Customized Links: Which Ones Are Best for Your Business?

There are a few options out there for creating customized links, which are normally fantastic for sharing shorter URLs and directing people to where you want them to go as part of a campaign or daily social media posting. But which ones are best for your business, and why? We explore some of the options here so that you can weigh them up for yourself.

Buff.ly

This link shortener works in conjunction with Buffer, a system for queuing up social media posts in advance. No matter what links you add, they will shorten the link down, using Buff.ly plus a code. This is definitely great for businesses that focus on social media marketing, because it allows you to track how many people exactly have clicked on each link through their in-built analytics. It also tells you who is visiting from social versus who is using organic search.

The URL will be created automatically for you when you create a post to be shared on any social media site. It’s great for those working in the small business or digital marketing niches, especially one-man bands who don’t have time to do everything.

Bit.ly

For the big brand, Bit.ly may be best. It’s one of the best known and most widely recognized link customizers out there. This builds trust for the audience, meaning they are more likely to click on the link and head to the site you have put in for them. It’s also very easy to use, so you can create a large bulk of links in no time at all. This is great for most industries, so don’t hesitate to give it a try.

Clkim

Running an online business? Clkim has the unique aspect of running adverts alongside the content that you post in your link. These full page ads can be customized to help you generate leads and conversions, as well as allowing you to create two calls to action in the same space. If you are looking to drive a hard sales campaign, this could be a good way to go about it, gaining plenty of extra revenue in the process. Online shops, blogs, and influencers can definitely benefit from this tool.

Short.cm

Got a strong brand identity that you need to maintain? Short.cm allows you to shorten links using your own domain name, which makes those links all the more recognizable for fans and customers. It’s a good way to give off a professional vibe and is best for musicians, other individual brands, and online magazines. If you already have good brand loyalty but want to sustain it even further, this is definitely the link shortening tool for you.

Goo.gl

Concerned about SEO? Want to create a strong and professional image without paying for it, or going for more complicated systems? Google has their own link shortening system, and of course it’s definitely recommended for those who are already heavily using Google tools to optimize SEO. It’s also fantastic for those who are in the web, entrepreneurship, or digital marketing niches as it acknowledges a major player in these fields.

TinyURL.com

Unfortunately, this URL shortener is more closely associated with younger generations, spam, and memes than business links. It’s actually a little longer than most “short” URLs, and it has a very outdated website with only rudimentary functions.

No matter which tool you use to shorten URLS, it’s definitely an advantage to be able to share quick codes rather than full URLs. Anywhere that someone may need to type in the address rather than copying and pasting, these short forms are absolutely essential!

Author: Kate Thora is a Senior Content Specialist for Uphours, an online resource with information about businesses worldwide. Her artistic soul manifests itself also in her love for singing and dancing, especially to traditional Indian music. Follow her on Twitter @katethora1