly recommend that you stay away from them.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Custom URL shorteners are typically paid tools.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center has-text-color has-background is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\" style=\"background-color:#e2ffee;color:#292d34\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>This is because they allow users to link a custom domain that can be utilized to create shortened links. Naturally, you must first acquire the custom domain from a domain name registrar and host it on a hosting web service.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once it\u2019s live, you can connect it to the URL shortener service of your choice to generate shortened links. Since you set the custom domain yourself, you can have your own branding.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>This would typically be your brand\u2019s name or some abbreviation that represents your brand identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Are_Paid_URL_Shorteners_Worth_It\"><\/span>Are Paid URL Shorteners Worth It?&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>So, we\u2019ve detailed how if you want to have customizable branding within your shortened links, you\u2019ll need a custom URL shortener. Furthermore, we discussed that paid URL shorteners are typically paid tools.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>So, are they worth it?&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Custom URL shorteners are definitely worth paying money for but complications arise when we talk about what that price may be. Furthermore, customization options in a URL shortener aren\u2019t the only thing that you should be worried about.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/wgJum9xBsgMqO3VK2OcYr7FvvLkhKakzlr3wUhTZa340TmIVdCN--i6I1PUbimcOBa4SPKvhNIBEgA8mDsCI242Ef98gufNt8xAgMkrbOOmYFOFm-75AatcjliiW2gVBiWFU45G-51u7Q3XRmlNbB_Yu3H6eEdhQAppBeoXDgRUwr_T83lpm1w8aQg\" alt=\"Are Paid URL Shorteners Worth It?\u00a0\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>There are several aspects you must consider as well such as:&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Tracking and reporting features<\/li><li>Link retargeting features&nbsp;<\/li><li>Link rotation&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>And much more.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Tracking <\/strong>is especially important to think about since it can be crucial to determining what types of marketing strategies you must employ.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Firstly, you must think about <strong>how many custom domains<\/strong> a URL shortener service allows you to connect with. You may only need one if you have one website that represents your brand.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once that\u2019s figured out, you have to look towards other features that we mentioned above. Only then will you be able to accurately gauge whether or not a URL shortener tool\u2019s price is worth it or not.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center has-text-color has-background is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\" style=\"background-color:#e2ffee;color:#292d34\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong><em>Quick tip: <\/em><\/strong><em>Oftentimes, a URL shortener\u2019s price may be deceiving because one certain feature may seem too good.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>For example, a URL shortener service may provide you with multiple custom domains for a very small price. However, it may not provide you with many branded and tracked links per month.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Hence, look at your <strong>marketing objectives <\/strong>to figure out what types of metrics you\u2019ll require and what resources are necessary to execute marketing campaigns. Now, you can browse the different URL shorteners in the market to determine which one would be best for your brand.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Other_URL_Shortener_Features\"><\/span>Other URL Shortener Features<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>We provided you with a list of some other features that typical paid URL shorteners have that you must also consider.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this section, we will discuss why those features are important and whether or not your brand would need those features.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Let\u2019s get started:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tracking_and_Reporting\"><\/span>Tracking and Reporting&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s important when you\u2019re a brand to have metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs) that give you an estimate of how effective your marketing is.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Examples of such metrics are the number of clicks on a link, the number of shares, the number of impressions, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>It\u2019s important to judge your progress on the fly.<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All of these metrics help digital marketing experts determine whether a marketing campaign is succeeding or failing. If it\u2019s succeeding, they\u2019ll know to continue with the campaign as usual. If it\u2019s succeeding, they can choose to make adjustments or move on to another campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Link_Retargeting\"><\/span>Link Retargeting&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Link retargeting allows users to embed a piece of code or a retargeting pixel into the shortened custom links that they generate.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh6.googleusercontent.com\/u4puSxdrGTpvr6Aln_pR2LYmYXnGsXpxMj7qRL4TNaomsBlcFctAVqiThkse-H4eFZKiMLTVkK1yUhhan0W49pZra7cdFPTJqpORxZrkV7KHxqYN8zahKombNTeJXltnGiiIQqe1FO8bS0nRMRSAEQni4y8Oz4oScc2_-3Ri82vxVRf0MUv2getv6A\" alt=\"Link Retargeting\u00a0\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><br>Then, when users click on the shortened link, they are tagged by that retargeting pixel. This can be used to serve ads to them at a later time and guide their customer journey to your brand.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>This is where the data from tracking comes in handy too.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can use the user data that you collected from the tracking features of the URL shortener to serve personalized ads to certain users. Thus, wildly increasing the chances that they\u2019ll interact with your served ad.