{"id":231,"date":"2019-06-07T04:21:28","date_gmt":"2019-06-07T04:21:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/?p=142"},"modified":"2022-11-09T20:51:44","modified_gmt":"2022-11-09T20:51:44","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<p>\u201cHow do I get a cool custom short URL like I see other brands using on social media?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>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<p>They are not pretty. They are too long. What can I do about this?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>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<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">And Then You See A Short URL That Is Custom<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>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<p>And you\u2019d be right \u2014 these are called custom short URLs or a branded short URL. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this article we will take you through the steps necessary to setup your own custom short URL using a service called <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Bitly (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/bitly.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">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<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Who Is Using A Custom Short URL<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>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<div class=\"wp-block-image image-border\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/michael-hyatt-branded-url-shortener.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/michael-hyatt-branded-url-shortener.jpg\" alt=\"Michael Hyatt Tweet with Custom Short URL \u2014 mhyatt.us\" class=\"wp-image-881 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 800px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 800\/698;\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/michael-hyatt-branded-url-shortener.jpg\" alt=\"Michael Hyatt Tweet with Custom Short URL \u2014 mhyatt.us\" class=\"wp-image-881\"\/><\/noscript><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Michael Hyatt is the first person \/ brand I noticed using a custom branded URL.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>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<p>Shortly thereafter I noticed that Buffer had their own. I took a screenshot of their Tweet, too.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image image-border\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/custom-short-url-tweet-buffer.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/custom-short-url-tweet-buffer.jpg\" alt=\"Buffer Tweet with Custom Short URL \u2014 buff.ly\" class=\"wp-image-882 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 800px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 800\/699;\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/custom-short-url-tweet-buffer.jpg\" alt=\"Buffer Tweet with Custom Short URL \u2014 buff.ly\" class=\"wp-image-882\"\/><\/noscript><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Buffer has their own branded URL, buff.ly.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>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<p>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<p>Beyond the visual appeal, there are a lot of features custom short URLs offer which can enhance your overall marketing efforts \u2014 not just your brand appearance. Dustin Stout has a great breakdown on <a href=\"https:\/\/dustinstout.com\/short-urls\/\">custom short URL benefits<\/a> along with a very in depth tutorial on maximizing Rebrandly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Selecting Your Desired Custom Short URL<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When you\u2019re choosing a domain for your primary website 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>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<div class=\"wp-block-image image-border\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/custom-short-url-domain-registration.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/custom-short-url-domain-registration-1030x275-1.jpg\" alt=\"Godaddy screenshot \u2014 Start your domain name search, campy.pro\" class=\"wp-image-883\" width=\"653\" height=\"174\"\/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Use your preferred domain registrar to buy the domain you will use for your custom short URL.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>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<p>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 campy.pro, a nod to the first name we ever had for Campaign Donut.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Find a short URL that you\u2019re comfortable with and buy it.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image image-border\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/domain-name-taken.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/domain-name-taken-1030x380-1.jpg\" alt=\"Screenshot \u2014 domain taken, campaigndonut.com is taken.\" class=\"wp-image-884 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1030px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1030\/380;\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/domain-name-taken-1030x380-1.jpg\" alt=\"Screenshot \u2014 domain taken, campaigndonut.com is taken.\" class=\"wp-image-884\"\/><\/noscript><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Select a shorter version of your brand name for your custom short URL domain. You may find the best options are taken \u2014 keep searching and get creative.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Once you have purchased your new domain, it is time to integrate the domain with a URL shortening service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Select A URL Shortening Service<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>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<ol>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/bitly.com\">Bitly<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/rebrandly.com\/\">Rebrandly<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/tinycc.com\/\">Tinycc<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/bit.do\/custom-domain\/\">Bit.do<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bl.ink\/\">BL.INK<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>There are two things you want to look at before choosing your service:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Will the plan I choose meet my needs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Will this service integrate with the tools I already use.