URL Shorteners for Marketing: How They Work and When Promoters Should Use Them
How URL shorteners work, what they add (click counts, custom domains, editable links), why some platforms distrust them, and how to use one with UTM tracking without breaking anything.
A URL shortener turns a long, ugly link into a short one, and counts the clicks on the way. For a promoter that sounds perfect. It often is, but short links also carry a reputation, and on some platforms that reputation hurts.
This guide explains what actually happens when someone clicks a short link and how to use shorteners so they help your tracking instead of hurting your reach.
What happens on a click
- 1Someone clicks the short link.
- 2The shortener's server looks up which long link belongs to it.
- 3It counts the click (time, country, device, the site it came from).
- 4It redirects the browser to the long link, usually in a fraction of a second.
- 5The long link, with its UTM tags, opens the landing page and the program's tracking takes over.
Step 5 is the important one. The shortener counts clicks; the program counts conversions. The UTM tags inside the long link are what let you join the two. More in how tracking links work.
What a shortener adds
| Feature | What it gives you | Worth it? |
|---|---|---|
| Click counts | Clicks per link, per day, per country | Yes, the main reason to use one |
| Custom domain | Links on your own short domain | Yes, for trust and control |
| Editable destination | Change where a link goes after posting | Very useful when an offer changes |
| QR codes | A scannable version of the link | Only for offline or screen use |
| Link-in-bio page | Several links on one page | See [link in bio](/blog/link-in-bio-that-converts) |
Why platforms distrust some short links
Spammers use free public shorteners to hide where a link really goes. Because of that, some platforms and communities limit or remove posts with generic short links, and some subreddits ban them outright. Hiding a link's destination to get past a platform's rules is the kind of misleading behaviour that gets accounts banned.
- Read the platform's and the community's rules on shortened links before using them.
- Prefer a custom short domain you own over a shared public one.
- Use short links mostly where people click from a bio, a channel or a description, not inside every post.
- Make the link's purpose clear in the text around it.
Using a shortener with UTM tags
- 1Build the full link with UTM tags per account and placement using the tracking link builder.
- 2Paste the full tagged link into the shortener as the destination.
- 3Name the short link the same way as the tags (for example "reddit-a-bio").
- 4Click it once in a private window and check the landing page URL still shows the tags.
- 5Log the short link next to the full one in your tracking spreadsheet.
Never shorten a link that has already been shortened. Chains of redirects are slower and some get blocked along the way.
When not to use one
- Where the community bans them.
- When the program gives you its own tracked link that the platform already trusts and you don't need extra click counts.
- On your own website, for internal links; normal links are clearer for search engines and readers.
For the full measuring setup, see UTM analytics for affiliates.
FAQ
Are URL shorteners good for marketing?+
Yes for counting clicks and keeping links tidy, especially with your own custom domain. Some platforms and communities limit generic short links, so check their rules first.
Do short links keep UTM parameters?+
Yes, if you shorten the full link with the tags already in it. Click it once and check the landing page URL to confirm.
Why was my post with a short link removed?+
Many communities remove posts with shortened links because spammers use them to hide destinations. Use the full link, the program's own link, or a placement where links are allowed.
Are short links bad for SEO?+
Proper redirects pass visitors through normally, but for links on your own site plain, descriptive links are clearer. Shorteners are mostly a social and tracking tool.
Promote with a partner, not just a link.
AMZA promoters get a dedicated manager, approved content, live tracking and weekly payouts.