{"id":192,"date":"2024-05-21T04:21:00","date_gmt":"2024-05-21T11:21:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/?p=142"},"modified":"2024-05-22T08:41:59","modified_gmt":"2024-05-22T15:41:59","slug":"custom-short-url","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/custom-short-url\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Create A Custom Short URL \u2014 Branded URL Shortener"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u201cHow do I get a cool custom short URL like I see other brands using on social media?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Something you don\u2019t pay attention to when you first start sharing your content on social media is the actual length of the URLs you are including. As time goes by, you become more aware of how important presentation (uh hem, branding) is and start taking notice of how ugly your URLs actually are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They are not pretty. They are too long. What can I do about this?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once it is on your radar you start noticing that other users are sharing links but they are coming from bit.ly or buff.ly or rebrand.ly. The tools that create these pretty links are called URL shorteners \u2014 and they do exactly that, shorten the URL.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And Then You See A Short URL That Is Custom<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Among all the generic links that come from these URL shorteners, you will notice that some users have unique URL shorteners that appear as if it were made just for them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And you\u2019d be right \u2014 these are called custom short URLs or a branded short URL. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article we will take you through the steps necessary to setup your own custom short URL using a service called Bitly<\/a>. We\u2019ll use pictures and specific instructions for every step in the process and when we\u2019re done you will have your very own custom URL.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who Is Using A Custom Short URL<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Years ago I spotted my first custom short URL. It was from Michael Hyatt. I actually thought it was so cool I took a screenshot. I immediately wanted one.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Michael<\/a>
Michael Hyatt is the first person \/ brand I noticed using a custom branded URL.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Hyatt has been a mega-blogger for years initially I thought, \u201cthat\u2019s probably something only the \u2018big guys\u2019 have access to.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shortly thereafter I noticed that Buffer had their own. I took a screenshot of their Tweet, too.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Buffer<\/a>
Buffer has their own branded URL, buff.ly.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Seeing two brands using their own branded short URL, I started to scroll through my feed looking for other brands using a custom short URL. Once I started looking, they were everywhere!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After a little bit of research I discovered that anyone, in fact, could have their own branded short URL, including you!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, years after first noticing a custom url shortener, they are actually commonplace. There are dozens of companies and apps that offer customer url shorteners for cheap, even free. At this point, it isn’t a requirement to have your own custom branded shortened URL, but it’s so easy, why would you not want to?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beyond the visual appeal, there is a growing list of features a custom short URL can offer which can enhance your overall marketing efforts \u2014 not just your brand appearance. Dustin Stout has a great breakdown on custom short URL benefits<\/a> along with a very in depth tutorial on maximizing Rebrandly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Custom branded URL shorteners are commonplace and with cheap and free options, there’s really no reason why you wouldn’t want to use one.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Choosing A Domain Name for Your Custom Short URL<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When you\u2019re choosing a domain for your p<\/a>rimary website<\/a> it is always preferred to find a .com or .net address. When choosing a domain for your custom short URL, it really doesn\u2019t matter what domain extension you use. The only preference is to find one that\u2019s short. An extension with 2-3 letters is preferable. So avoid .online or .cafe or .sports because we’re going for as few characters as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visit a domain registrar (in this example we\u2019re using GoDaddy) and start searching for the domain you want to use.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/a>
It doesn’t matter where you buy the domain name you will want to use with your custom branded url shortener.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

As you scroll through all the options and recommendations, you are looking for a domain similar to your brand but shorter. For example, Michael Hyatt\u2019s website is michaelhyatt.com and his branded URL is mhyatt.us. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When setting up Campaign Donut\u2019s URL, we went through dozens of options and even more searches. Many of the domains we wanted were already taken. We eventually settled on the domain cmpdnt, a version of our domain name with no vowels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Find a short URL that you\u2019re comfortable with and buy it.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/a>
Suggestion: Identify a short version of your company name or domain name. You can remove the vowels to have a branded name but shorter length.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Once you have purchased your new domain, it is time to integrate the domain with a URL shortening service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Select A URL Shortening Service<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Today, you have more choices than ever when it comes to selecting a service to hand your URL shortening. Here are five URL shortening services that give you the ability to create your own branded URL:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Bitly<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Rebrandly<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Tinycc<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. BL.INK<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. JotURL<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. Pxl<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    TIP: Lifetime deal websites like Appsumo are routinely offering URL shortening services at a one-time purchase. Checkout Appsumo’s current deals on url shortener<\/a>s<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    There are two things you want to look at before choosing your service:<\/p>\n\n\n\n