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>At Campaign Donut, we chose Bitly because of the second need \u2014 it was the only option that had a native integration with several key services we use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Third-party integration tools like Zapier can help you get around the lack of native integration with some tools \u2014 others, you\u2019ll want native integration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to Setup Bitly Custom Domain, Step-by-Step<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Bitly has been around for a long time (in URL shortening service years) and offers a limited free option for a custom branded url. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you already have a Bitly account, go ahead and log in as usual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you do not have a Bitly account, you can sign up for free and then proceed to complete the steps to connecting your custom branded URL.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image image-border\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/bitly-create-free-account.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/bitly-create-free-account.jpg\" alt=\"Screenshot \u2014 Create a free Bitly account\" class=\"wp-image-885 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1000px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1000\/548;\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/bitly-create-free-account.jpg\" alt=\"Screenshot \u2014 Create a free Bitly account\" class=\"wp-image-885\"\/><\/noscript><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Login to Bitly or sign up for your free account and verify your email address.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Once you are logged into your Bitly account select the account details button from the upper right hand corner to reveal account details sidebar menu.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image image-border\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/campaign-donut-bitly-account-preferences.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/campaign-donut-bitly-account-preferences-1030x353-1.jpg\" alt=\"Screenshot \u2014 Accessing Bitly account details\" class=\"wp-image-886 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1030px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1030\/353;\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/campaign-donut-bitly-account-preferences-1030x353-1.jpg\" alt=\"Screenshot \u2014 Accessing Bitly account details\" class=\"wp-image-886\"\/><\/noscript><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Click the account preferences button in the upper right hand corner of bit.ly and a menu will slide out from the right.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>From the account preferences menu, click on the \u2018Manage\u2019 text to reveal the Account Details option. Click on the \u2018Custom Domains\u2019 tab. Click on the \u2018Add Custom Domain\u2019 button from the upper right hand corner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The \u2018Add Domain\u2019 menu will appear and you\u2019ll now receive instructions from Bitly on how to update your domain\u2019s DNS to connect Bitly to the domain itself. The two records you will need to create are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>A record = 67.199.248.12<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A record = 67.199.248.13<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>(The records Bitly provides you may be different than the records we were provided in this example.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the white box at the bottom, \u2018Custom Domain\u2019, type in the domain you purchased. Do not click verify just yet \u2014 proceed to the next step below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Update Your Godaddy DNS Records<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Keeping the Bitly \u2018Add Domain\u2019 window open, return to your domain registrar (we used Godaddy) and access the domain DNS records.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Delete any current A records and then add the two A records as shared in the Bitly instructions, saving each. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The instructions from Bitly assume you are using a domain that is not currently in use. For instance, we would not update \u2018campaigndonut.com\u2019 to be our short URL because it is already in use. We purchased a new domain to serve as our short URL domain. If you would like to make changes to a domain currently being used to any extent, make sure you know what you\u2019re doing before you make changes.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image image-border\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/bitly-update-dns-a-records.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/bitly-update-dns-a-records-1030x334-1.jpg\" alt=\"Screenshot \u2014 Updating DNS A Records for Bitly custom short URL\" class=\"wp-image-887 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1030px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1030\/334;\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/bitly-update-dns-a-records-1030x334-1.jpg\" alt=\"Screenshot \u2014 Updating DNS A Records for Bitly custom short URL\" class=\"wp-image-887\"\/><\/noscript><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Add two individual A records, each one pointing to one of the IP addresses bit.ly provides.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>After deleting any previous A records and adding the two Bitly URLs, it may take a few moments for the new settings to take effect. Still, you can proceed to the next step.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Verify Your Bitly A Records<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Return to the Bitly \u2018Account Details\u2019 page and click Verify. If Bitly cannot verify the records right away, wait a few minutes and try again. It may take up to 30 minutes for all settings to populate across the internet in order for Bitly to see you\u2019ve updated your A records.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In some cases it may take a domain registrar up to 24 hours to propagate the DNS record adjustments across the internet.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image image-border\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/bitly-add-domain-a-records.