URL Shortener: Creating, Managing, and Tracking Short Links

Learn how to create trackable short URLs, analyze click data, and manage your links efficiently with our powerful URL shortening tool.

What is a URL Shortener?

A URL shortener transforms long, complex web addresses into brief, manageable links that are easier to share, remember, and track. Our URL shortening service provides not just shorter links, but powerful analytics and management features to help you understand how your links are performing.

Key Benefits of Short URLs:

  • Enhanced Tracking: Monitor clicks, visitor locations, and referral sources
  • Improved Aesthetics: Clean, professional-looking links for all your channels
  • Better User Experience: Easier to type, share, and remember than long URLs
  • Link Management: Edit destination URLs without changing the short link
  • Marketing Insights: Gain valuable data about link performance and audience behavior
  • QR Code Integration: Create trackable QR codes that link to your short URLs
Before vs After
Long URL:

https://example.com/products/category/summer-collection/item/12345?ref=summer_promo&campaign=email_june&source=newsletter

Short URL:

https://tonmly.com/abc123

Premium Advantage: While free users can create one short URL, premium subscribers unlock unlimited short links for comprehensive link management and tracking across all their online content.

Creating Short URLs

Creating a short URL is quick and straightforward. Follow these steps to generate your trackable short link:

Step 1

Log in and navigate to the URL Shortener in your dashboard

Step 2

Paste the long URL you want to shorten

Step 3

Customize your link (optional) and click "Create"

URL Customization Options

Custom Aliases (Premium)

Instead of using randomly generated codes, premium users can create memorable custom aliases:

  • https://tonmly.com/summer-sale
  • https://tonmly.com/product-launch
  • https://tonmly.com/your-brand-name
Link Settings
  • Link Title: Add a descriptive name for your reference
  • Tags: Categorize links for easier management (Premium)
  • Expiration: Set links to expire after a certain date (Premium)
  • Privacy: Make links private or password-protected (Premium)
Important: Free users can create one short URL. To create additional short links, upgrade to a premium subscription for unlimited URL shortening capabilities.

Tracking and Analytics

One of the primary benefits of our URL shortener is the comprehensive tracking and analytics it provides. Understand exactly how your links are performing with detailed insights:

Click Metrics

  • Total Clicks: Overall number of times your link was clicked
  • Unique Visitors: Number of different people who clicked your link
  • Click Patterns: Track click volume by day, week, month, or custom date range
  • Growth Rate: Compare performance across different time periods
  • Real-time Tracking: See clicks as they happen (Premium)

Visitor Insights

  • Geographic Data: See which countries and cities your visitors come from
  • Referral Sources: Discover which platforms drive the most traffic
  • Devices: Track whether visitors use mobile, tablet, or desktop
  • Browsers: See which browsers your audience prefers
  • Operating Systems: Monitor OS distribution of your audience

Reports and Exports

  • Visual Reports: Charts and graphs to visualize performance
  • Data Export: Download CSV reports for further analysis (Premium)
  • Scheduled Reports: Regular email summaries of link performance (Premium)
  • Comparison Views: Compare multiple links side by side (Premium)
  • Campaign Tracking: Group links by campaign for collective analysis (Premium)

Alerts and Notifications

  • Click Milestones: Get notified when links reach certain click thresholds (Premium)
  • Traffic Spikes: Alerts for unusual surges in click activity (Premium)
  • Performance Updates: Regular summaries of your link performance
  • Security Alerts: Notifications about suspicious activity
  • Custom Alerts: Set specific conditions for notifications (Premium)

Analytics Dashboard Preview

The analytics dashboard provides a comprehensive overview of your link performance, including:

  • Interactive graphs showing click trends over time
  • Geographic heat maps of visitor locations
  • Device and platform breakdowns
  • Referral source analysis
  • Individual click details with timestamps
Analytics Dashboard Preview

