How to Create Branded Short Links (Step-by-Step)

A generic short link like bit.ly/3xK9mQ2 tells your audience nothing. A branded short link like yourcompany.link/spring-sale tells them exactly who is behind the link and where it leads. That difference is not cosmetic — branded links consistently earn higher click-through rates because people trust links they can read. This guide walks you through creating branded short links from scratch, step by step.

What are branded short links?

A branded short link has two parts that you control: the custom domain and the custom back-half. The domain is the part before the slash — instead of a generic shortener domain, you use your own (like go.yourcompany.com or yourcompany.link). The back-half is the part after the slash — instead of a random string, you use a readable keyword (like /spring-sale or /demo).

Together, they create a link that is short, readable, branded, and trustworthy. When someone sees yourcompany.link/demo in a social post or email, they know instantly what to expect.

Why branded links get more clicks

Studies consistently show that branded short links receive up to 34% more clicks than generic shortened URLs. The reasons are straightforward:

• Trust: People are wary of clicking links they cannot read. A branded domain signals legitimacy. Phishing links almost never use branded domains because attackers do not own your domain.
• Clarity: A readable back-half like /pricing or /webinar-replay sets expectations. The visitor knows what they will find before they click.
• Brand reinforcement: Every link you share is an impression. A branded link keeps your company name visible even in channels where your logo is not present, like text messages, Slack channels, or printed materials.
• Shareability: People are more likely to reshare a link that looks professional and readable than one that looks like a random string of characters.

Step-by-step: creating your first branded short link

Here is how to go from zero to a fully branded short link in five steps:

Step 1: Sign up for a free account

Go to ShortUrl.bot and create a free account. The free plan includes 60 links per month, 30-day click history, and one custom domain — everything you need to create branded links from day one. No credit card is required.

Step 2: Connect your custom domain

Navigate to domain settings and add your domain. You will need to update two DNS records at your domain registrar:

• A CNAME record pointing your short-link domain (e.g., go.yourcompany.com) to the ShortUrl.bot servers.
• A TXT record to verify you own the domain.

DNS propagation typically takes a few minutes to a few hours. Once verified, your domain is active and ready for branded links. For detailed instructions, visit the Custom Domain Shortener guide.

Step 3: Create your first branded link

Paste your destination URL into the shortener. Select your custom domain from the dropdown. ShortUrl.bot will generate a short link on your domain immediately. At this point, you already have a branded link — the domain is yours, even if the back-half is auto-generated.

Step 4: Add a custom back-half

Replace the auto-generated back-half with a readable keyword. For example, change go.yourcompany.com/aB3kL to go.yourcompany.com/spring-sale. Good back-halves are short, descriptive, and easy to type from memory.

Step 5: Track performance

Share your branded link and watch the data come in. The Branded Links dashboard shows 30-day click history on Free, with deeper geography, device, referrer, and export views as your plan unlocks them. Use this data to optimize your campaigns over time.

Examples of good vs bad branded links

Choosing the right back-half matters as much as having a custom domain. Here are examples:

• Good: go.acme.com/pricing — short, clear, and tells the visitor exactly where they are going.
• Good: links.acme.com/webinar-march — descriptive and time-specific for a campaign.
• Good: acme.link/demo — minimal and memorable, perfect for verbal sharing or print.
• Bad: go.acme.com/our-amazing-new-spring-2026-product-launch-page — too long. Short links should be short.
• Bad: go.acme.com/x7k9 — using a custom domain with a random back-half wastes the readability advantage.
• Bad: go.acme.com/PRICING — uppercase back-halves are harder to type and can cause confusion with case-sensitive systems.

Tips for choosing memorable back-halves

The back-half is the human-readable part of your link. Get it right and people will remember and type it without needing to copy-paste:

• Keep it under 15 characters. Shorter is better. One or two words is ideal.
• Use lowercase only. Mixed case creates confusion and typing errors.
• Use hyphens sparingly. One hyphen is fine (/spring-sale). Multiple hyphens make it look cluttered.
• Match the destination. If the link goes to a pricing page, use /pricing. If it goes to a case study, use /case-study. Do not be clever when clarity works better.
• Avoid dates in evergreen links. If the content will stay relevant, skip the date. Use dates only for time-specific campaigns.
• Reserve your best slugs early. Popular back-halves like /demo, /app, and /pricing are first-come, first-served on your domain. Claim them before you need them.

Choosing the right domain for branded links

You have several options for your custom domain:

• Subdomain of your main domain: go.yourcompany.com or links.yourcompany.com. This leverages your existing brand recognition and is the most common approach.
• A dedicated short domain: Register a short domain specifically for links, like yourco.link or yrco.io. This produces the shortest possible links.
• Product-specific domains: If you manage multiple products, use separate domains for each: go.product-a.com and go.product-b.com.

On the free plan, you get one custom domain. If you need more, check Plans and Pricing for options that support multiple branded domains.

Start creating branded links today

Branded short links are one of the highest-impact, lowest-effort improvements you can make to your marketing. They cost nothing on a free plan, take minutes to set up, and immediately make every link you share more trustworthy and more clickable. Connect your domain, choose a clear back-half, share the link, and review the 30-day history or upgraded analytics your plan includes.