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/bitly-add-domain-a-records-1030x584-1.jpg\" alt=\"Screenshot \u2014 Bitly Add Domain, Custom Domain Properties\" class=\"wp-image-888 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1030px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1030\/584;\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/bitly-add-domain-a-records-1030x584-1.jpg\" alt=\"Screenshot \u2014 Bitly Add Domain, Custom Domain Properties\" class=\"wp-image-888\"\/><\/noscript><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Bit.ly provides two individual IP addresses that you must create two A records to point to individually and add your custom domain in the bottom box.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Once verified, refresh your browser and navigate back to the Menu&gt;Settings&gt;Advanced Settings section. Confirm that your new domain is the default domain for your shortened links.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image image-border\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/bitly-default-custom-short-url-domain.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/bitly-default-custom-short-url-domain-1030x295-1.jpg\" alt=\"Screenshot \u2014 Bitly Domain Default Selector\" class=\"wp-image-889 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1030px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1030\/295;\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/bitly-default-custom-short-url-domain-1030x295-1.jpg\" alt=\"Screenshot \u2014 Bitly Domain Default Selector\" class=\"wp-image-889\"\/><\/noscript><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">After you verify your domain you need to navigate to Bitly settings and configure your new domain as default for link shortening.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>When you are able to select your newly configured domain as the default domain for Bitly, that indicates you have successfully setup your custom short URL. You can now begin using Bitly to shorten your URLs with that domain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Using Your New Bitly Custom Short URL<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When you\u2019re ready to create your first link, return to the Bitly dashboard and click the \u2018Create Bitlink\u2019 button.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image image-border\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/bitly-dashboard-create-bitlink.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/bitly-dashboard-create-bitlink-1030x353-1.jpg\" alt=\"Screenshot \u2014 Bitly dashboard with Create Bitlink button\" class=\"wp-image-890 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1030px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1030\/353;\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/bitly-dashboard-create-bitlink-1030x353-1.jpg\" alt=\"Screenshot \u2014 Bitly dashboard with Create Bitlink button\" class=\"wp-image-890\"\/><\/noscript><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Return to your Bitly dashboard and create a new Bitlink.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>The Bitlink meny will slide in to view on the right side of the screen to reveal the \u2018Paste Long URL\u2019 option. Once you paste your URL, in a matter of milliseconds, Bitly will automatically create the link. If for some reason Bitly doesn\u2019t automatically create the link, press the \u2018Create\u2019 button at the bottom of the screen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Bitlink menu slides in from the right (on desktop) to reveal the \u201cPaste Your Long URL\u201d field. Paste your link there and either click the Create button at the bottom or wait approximately 3 seconds and bit.ly creates the link for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After creating the new Bitly, you have several options in the updated sidebar window.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image image-border\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/create-bitly-custom-url.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/create-bitly-custom-url-1030x645-1.jpg\" alt=\"Screenshot \u2014 Paste long URL and create Bitlink\" class=\"wp-image-891 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1030px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1030\/645;\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/create-bitly-custom-url-1030x645-1.jpg\" alt=\"Screenshot \u2014 Paste long URL and create Bitlink\" class=\"wp-image-891\"\/><\/noscript><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Paste your long url and click the Create button.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Copy: Click the copy button to copy the new custom short URL to your clipboard. You can proceed to paste the link whenever you wish.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Share: Bitly has built in configuration with Twitter and Facebook. You can connect your social accounts to share directly from Bitly.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Title: Using the title field you can customize the title that will appear when sharing on social networks or anywhere preview snippets populate.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Customize Back-Half: This option allows you to change the preassigned Bitly URL. Bitly assigns a string of random letters and numbers and Customize Back-Half allows you to change that with something more intelligible.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/configure-bitly-url-1030x646-1.jpg\" alt=\"Screenshot \u2014 Bitly configurations, Title, Customize Back-Half\" class=\"wp-image-892 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1030px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1030\/646;\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/configure-bitly-url-1030x646-1.jpg\" alt=\"Screenshot \u2014 Bitly configurations, Title, Customize Back-Half\" class=\"wp-image-892\"\/><\/noscript><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Copy your custom short url from bit.ly and share!<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What If I Run Out of Branded Links?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You might be wondering, \u201cIs there any reason for me to use a bit.ly link rather than my custom short URL?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the past, Bitly allowed you up to 500 branded URLs per month. Currently, the free plan allows you only 50 custom domain URLs and 1,000 shortened URLs total. If you\u2019d like more URLs, you can upgrade to one of Bitly\u2019s paid plans, starting at $29 per month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another service we recommended above, Rebrandly, provides a much more generous free plan with 500 custom domain URLs and up to 5,000 trackable shortened URLs. Unfortunately, Rebrandly doesn\u2019t integrate with some of the services we use \u2014 hopefully you\u2019ll have more luck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When You Should Use A Branded URL vs Standard URL<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>With a limited number of branded URLs available, you may be wondering if you should still use a bit.ly domain. Here are two suggested use cases where you may consider the bit.ly domain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>You use your account to create a short URL for a friend, family, or a customer and do not want it to carry your branding.