Managing Your Short URLs

Our URL shortener provides powerful management capabilities that let you control and optimize your links even after they've been created:

Editing Capabilities

Update your links without changing the short URL:

  • Change Destination: Redirect the short URL to a different long URL
  • Update Title: Modify the descriptive name for better organization
  • Add/Remove Tags: Refine your categorization system (Premium)
  • Adjust Settings: Update privacy, expiration, and other options (Premium)

Organization Tools

Keep track of all your links with efficient management tools:

  • Search Function: Quickly find links by name, URL, or tags
  • Sorting Options: Arrange links by date, clicks, or alphabetically
  • Folders: Create folders to organize links by project or purpose (Premium)
  • Bulk Actions: Update, export, or delete multiple links at once (Premium)

Link Status Control

Manage the availability and behavior of your links:

  • Pause Links: Temporarily disable links without deleting them (Premium)
  • Set Expirations: Auto-expire links after a specific date (Premium)
  • Password Protection: Restrict access to certain links (Premium)
  • Geo-Targeting: Show different content based on location (Premium)

Scheduling Features

Control when and how your links work:

  • Activation Date: Set links to become active at a future date (Premium)
  • Limited Clicks: Disable links after reaching a click threshold (Premium)
  • Time-Based Redirects: Change destinations based on time of day (Premium)
  • A/B Testing: Test multiple destinations for the same short link (Premium)
Pro Tip: When redirecting to a new destination URL, the original analytics remain intact, allowing you to maintain historical data while updating content. This is particularly useful for recurring campaigns or evergreen content that needs regular updates.

Integrations and Use Cases

Our URL shortener integrates seamlessly with other tools and services to enhance your link management experience:

QR Code Integration

Every short URL can be instantly converted to a QR code, combining the benefits of both tools:

  • Generate QR codes that link to your trackable short URLs
  • Monitor QR code scans through the same analytics dashboard
  • Update the destination of QR codes by changing the linked short URL
  • Customize QR code appearance with colors and logos (Premium)
  • Download QR codes in multiple formats (PNG, SVG, PDF)

Profile Page Integration

Enhance your profile page with trackable links:

  • Create short URLs for each link on your profile page
  • Track which profile links receive the most clicks
  • Update destinations without changing your profile layout
  • A/B test different destinations for the same button (Premium)
  • Get detailed analytics about your profile page visitors

Popular Use Cases

Marketing Campaigns

Track performance across different channels and compare campaign effectiveness with detailed analytics.

Print Materials

Use short URLs or QR codes on business cards, brochures, and posters to track offline marketing effectiveness.

Email Campaigns

Create trackable links for each email campaign to measure click-through rates and engagement.

Social Media

Share clean, branded links on social platforms and track which networks drive the most engagement.

Product Promotion

Create unique links for each product or promotion to track customer interest and conversion paths.

Performance Analysis

Compare different marketing strategies by tracking engagement metrics for each approach.

Best Practices

Maximize the effectiveness of your short URLs with these proven strategies:

For Creating Effective Links

  • Use Custom Aliases: When possible, create memorable, branded short links (Premium)
  • Keep It Simple: Avoid special characters or confusing combinations
  • Be Descriptive: Add clear titles and tags to stay organized
  • Segment Your Links: Use different short URLs for different channels to track performance
  • Test Before Sharing: Always verify your short links work properly
  • Consider the Context: Create appropriate links for different platforms and audiences

For Tracking and Analysis

  • Set Benchmarks: Establish performance goals for your links
  • Compare Across Channels: Use different links for email, social, print, etc.
  • Monitor Regularly: Check analytics at least weekly to spot trends
  • Look for Patterns: Identify time periods or locations with higher engagement
  • Act on Insights: Use data to refine your marketing strategy
  • Export Important Data: Save reports for long-term performance tracking (Premium)

DO

  • Use different links for different marketing channels
  • Create descriptive link names for easy reference
  • Regularly check analytics to optimize strategy
  • Keep a consistent naming convention
  • Test links before distributing them widely

DON'T

  • Create overly complex custom aliases
  • Share links without testing them first
  • Ignore the analytics data available
  • Use the same link across different campaigns
  • Forget to update destinations when content changes
Pro Tip: Create a consistent naming system for your links to stay organized. For example, use prefixes like "EM-" for email campaigns, "SM-" for social media, or "PR-" for printed materials to quickly identify link sources.

