Ever created a complex URL that you know won’t look good in a text message or even on social media? With a link shortener, you can avoid this mess and create more pleasant-looking content instead.
But if you’ve been living under a rock, there are several link shorteners you can now use to convert long URLs into compressed formats and track all clicks that you get at the same time.
Yes, you will be able to see where your customers clicked the link(s) from, and which among your text messages received high click-through-rates and which you can ditch forever.
So, to find out the best link shorteners you can use for your SMS marketing campaigns, read below.
1. Express Text
Express Text has a free link shortener tool that comes with a tracking and reporting feature. It is ideal for small- and medium-sized businesses that are looking to generate leads and advertise through SMS.
What’s great about Express Text’s tool is you can start using it as soon as you sign up for a free trial.
2. gl
You can access this tool by signing in to your Google account. Just paste your URL in the long URL box and you’re good to go.
All links you’ve shortened will be added to your Google account so you can easily track them. Go to your Goo.gl account to see the detailed tracking info about your link’s usage such as countries and platforms along with browsers used.
However, Goo.gl will publicly publish your URL tracking results for all other users to see. So, if you don’t want other people to check such details out, consider using other tools.
3. Bitly
Bitly is one of the most popular link shortener tools today. Sprout Social even uses this as its default URL shortening and tracking app; millions of users use it every day.
Simply go to Bitly and paste a link you’d like to be shortened for free. However, if you want to use its advanced features like URL customization, Audience Intel, and real-time stats, you’d have to go premium with your account.
4. TinyURL
Great to use in email and social media, TinyURL offers its services for free and you don’t even need an account to use it. You can also customize your link through the custom alias box.
However, not all links can be customized according to the way you wanted it to be. TinyURL will sometimes create a random alias for you, so be careful when trying to use this feature.
It’s also not easy to track your link’s usage and performance through TinyURL, which makes this tool ideal for those who are just looking to get the job done within seconds.
There you have it! If you’re looking to minimize your character count and optimize your text messages, using a link shortener is a must in your tactical strategy.