{"id":3251,"date":"2024-09-23T13:54:39","date_gmt":"2024-09-23T13:54:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.tinyurl.com\/?p=8"},"modified":"2025-03-20T14:08:41","modified_gmt":"2025-03-20T14:08:41","slug":"why-shorten-urls-marketing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tinyurl.com\/blog\/why-shorten-urls-marketing\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Shorten URLs for Marketing?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p style=\"font-size:16px\">TinyURL was created over 20 years ago to solve a very simple problem involving unicycles and early 2000\u2019s internet forums.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:16px\">Back in the day, URLs were long and unwieldy by default. Forums and message boards, on the other hand, were pretty simplistic in terms of their design\u2014meaning default links looked terrible and took away from character limits when shared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:16px\">The solution was TinyURL, a service that took long URLs and trimmed them down to a reasonable size.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:16px\">20 years later, our service is still solving problems. We\u2019ve dreamed up all sorts of use cases from establishing consumer trust to tracking the performance of different marketing campaigns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:16px\">Since we haven\u2019t given a proper rundown of our service\u2019s value in a while, we\u2019ve written this article to walk you through all the different things that keep people coming back to TinyURL.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-video\"><video autoplay loop muted src=\"https:\/\/tinyurl.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/url-shortening-machine.mp4\" playsinline><\/video><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"whatis\"><strong>What is <mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">URL Shortening?<\/mark><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:16px\">Before we dive in, we want to make sure that we\u2019re all on the same page when we talk about link shortening. At its heart, it really is as simple as taking a long URL and making it tinier\u2014but some of the cooler applications come from knowing how the process works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:16px\">When you submit a link for shortening, our app generates a unique, shorter link and notes both the original and shortened URLs in our database.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:16px\">Whenever a user follows your shortened link, it sends a command to our service to send them to the paired, original URL. In technical terms, this is called <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/URL_redirection\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">URL redirection<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:16px\">Whenever a user follows your shortened link, it sends a command to our service to send them to the paired, original URL. There are a lot of different things that can happen on top of those basic steps. We can create custom links, set you up with your very own domains, and even track basic demographic information about the people who follow your links.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:16px\">There are a lot of ways this can help your marketing:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"journey\"><strong>1. Shorten URLs for a <mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Better Customer Journey<\/mark><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:16px\">From the moment we learned just how many of our users rely on our service to run their physical and digital marketing campaigns, we\u2019ve been hard at work figuring out the best ways to help them help their current and would-be customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:16px\">One thing we figured out early on was that users appreciate it when you keep things short and simple.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:16px\">Shortening links with TinyURL allows marketers to offer links that look cleaner and take up less space. Customization takes this a step further, making links viable for print media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:16px\">Just think of how much better www.tinyurl.com\/dougscookies would look in a magazine or print ad than something like www.tinyurl.com\/sd8f9w3.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"recall\"><strong>2. Shorten URLs for <mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Easier Recall<\/mark><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:16px\">While your ideal outcome would be for someone to click on your links, sometimes it can be just as useful to be remembered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:16px\">Brand recall is valuable currency. Being memorable means that your marketing efforts aren\u2019t wasted on people who aren\u2019t in the market for your solutions right now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:16px\">If they can remember your brand name or value propositions when they do find themselves needing you, then your marketing materials can stay effective weeks or even months after they\u2019re seen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:16px\">With custom links and <a href=\"https:\/\/tinyurl.com\/app\/branded\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">branded domains<\/a>, your calls-to-action can serve as yet another reminder of who you are and what you do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-video\"><video autoplay loop muted src=\"https:\/\/tinyurl.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/users-choose-shorter-links.mp4\" playsinline><\/video><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"trust\"><strong>3. Shorten URLs to <mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Earn More Trust<\/mark><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:16px\">Consumer cynicism has been a problem for years now. Social media and review platforms like Yelp have led to customers becoming more critical of where they spend their money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:16px\">Moreover, we&#8217;re sure everyone&#8217;s had regrets clicking on links they shouldn\u2019t have by now. If you\u2019re lucky, the worst you get is rickrolled\u2014but <a href=\"https:\/\/consumer.ftc.gov\/articles\/how-recognize-and-avoid-phishing-scams\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">phishing scams<\/a>, malware and other perils can keep people from clicking through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:16px\">Earning trust is more important than ever for marketers and business owners, which is why your links have to be as transparent and direct as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:16px\">Long, branded URLs with confusing UTM codes won\u2019t cut it either: users need to have a clear idea of what kind of content they\u2019re in for by clicking your links.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"analytics\"><strong>4. Shorten Links for <mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Better Analytics<\/mark><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:16px\">We understand that not everyone reading this has easy access to analytics. Some of you might use TinyURL to send people over to your Instagram stores or Amazon listings, while others might not have the time or resources to study Google Analytics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:16px\">As a company that believes in simplicity as much as we hate anything complicated, we\u2019ve made it easy to track who visits your links, when, and from where.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:16px\">This is incredibly useful for people who do business online but lack their own websites. We can tell you a lot about your users and traffic patterns that your platforms can\u2019t (or won\u2019t) without sacrificing your users\u2019 digital anonymity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:16px\">In turn, this means that our customers get to run smarter campaigns based on real performance\u2014no need for any guesswork here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-video\"><video autoplay loop muted src=\"https:\/\/tinyurl.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/shortened-url-analytics.mp4\" playsinline><\/video><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"modernize\"><strong>5. Shorten Links to <mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Modernize Traditional Marketing<\/mark><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:16px\">Many marketers believe that you can\u2019t track the performance of traditional forms of marketing like fliers, billboards and even television ads as well as you could digital ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:16px\">While analytics are a core part of digital marketing, there are ways to take more modern approaches to traditional marketing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:16px\">Say you wanted to experiment with two different color schemes for your brochures. Using two shortened URLs that link back to your desired landing pages will let you track which of your two designs generates more clicks\u2014without having to set up UTM codes or even own your own website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:16px\">TinyURL also offers QR code generation, blending your physical marketing with digital space more seamlessly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:16px\">This is a great use case for entrepreneurs, marketing freelancers and just about anyone who could benefit from running more advanced ads and promotional materials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"conclusion\" style=\"font-size:26px\"><strong><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">Conclusion<\/mark><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:16px\">Thousands of our customers trust TinyURL to make a big difference in their marketing. It turns out that our vision of making the Internet an easier, more intuitive place to spend time and do business lines up with their goals pretty nicely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:16px\">If you\u2019ve never tried using shortened URLs in your marketing, we invite you to give our app a try. You can shorten links for free, and customize them to your heart\u2019s content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:16px\">And if you\u2019re already a free account holder, we highly recommend giving our paid plans a try. You can unlock features like analytics and custom domain management, opening up a whole new level of control and intelligent decision-making.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Shortened URLs are easier for audiences to view, recall, and trust. They also offer a way to track physical marketing tools as if they were digital.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":3306,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34,31,35],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3251","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-branding-content-strategy","category-link-management","category-url-101"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tinyurl.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3251","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tinyurl.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tinyurl.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tinyurl.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tinyurl.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3251"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/tinyurl.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3251\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4236,"href":"https:\/\/tinyurl.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3251\/revisions\/4236"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tinyurl.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3306"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tinyurl.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3251"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tinyurl.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3251"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tinyurl.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3251"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}