Premium Features

While our free tier allows you to create one short URL, upgrading to a premium subscription unlocks powerful features to take your link management to the next level:

Unlimited Links

Create as many short URLs as you need for all your marketing channels, campaigns, and content:

  • No restrictions on the number of links you can create
  • Create separate links for each marketing channel
  • A/B test different versions of your content
  • Track performance across campaigns and platforms

Custom Aliases

Create memorable, branded short links instead of random codes:

  • Choose custom text for your short links
  • Create branded URLs that reinforce your identity
  • Use descriptive terms that hint at the content
  • Make links easier to remember and share verbally

Advanced Analytics

Gain deeper insights with comprehensive analytics features:

  • Detailed geographic data down to city level
  • Device and browser information for all clicks
  • Referral source tracking and analysis
  • Click patterns by time of day and day of week
  • Data export capabilities for further analysis

Campaign Management

Organize and track links at scale with enhanced management tools:

  • Group links into campaigns and folders
  • Tag and categorize links for easier searching
  • Bulk actions for editing multiple links
  • Team sharing and collaboration features
  • Comparative analytics across campaigns

Scheduling Options

Control when and how your links are active:

  • Set start and end dates for time-sensitive links
  • Schedule links to activate at specific times
  • Set click limits for exclusive offers
  • Create recurring schedules for regular campaigns
  • Automatically redirect expired links

Advanced Security

Protect your links with enhanced security features:

  • Password protection for sensitive links
  • Geographic access restrictions
  • Device-specific targeting
  • HTTPS encryption for all links
  • Link click notifications and alerts
Upgrade to Premium

Frequently Asked Questions

Free users can create one short URL. To create additional short links, you'll need to upgrade to a premium subscription, which offers unlimited URL shortening capabilities along with many other advanced features.

Yes, you can change the destination URL at any time without affecting the short link itself. This is one of the most powerful features of our URL shortener, as it allows you to update content, fix broken links, or redirect to new destinations while maintaining the same short URL that you've already distributed.

All short URLs come with built-in analytics. To view your link statistics, log in to your dashboard and select the link you want to analyze. You'll see comprehensive data including total clicks, unique visitors, geographic information, referral sources, and more. Premium users get access to even more detailed analytics and export options.

When you create a short URL, you can generate a QR code that links to that shortened URL. This combines the benefits of both tools: the QR code provides easy scanning from physical materials, while the short URL behind it gives you full analytics and the ability to change the destination without needing to update the QR code. Simply go to your short URL dashboard and click the QR code option to generate and download your QR code in various formats.

If you need to create additional short URLs beyond the one allowed with a free account, you'll need to upgrade to a premium subscription. Our premium plans offer unlimited link creation along with many other advanced features like custom aliases, detailed analytics, campaign management tools, and more. You can upgrade at any time from your account dashboard.

You can enhance your profile page by creating short URLs for each link you add. This allows you to track which profile links receive the most engagement and understand how visitors interact with your content. Premium users can create unique short URLs for each link on their profile page, gaining valuable insights about visitor behavior and content performance. Additionally, you can update the destinations of these links without changing your profile page layout.

Related Articles

Creating QR Codes

Learn how to generate and customize QR codes for your marketing needs
Understanding Analytics

How to interpret and leverage your link performance data
Profile Pages

Creating and customizing your personal profile page
Premium Features

Discover all the benefits of upgrading to a premium account
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