This blog post is based on an archived episode of the Brand Therapy podcast.

In the digital age, every character counts—especially when it comes to URLs.

Exploring the use of a custom URL shortener is essential for overcoming the hurdle of long, cumbersome links that can look awkward in your brand communication. This straightforward tool helps make your URLs concise, catchy, and reflective of your brand identity.

The URL Challenge

Think of your URL as a front door to your online presence. A long, convoluted URL is like a tricky maze to your doorstep. A short url transforms this maze into a clear, straightforward path, making it easier for your audience to find and remember you. The less they need to walk (even just visually!), the better. Your main ally in this task will be the URL shortener.

What is a URL Shortener?

A URL shortener, paired with branded domains, is like a personalized nickname for your website's address. It shortens your web links while keeping your brand identity in focus. This approach is not just about brevity; it's about creating a cohesive and memorable brand experience online.

In the Real World

Take Juli from PaleOMG, for instance. Her blog's lengthy URLs weren't doing her brand any favors. By switching to a branded short domain like paleo.mg, she made every link both user-friendly and reflective of her brand's essence. It’s a strategic move that enhances brand recall and simplifies digital navigation.

Embracing the custom domain is more than a cosmetic change. It's about making your brand's digital journey as seamless and memorable as possible. This small change can have a significant impact on how your audience interacts with your brand online.

Ready to streamline your digital brand presence? Try crafting your custom shortened domain and share your experiences with us below.

Creating Your Short Link

Step 1: Brainstorm a Unique URL address

This step is all about balancing creativity and top-level domains available. Consider a domain name that reflects your brand and is easy to recall. You're not limited to traditional “.com” domains, either. The possibilities are vast. I typically take the existing full domain and look for ways to shorten it.

For example:

• For my own domain philpallen.co, I purchased the short URL philp.al (a top-level domain for Albania)

• For my blogger/creator client Juli of paleomg.com, we purchased paleo.mg (a top-level domain for for the Republic of Madagascar)

Other famous brand examples:

• bit.ly is short for bitly.com, the most popular URL shortener that I use myself

• fb.me: Facebook's official domain used for URL shortening when sharing a link on the platform

• amzn.to: Amazon's URL shortener for creating a shortened link to their products

• nyti.ms: The New York Times' URL shortener for sharing a link to their articles

Also, remember that different top-level domains have different price tags. You can pick up a “.com” or “.co” for around $10/year (sometimes less), whereas “.tv” is $49/year, or .ai is $139/year. So that may have some impact on your choice.

Step 2: Purchase domain

Once you've picked a name, it's time to make it yours. Look for domain registrars and check the availability and pricing of your chosen domain. I typically purchase my domains on GoDaddy to keep all of them in one place, but note that some top-level domains might not be available there, and you’ll have to buy them elsewhere.

As well, some domains might not be available to the public for purchasing. For example, the ".edu" top-level domain (TLD) is not typically available for registration by the general public. In the United States, it is reserved for accredited degree-granting institutions such as universities, colleges, and educational institutions. These institutions are eligible to apply for and use ".edu" domain names as part of their online presence.

Step 3: Connect domain to link shortening service

When it comes to a URL shortener, Bitly or Rebrandly are among the most renowned. Bitly is widely recognized for its reliability and extensive use, but it tends to be more expensive. On the other hand, Rebrandly offers competitive pricing, which can be a more cost-effective solution for some users. Another URL shortener may have desirable features for specific use cases, but these are effective for the majority of users.

These platforms bridge the gap between your lengthy URL and your new, custom domain, fitting unwieldy links into a manageable, branded short domain. They also provide valuable analytics, offering insights into link performance and click-through rates, which are crucial for measuring the effectiveness of your digital marketing strategies.

Step 4: Get shortening

Once your custom domain is set up with the URL shortener, think strategically about where to employ your links for maximum impact. Consider all the platforms where a shortened URL could enhance your brand’s reach and recall.

For instance, every affiliate link could be shortened for quick recall and seamless incorporation into various mediums like blog posts, YouTube videos, and Instagram stories. This eliminates the need to look up complex affiliate URLs each time you need them.

Being Practical with URL Shortening

URL Shortening shines in social media posts, where brevity is key. They transform lengthy links into neat, appealing snippets, perfect for tweets, Instagram bios, and Facebook updates. This strategy is equally effective in printed materials like brochures, flyers, or business cards. Here, space is at a premium, and pairing with QR codes enables swift digital access. In presentations or webinars, a short URL simplifies note-taking and recall, encouraging follow-up engagement with your brand's online resources.

For digital marketing materials such as email campaigns, shortened URLs aren't just about compactness—they offer a window into user behavior. They allow you to track click-through rates and user engagement, providing valuable insights while enhancing the appeal of your links.

Final Thoughts

Adopting a uniform approach to using a URL shortener streamlines content across platforms, aiding in memorization and accessibility for your team and audience. But the benefits extend beyond ease of use. They serve as potent tools for branding, recall, and analytics, crucial for understanding and enhancing audience engagement.

Dealing with long, complex web addresses can be daunting. The short link alleviates this by making links memorable and easy to share, potentially driving more traffic to your content. This simple yet effective strategy suits a range of users, from individual influencers to large enterprises, providing a seamless way to create, manage, and track links.