Advanced URL Shortening Strategies

Most people use URL shorteners to make links fit in tweets. That's fine, but you're leaving value on the table.

A well-planned URL strategy turns every link into a data point, a brand touchpoint, and a measurable asset. Here's how to do it properly.

Custom Aliases: Your First Impression

Random strings like qck.sh/x7Km9p work, but they're forgettable and look spammy.

Custom aliases like qck.sh/summer-sale or qck.sh/docs are:

Memorable: People can actually type them
Trustworthy: They look intentional, not phishy
Searchable: You can find them in your dashboard
Speakable: You can say them in a podcast or presentation

Naming Conventions That Scale

When you have hundreds of links, naming matters:

/blog-rust-post      → Content links
/yt-demo-video       → Platform-specific
/campaign-summer24   → Time-bound campaigns
/partner-acme        → Partner/affiliate links
/internal-roadmap    → Team resources

Pick a convention and stick to it. Future you will thank present you.

UTM Parameters: Track Everything

If you're not using UTM parameters, you're flying blind.

Every marketing link should include:

https://yoursite.com/landing-page
  ?utm_source=linkedin
  &utm_medium=social
  &utm_campaign=product-launch
  &utm_content=cta-button

QCK preserves these through the redirect. Your analytics platform (Google Analytics, Plausible, etc.) sees the full picture.

UTM Consistency Matters

The biggest UTM mistake? Inconsistent naming.

utm_source=LinkedIn and utm_source=linkedin are different sources in your analytics. Pick lowercase, stick to it.

Create a UTM naming guide for your team:

Sources: google, linkedin, twitter, email, partner
Mediums: cpc, social, email, referral, organic
Campaigns: product-launch-q1, webinar-march, black-friday-24

Link Organization

Use Tags and Folders

QCK lets you organize links with tags. Use them:

By campaign: summer-sale, product-launch
By channel: email, social, paid
By team: marketing, sales, support
By status: active, archived, testing

When your CEO asks "how did that LinkedIn campaign perform?", you can answer in seconds.

Archive, Don't Delete

Old links still get clicked. Someone bookmarked your 2023 webinar link. A blog post still ranks with your old product link.

Archive old links instead of deleting them. You keep the redirect working and the historical data intact.

Custom Domains

Using qck.sh is fine for personal use. For business, you want your own domain.

links.yourcompany.com/webinar looks professional. It builds brand recognition. It's clearly yours.

Choosing a Link Domain

Options to consider:

go.company.com — Classic, clear intent
links.company.com — Descriptive
company.link — Short TLD
co.mp — If you can get it, very short

Avoid anything that looks like a phishing domain. company-links.co reads sketchy.

Analytics That Matter

QCK tracks every click. But what should you actually look at?

Click Volume Over Time

The obvious one. Is your link getting traffic? When?

Spikes tell stories. A sudden increase means someone shared it. A gradual decline means your campaign is aging.

Geographic Distribution

Where are your clicks coming from?

If you're a US company seeing 80% of clicks from countries you don't serve, something's off. Either bots, or you're reaching the wrong audience.

Referrer Data

Where did people click from?

Direct traffic: They typed the link or used a bookmark
Social referrers: Your social posts are working
Unknown referrers: Often email clients or apps that strip referrer headers

Device and Browser

Mobile vs desktop tells you about context. A B2B whitepaper link that's 90% mobile suggests people are clicking from LinkedIn on their phones—maybe during commute. Consider mobile-optimized landing pages.

Link Expiration

Not every link should live forever.

Use expiration for:

Limited-time offers (expire when the sale ends)
Event registrations (expire after the event)
Sensitive documents (expire after review period)
Beta invites (expire after launch)

Don't use expiration for:

Documentation links
Blog post shares
Partner referrals
Anything you might link from permanent content

An expired link is a dead end. Use it intentionally.

API Integration

If you're creating more than a few links per week, automate it.

QCK's API lets you:

Create links programmatically from your CMS
Generate tracking links in your email platform
Build custom dashboards with your analytics
Integrate with your existing workflows

curl -X POST https://api.qck.sh/v1/links \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -d '{"url": "https://example.com", "alias": "my-link"}'

Marketing automation, meet URL management.

The Practical Checklist

Before launching a campaign:

Create descriptive custom aliases
Add UTM parameters to all links
Tag links by campaign and channel
Set expiration if time-limited
Test the redirect works
Share tracking access with stakeholders

After the campaign:

Review click analytics
Archive (don't delete) the links
Document what worked
Update your UTM naming guide if needed

The Bottom Line

URL shortening is infrastructure. Like any infrastructure, it can be thrown together or built properly.

The difference shows up in your analytics, your brand perception, and your ability to answer "did that work?" with actual data.

Take the extra minute to name links properly, add tracking parameters, and organize your links. It compounds.

Ready to level up your link game? Create a free QCK account and start building your URL strategy.