How to Use URL Shorteners to Track your traffic

Introduction

In the online world, optimizing your content for search engines is crucial for increasing visibility and driving traffic to your website. One effective way to do this is by using URL shorteners. URL shorteners are handy tools that condense long and complex URLs into shorter, more manageable links. In this blog post, we will discuss how you can use URL shorteners to improve your SEO efforts, track traffic and attract more visitors to your website.

Why To Use URL Shorteners?

URL shorteners offer several advantages that can enhance your SEO strategy:

• Improved Readability
  Long URLs can be challenging to read and remember. By shortening your URLs, you create more user-friendly and shareable links.
• Enhanced Click-through Rates
  Shorter URLs are visually appealing and increase the likelihood of users clicking on your links, leading to higher click-through rates (CTRs).
• Easy Sharing on Social Media
  Social media platforms, such as Twitter, have character limitations.
  URL shorteners enable you to share your content without worrying about exceeding the character limit.
• Tracking and Analytics
  Many URL shorteners come with built-in tracking and analytics features.
  These tools provide valuable insights into how users are interacting with your links, allowing you to measure and analyze the success of your marketing campaigns.

Best Practices for Using URL Shorteners

Now that we understand the benefits of using URL shorteners, let’s explore some best practices for implementing them effectively:

1. Choose a Reliable URL Shortener
There are numerous URL shortener services available, but it’s important to choose a reliable and reputable provider.
Look for a service that offers detailed analytics, allows you to customize your shortened links, and has a history of reliable performance.

2. Use Targeted Keywords in URL Slugs
URL slugs are the customizable portion of the shortened link after the domain name.
Incorporating relevant keywords in your URL slugs helps search engines understand the content of your page and improves your chances of ranking higher in search results.

3. Avoid Overusing URL Shorteners
While URL shorteners can be beneficial, it’s important not to overuse them.
Search engines prefer to see original, descriptive URLs that provide meaningful information to users.
Reserve URL shorteners for situations where the length needs to be reduced for practical reasons.

4. Test and Track Your Shortened Links
To optimize your SEO efforts, it’s crucial to track the performance of your shortened links.
Most URL shorteners provide analytics and tracking features that allow you to monitor how many clicks your links receive, the sources of traffic, and other useful metrics.
Use this data to refine your strategy and further optimize your links for better results.

5. Share Responsibly
When using URL shorteners on social media or other platforms, it’s essential to share responsibly.
Avoid spamming and ensure your links lead to high-quality and relevant content.
Engage with your audience genuinely, and provide value through your shared links.

By following these best practices, you can leverage the power of URL shorteners to enhance your SEO efforts, drive targeted traffic, and improve the overall visibility of your website.
Remember, while URL shorteners can be effective tools, they should be used in moderation and in conjunction with other SEO techniques to achieve optimal results.
So go ahead, start optimizing your URLs today, and enjoy the benefits of increased click-through rates and improved search engine rankings.

Popular URL shortener services

• • Bitly is a popular URL shortener with many features such as branding, audience track, real-time data and more.
    it’s good for Large businesses and gives a free plan of 10 links per month.
  • Cutt.ly is one of the best and simple URL shortener  to use. it that features as Link Analytics, Surveys, Link Management and charts.
  • TinyURL is an old and free shortener for basic plan. fast and anonymous short with  all other common shortens features.
  • Short.io has a lots of features like link domain, branded links  and specials for Individuals Bloggers & Affiliate Marketers.

There are more shorteners like buffer, T.ly and Foxly but we mentioned  in the list some of the best you can start with.

A Guide to Using Cutt.ly for URL Shortening

URL shortening services have become increasingly popular for simplifying and sharing long website links.
One such service is Cutt.ly, a powerful URL shortener that provides a range of features to enhance your link management.
In this guide, we will walk you through the steps of using Cutt.ly effectively to shorten and track your URLs.

Step 1: Sign Up for a Cutt.ly Account
To start using Cutt.ly, you need to create an account. Visit the Cutt.ly website (https://cutt.ly/) and click on the “Sign Up” button.
Fill in the required information, such as your email address and password, and complete the account creation process.
Once you have your account ready, you can log in and begin shortening URLs.

Note: If you want to shorten up to 3 links, you can do it without account. the tracking will be puclic.

Step 2: Shortening a URL
To shorten a URL using Cutt.ly, follow these simple steps:

• Copy the long URL that you want to shorten.
• Log in to your Cutt.ly account.
• In your Cutt.ly dashboard, you will find a search bar labeled “Paste a link to shorten it.” Paste the long URL into this search bar.
• Click the “Shorten” button.
• Cutt.ly will generate a shortened version of your URL, which you can now use or share.

Step 3: Customizing Your Shortened URL
Cutt.ly allows you to customize your shortened URLs to reflect your brand or make them more user-friendly.
To customize your URL, follow these instructions:

• After pasting your long URL in the search bar, click the “Settings” button next to the “Shorten” button.
• In the settings panel, you will find options to set your custom alias or preferred domain.
• Enter your desired custom alias or choose your preferred domain option.
• Click the “Save” button.
• Your shortened URL will now have a customized alias or domain, making it more personalized and memorable.

Step 4: Tracking and Analytics
One of the key advantages of using Cutt.ly is its detailed tracking and analytics features.
You can gain valuable insights into the performance of your shortened URLs by following these steps:

• Log in to your Cutt.ly account.
• In your Cutt.ly dashboard, you will see a list of all the URLs you have shortened.
• Find the URL you want to track and click on it.
• Cutt.ly will display analytics including the number of clicks, geographic location of the clicks, referrers, and other useful data.
• Use this data to measure the success of your campaigns, identify areas for improvement, and make data-driven decisions.

Step 5: Integrating Cutt.ly with Other Tools
Cutt.ly offers integration with various platforms and tools, allowing you to maximize its usage.
Here are a few integration options:

• Social Media: Cutt.ly provides easy sharing options for major social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
  You can share your shortened URLs directly from your Cutt.ly dashboard to these platforms.
• Website Plugins: Cutt.ly offers plugins for popular content management systems like WordPress.
  By integrating the Cutt.ly plugin into your website, you can automatically shorten and track the URLs on your site.
• API Integration: For advanced users, Cutt.ly provides an API, enabling seamless integration with other tools, platforms, or custom applications.
  Explore these integration options to streamline your workflow and enhance your link management capabilities.

With this comprehensive guide, you are now equipped to effectively utilize Cutt.ly for shortening, customizing, and tracking your URLs.
Start optimizing your links today and experience the benefits of concise and trackable URLs through Cutt.ly.