Short links are shortened URLs that redirect to your original destination URL. They make it easy to share long URLs, track clicks, and analyze traffic. Short links are perfect for social media posts, email campaigns, and any situation where you need a concise, trackable link.
What Are Short Links?
Short links convert long URLs into shorter, more manageable links. For example, a long URL like https://example.com/products/summer-collection/2024/new-arrivals becomes a short link like bcl.ink/abc123. These links redirect users to your original URL while providing valuable tracking data.
Creating Short Links
To create a short link:
- Navigate to the Links page in your dashboard
- Click the "Create link" button or use the keyboard shortcut (C)
- Enter your destination URL (the URL you want to shorten)
- Optionally add a custom alias (3-30 characters, letters, numbers, underscores, and dashes only)
- Add a name and tags to help organize your links
- Optionally add UTM parameters for tracking campaigns
- Save your link and start sharing!
Custom Aliases
Custom aliases let you create memorable, branded short links. Instead of a random code like bcl.ink/abc123, you can use something like bcl.ink/summer-sale. Custom aliases must be:
- 3-30 characters long
- Contain only letters, numbers, underscores, and dashes
- Be unique (not already in use)
Tracking Clicks
Every click on your short links is automatically tracked. You can see:
Total Clicks
See how many times each link has been clicked, displayed directly in your links table.
Click Analytics
View detailed analytics including referrer, country, device type, browser, and more for each click.
Time-based Data
Analyze when clicks occur to understand your audience's behavior patterns.
Organizing Your Links
Keep your links organized with:
- Tags: Categorize links with tags for easy filtering and organization
- Folders: Group related links together in folders
- Names: Give your links descriptive names to quickly identify them
UTM Parameters
Add UTM parameters to your short links to track campaigns, sources, and mediums in your analytics tools. You can manually add UTM parameters or use UTM templates for faster link creation.
Tip: Use keyboard shortcuts to speed up your workflow! Press "C" to create a new link, and use bulk actions (T for tags, M for folders, X for delete) when you have multiple links selected.