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s a super effective strategy that\u2019s used by brands all over the world which is definitely something you should consider having as part of your marketing arsenal.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Link_Rotation\"><\/span>Link Rotation&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Link rotation is referred to when a single shortened URL can lead to different web pages or different versions of the same web page.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Link rotation can be used in a number of ways, but most commonly, it\u2019s used for <strong>A\/B testing.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is when you\u2019re unsure of what version or approach would work better. Hence, you try two methods to see which one yields better results. It can be a great approach to figure out what works best for your brand and what resonates most with your target market.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>It can also be used for localization.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This would mean if you want to have different versions of your web page for different regions of the world. You can then make it so that the visitor\u2019s geographical location will determine which version of the web page they go to.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A more localized and personalized version of your brand can be something that can win the heart of a potential customer.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Frequently_Asked_Questions_FAQs\"><\/span>Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_I_Shorten_URLs_for_Free\"><\/span>Can I Shorten URLs for Free?&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes. There are tons of URL shorteners online that allow you to shorten links free of charge.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It should be noted, however, that such URL shorteners do typically have limited features and usually don\u2019t have many customization options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_I_Need_a_Custom_URL_Shortener\"><\/span>Do I Need a Custom URL Shortener?&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to shorten URLs simply for personal use, there\u2019s really no need for a custom URL shortener.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, if you intend to use them in branded content, then you\u2019ll have to opt for a custom URL shortener so that you can create branded links.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_I_Get_a_Free_Custom_URL_Shortener\"><\/span>Can I Get a Free Custom URL Shortener?&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes. There do exist many custom URL shorteners online that you can use for free.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, it\u2019s important that you assess what other features you\u2019ll get (or won\u2019t get) that you may need as a brand. Many free custom URL shorteners don\u2019t have other features such as tracking, retargeting, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Does_a_URL_Shortener_Work\"><\/span>How Does a URL Shortener Work?&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When you input a URL into a URL shortener tool, it creates a redirect link to the web page that your URL points to.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This redirect link is much shorter and neater than the original URL you put in, which may have been quite long.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Should_I_Shorten_URLs\"><\/span>Should I Shorten URLs?&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It all depends on if you need them and what you need them for. If you need URL shorteners for personal use since they\u2019re easier to remember, then yes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You should also use them if you need to share links as a brand with your target audience.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span>Conclusion&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ultimately, we have to say that yes, it\u2019s highly important that you opt for a custom URL shortener rather than a generic one.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re able to find a free custom URL shortener, good for you. However, make sure that you look at all the other features that it has to offer so that you don\u2019t end up with something that doesn\u2019t fulfill all your needs.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let us know what you think in the comments below.&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Custom URL shorteners are often not free and when they are, their other features are lacking. This post tells you the factors you must account for before you &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2299,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[707,710],"tags":[729,730,731,732,733],"class_list":["post-2298","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-url-shortener","category-custom","tag-generic-and-custom-url-shorteners","tag-are-paid-url-shorteners-worth-it","tag-other-url-shortener-features","tag-tracking-and-reporting","tag-link-retargeting"],"acf":[],"post_mailing_queue_ids":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pixelfy.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2298","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pixelfy.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pixelfy.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pixelfy.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pixelfy.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2298"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/pixelfy.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2298\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2326,"href":"https:\/\/pixelfy.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2298\/revisions\/2326"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pixelfy.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2299"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pixelfy.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2298"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pixelfy.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2298"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pixelfy.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2298"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}