{"id":2412,"date":"2022-09-19T08:09:45","date_gmt":"2022-09-19T08:09:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pixelfy.me\/blog\/?p=2412"},"modified":"2022-09-19T08:09:46","modified_gmt":"2022-09-19T08:09:46","slug":"free-custom-url-shorteners","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pixelfy.me\/blog\/free-custom-url-shorteners\/","title":{"rendered":"Free Custom URL Shorteners: Are They Worth Using? Full Analysis"},"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\/free-custom-url-shorteners\/#Whats_a_Custom_URL_Shortener\" >What\u2019s a Custom URL Shortener?&nbsp;<\/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\/free-custom-url-shorteners\/#Can_I_Use_a_Free_Custom_URL_Shortener\" >Can I Use a Free Custom URL Shortener?&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\/free-custom-url-shorteners\/#Do_I_Really_Need_a_Custom_URL_Shortener\" >Do I Really Need a Custom URL Shortener?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/pixelfy.me\/blog\/free-custom-url-shorteners\/#How_Much_Should_I_Pay_for_a_Custom_URL_Shortener\" >How Much Should I Pay for a Custom URL Shortener?&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/pixelfy.me\/blog\/free-custom-url-shorteners\/#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-6\" href=\"https:\/\/pixelfy.me\/blog\/free-custom-url-shorteners\/#What_is_a_Branded_URL_Shortener\" >What is a Branded URL Shortener?&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/pixelfy.me\/blog\/free-custom-url-shorteners\/#What_is_a_Vanity_URL\" >What is a Vanity URL?&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/pixelfy.me\/blog\/free-custom-url-shorteners\/#How_do_Custom_URL_Shorteners_Work\" >How do Custom URL Shorteners Work?&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\/free-custom-url-shorteners\/#Should_I_Use_a_Free_Custom_URL_Shortener\" >Should I Use 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-10\" href=\"https:\/\/pixelfy.me\/blog\/free-custom-url-shorteners\/#Can_I_Add_UTM_Parameters_to_Shortened_Links\" >Can I Add UTM Parameters to Shortened Links?&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/pixelfy.me\/blog\/free-custom-url-shorteners\/#Conclusion\" >Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p><strong>Free custom URL shorteners <\/strong>are hard to come by as most tools require you to pay before you can connect a <strong>custom domain.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you do find a free custom URL shortener, there\u2019s a high chance it may be lacking in other features that you may also need.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this post, we will assess whether or not free custom URL shorteners are worth it and whether or not you should opt for paid alternatives.<\/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>What a custom URL shortener is&nbsp;<\/li><li>Free custom URL shorteners and how they work&nbsp;<\/li><li>The benefits of a custom URL shortener and why you need one&nbsp;<\/li><li>How much you should typically pay for a paid custom URL shortener tool&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>And more.&nbsp;<\/p>\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=\"Whats_a_Custom_URL_Shortener\"><\/span>What\u2019s a Custom URL Shortener?&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A <strong>Custom URL shortener <\/strong>is a shortener that allows you to tinker with the shortened URL you receive and customize it in any way you want. For the first part of the link to be what you want, you must connect a <strong>domain <\/strong>or <strong>subdomain <\/strong>to the URL shortener tool.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh6.googleusercontent.com\/pPySPXA2Wgq0yhlUjpraaWH8bG_ZX06hh_BQceKwGMcvGpnxEczi-xH6-7EUULDfZh-niH6_C1KqnOtlHWfipSPQPutOpkWjZv3ggrWvrg2FF_YpLI43CnrZrEkOrrv3dufabKL--EKuFZXFUIgsuNkzA1dHb_5EbmF-obD4Sk10v7pU0PJezBeY4g\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Naturally, this domain or subdomain will represent your brand and will usually be your brand\u2019s name or some abbreviation of it. Thus, when you connect it to the URL shortener tool, it will provide you with a shortened URL that contains your connected domain or subdomain.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>That\u2019s the first part of your shortened link.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As for the second part, you\u2019re free to customize it in any way you want. Most brands typically utilize this second part to communicate to the reader what the web page is about.&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>For example, <\/em><\/strong><em>if the shortened link leads to a landing page that\u2019s about your newest product. The second part of the link can simply be the name of that product.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_I_Use_a_Free_Custom_URL_Shortener\"><\/span>Can I Use a Free Custom URL Shortener?&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes. There are many <strong>free custom URL shorteners <\/strong>available online that you can search for and try out. However, it should be noted that free services typically come with a lot of restrictions.&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><em>If you want to use a custom URL shortener, there\u2019s a high chance that you\u2019re a brand or a person that wants to promote themselves online.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>In this case, you\u2019ll need other features from your URL shortener as well, such as <\/em><strong><em>tracking, analytics, retargeting, <\/em><\/strong><em>and more.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>A free custom URL shortener might be able to provide you with a custom shortened link but it may not be able to provide you with everything else you need.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Thus, when you opt for free custom URL shortening, it\u2019s extremely important that you look through the set of features thoroughly.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Will you get everything that you need from the free URL shortener to engage your audience and set up effective marketing campaigns?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is the question you must ask yourself before you use a free custom URL shortener to create branded links.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_I_Really_Need_a_Custom_URL_Shortener\"><\/span>Do I Really Need a Custom URL Shortener?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to shorten a URL simply for personal use or for use within your employees, you can get away with using a <strong>generic URL shortener. <\/strong>These types of URL shorteners are usually free and have the URL shortener tool\u2019s branding rather than your own.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lh4.googleusercontent.com\/G2EW4_wLImdg8t635xv57lhB9nIRSuNOONTNMJa6pGm-jbidQJBL41ZxW6nwsmFKIE2opmZGZDf0FnKCjhblVz-aOMtwbWuK8o32cQEm-_Ce02B9XYcM9g1iCCEbzv-AEE3WdtV8FjaayHf-KvUkuG5EgQM-ZXzXsYmf5xbZ22KDqVo5Voqh4mdsKA\" alt=\"Do I Really Need a Custom URL Shortener?\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>This doesn\u2019t really matter since you\u2019re using it for your own personal purposes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, <strong>if you\u2019re a brand <\/strong>or any entity that wants to engage an audience and introduce them to your products, services or content, then you <em>need a URL shortener.