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You want to shorten and track a URL that is not associated with your business brand.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Otherwise, it is the best practice to use your branded URL for your business. It looks professional, it is consistent with your overall brand, and it will be an eye-catching URL when shared outside of people in your network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>No longer will you be the one noticing the fancy short URLs all the \u2018big guys\u2019 are using. As small is a custom short URL may seem, it will have a big impact on how people view your brand on social media, especially if it is just one part of a strong brand you are working hard to develop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Final Thoughts On Creating Your Own Branded URL<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have any question about using Bitly to host your custom short URLs, choosing at domain to use for shortening URLs, or applications for your short URL, <a id=\"beacon\" style=\"cursor:pointer;color: #00B28D\" class=\"mce-item-anchor\">send us a message<\/a> or leave a comment below. We want to be helpful and make sure you keep out of the marketing muck to keep moving forward and convert like crazy! If we can help, we will.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How to create your own custom short URL \u2014 step-by-step instructions, screenshots for every step, and best practices for choosing a domain to use!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":619,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How to Create A Custom Short URL &amp; Branded Links | Campaign Donut<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Create your own custom short URL \u2014 step-by-step instructions with screenshots for each step. Set up Bitly and start branding your short URLs.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/custom-short-url\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Take Your Branding All the Way Down to the Link\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Start using your own domain to shorten every long and ugly link you share on social, in email, and anywhere else your brand matters!\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/custom-short-url\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Campaign Donut\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/campaigndonut\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/daveshrein\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2019-06-07T04:21:28+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2022-11-09T20:51:44+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/create-branded-short-url.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"630\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Dave Shrein\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@https:\/\/www.twitter.com\/daveshrein\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@campaigndonut\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Dave Shrein\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"12 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/custom-short-url\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/custom-short-url\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Dave Shrein\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/#\/schema\/person\/87e267cae09857822d539bf046d6569f\"},\"headline\":\"How to Create A Custom Short URL \u2014 Branded URL Shortener\",\"datePublished\":\"2019-06-07T04:21:28+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2022-11-09T20:51:44+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/custom-short-url\/\"},\"wordCount\":2088,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/custom-short-url\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/create-branded-short-url.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Tools\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/custom-short-url\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/custom-short-url\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/custom-short-url\/\",\"name\":\"How to Create A Custom Short URL & Branded Links | Campaign Donut\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/custom-short-url\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/custom-short-url\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/create-branded-short-url.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2019-06-07T04:21:28+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2022-11-09T20:51:44+00:00\",\"description\":\"Create your own custom short URL \u2014 step-by-step instructions with screenshots for each step. Set up Bitly and start branding your short URLs.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/custom-short-url\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/custom-short-url\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/custom-short-url\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/create-branded-short-url.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/create-branded-short-url.jpg\",\"width\":1200,\"height\":630,\"caption\":\"Create A Branded Short URL\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/custom-short-url\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Tools\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/category\/tools\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"How to Create A Custom Short URL \u2014 Branded URL Shortener\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/\",\"name\":\"Campaign Donut\",\"description\":\"Content Marketing Creation Platform\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Campaign Donut\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/campaign-donut-logo-main-landscape.svg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/campaign-donut-logo-main-landscape.svg\",\"width\":2171,\"height\":432,\"caption\":\"Campaign Donut\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/campaigndonut\/\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/campaigndonut\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/campaigndonut\/\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/c\/CampaignDonut\/\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/#\/schema\/person\/87e267cae09857822d539bf046d6569f\",\"name\":\"Dave Shrein\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d88c0855601073af2d88262918f6a5a0?