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Why?&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Well, because as a brand, every part of your content and your pitch should include your brand image and identity. Your <strong>shortened links <\/strong>are not exempt from this. This is especially true if you intend to share them on social media or any other digital space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When your shortened links represent your brand as well, this leads to much better brand cohesion and, thus, <strong>better brand recognition.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Much_Should_I_Pay_for_a_Custom_URL_Shortener\"><\/span>How Much Should I Pay for a Custom URL Shortener?&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>So we\u2019ve concluded that while free custom URL shorteners exist, they typically lack all the features that a brand needs to grow. That\u2019s why you\u2019re better off with a paid URL shortener which will most likely have everything you need.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, it\u2019s important to note that most URL shortener services have <strong>multiple plans <\/strong>to choose from.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To determine which plan is best for you, you must assess what your needs are and what the scale of your company is. Only then will you be able to use them effectively to drive web traffic to your website.<\/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><em>Most URL shorteners have a \u201cpopular\u201d or \u201cbasic\u201d plan that is usually their most opted-for plan by its user base.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Usually, this plan has everything that most mid-level brands require to generate branded links and track performance effectively.&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>In most cases, most URL shortener tools typically charge between <\/em><strong><em>$15 to $30 per month <\/em><\/strong><em>for these basic plans.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Hence, that\u2019s the amount you should expect to pay if you want a URL shortener to boost the relevance and awareness of your brand.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\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=\"What_is_a_Branded_URL_Shortener\"><\/span>What is a Branded URL Shortener?&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A <strong>branded URL shortener <\/strong>is the same as a custom URL shortener. It allows you to connect a custom domain or subdomain that represents your brand.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then, you can use that custom domain or subdomain to create <strong>branded links <\/strong>that you can use within your marketing content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_a_Vanity_URL\"><\/span>What is a Vanity URL?&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A <strong>vanity URL <\/strong>is just another name for a <strong>custom or branded shortened URL. <\/strong>It\u2019s called a vanity URL since it represents the identity of your brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_do_Custom_URL_Shorteners_Work\"><\/span>How do Custom URL Shorteners Work?&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Custom URL shorteners work by allowing you to connect a <strong>domain <\/strong>or <strong>subdomain <\/strong>that represents your brand. Once it\u2019s connected, the shortened links that are generated use the domain or subdomain that you connected with the URL shortener.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The working of the shortened URL itself is the same as a generic URL shortener. This means that the shortened URL is a <strong>redirect link <\/strong>that leads to the original destination URL.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Should_I_Use_a_Free_Custom_URL_Shortener\"><\/span>Should I Use a Free Custom URL Shortener?&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You can definitely use a free custom URL shortener if you\u2019re just starting your brand and don\u2019t have the budget to allocate funds to a paid URL shortener plan.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, you should be aware that you may not be able to reap all the benefits that a paid URL shortener has to offer, such as tracking, analytics, retargeting and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_I_Add_UTM_Parameters_to_Shortened_Links\"><\/span>Can I Add UTM Parameters to Shortened Links?&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes. All you have to do is add the UTM parameters to the <strong>original destination URL <\/strong>and then shorten it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can then use the shortened link anywhere you\u2019d like. The UTM parameters will work and you can track performance with <strong>Google Analytics.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span>Conclusion<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Free custom URL shorteners<\/strong> are definitely available online, but they aren\u2019t as good as they seem.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sure, you might be able to get<strong> branded links <\/strong>for free, but those branded links won\u2019t be trackable. You probably won\u2019t be able to perform retargeting, deep linking or any other features that a brand requires for constant growth.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hence, if you have no other choice, then go for a free option. Otherwise, it\u2019s always better to opt for a <strong>paid URL shortener.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let us know what you think in the comments below.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Free custom URL shorteners are hard to come by as most tools require you to pay before you can connect a custom domain.&nbsp; If you do find a free custom&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2413,"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":[789,790,791,792,793],"class_list":["post-2412","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-url-shortener","category-custom","tag-url-shortener-free-custom","tag-what-a-custom-url-shortener-is","tag-free-custom-url-shorteners-and-how-they-work","tag-the-benefits-of-a-custom-url-shortener-and-why-you-need-one","tag-how-much-you-should-typically-pay-for-a-paid-custom-url-shortener-tool"],"acf":[],"post_mailing_queue_ids":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pixelfy.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2412","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=2412"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/pixelfy.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2412\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2415,"href":"https:\/\/pixelfy.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2412\/revisions\/2415"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pixelfy.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2413"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pixelfy.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2412"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pixelfy.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2412"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pixelfy.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2412"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}