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d88c0855601073af2d88262918f6a5a0?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Dave Shrein\"},\"description\":\"Dave is the Founder and CEO of Campaign Donut. He dreams the dreams and writes the things. He loves the Phoenix Suns, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Arizona Cardinals.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\",\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/daveshrein\/\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/daveshrein\/\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/https:\/\/www.twitter.com\/daveshrein\/\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/author\/daveshreinmedia-com\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How to Create A Custom Short URL & Branded Links | Campaign Donut","description":"Create your own custom short URL \u2014 step-by-step instructions with screenshots for each step. Set up Bitly and start branding your short URLs.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/custom-short-url\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Take Your Branding All the Way Down to the Link","og_description":"Start using your own domain to shorten every long and ugly link you share on social, in email, and anywhere else your brand matters!","og_url":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/custom-short-url\/","og_site_name":"Campaign Donut","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/campaigndonut\/","article_author":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/daveshrein\/","article_published_time":"2019-06-07T04:21:28+00:00","article_modified_time":"2022-11-09T20:51:44+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1200,"height":630,"url":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/create-branded-short-url.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Dave Shrein","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@https:\/\/www.twitter.com\/daveshrein\/","twitter_site":"@campaigndonut","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Dave Shrein","Est. reading time":"12 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/custom-short-url\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/custom-short-url\/"},"author":{"name":"Dave Shrein","@id":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/#\/schema\/person\/87e267cae09857822d539bf046d6569f"},"headline":"How to Create A Custom Short URL \u2014 Branded URL Shortener","datePublished":"2019-06-07T04:21:28+00:00","dateModified":"2022-11-09T20:51:44+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/custom-short-url\/"},"wordCount":2088,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/custom-short-url\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/create-branded-short-url.jpg","articleSection":["Tools"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/custom-short-url\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/custom-short-url\/","url":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/custom-short-url\/","name":"How to Create A Custom Short URL & Branded Links | Campaign Donut","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/custom-short-url\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/custom-short-url\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/create-branded-short-url.jpg","datePublished":"2019-06-07T04:21:28+00:00","dateModified":"2022-11-09T20:51:44+00:00","description":"Create your own custom short URL \u2014 step-by-step instructions with screenshots for each step. Set up Bitly and start branding your short URLs.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/custom-short-url\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/custom-short-url\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/custom-short-url\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/create-branded-short-url.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/create-branded-short-url.jpg","width":1200,"height":630,"caption":"Create A Branded Short URL"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/custom-short-url\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Tools","item":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/category\/tools\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"How to Create A Custom Short URL \u2014 Branded URL Shortener"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/","name":"Campaign Donut","description":"Content Marketing Creation Platform","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/#organization","name":"Campaign Donut","url":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/campaign-donut-logo-main-landscape.svg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/campaign-donut-logo-main-landscape.svg","width":2171,"height":432,"caption":"Campaign Donut"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/campaigndonut\/","https:\/\/x.com\/campaigndonut","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/campaigndonut\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/c\/CampaignDonut\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/#\/schema\/person\/87e267cae09857822d539bf046d6569f","name":"Dave Shrein","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d88c0855601073af2d88262918f6a5a0?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d88c0855601073af2d88262918f6a5a0?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Dave Shrein"},"description":"Dave is the Founder and CEO of Campaign Donut. He dreams the dreams and writes the things. He loves the Phoenix Suns, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Arizona Cardinals.","sameAs":["https:\/\/campaigndonut.com","https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/daveshrein\/","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/daveshrein\/","https:\/\/x.com\/https:\/\/www.twitter.com\/daveshrein\/"],"url":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/author\/daveshreinmedia-com\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/231"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=231"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/231\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":369,"href":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/231\/revisions\/369"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/619"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=231"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=231"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/campaigndonut.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=231"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}