October 27, 2019
Digital marketing is blowing up and it can no longer be ignored. From 2016 to 2017 alone, there was a 50% increase in the average budget for digital marketing. This demonstrates the importance of channels like social media, analytics, content, SEO, video, and branding (i.e. vanity links).
When it comes to advertising online, the shorter the URL the better. That’s where vanity links come in. They are a means of not only making your links more shareable, but memorable too.
A vanity link is a unique web address that is branded for marketing purposes. They are a custom URL that exists to help users find a specific page or web address. Consequently, your vanity URLs should always be easy to remember (not too many words or confusing phrases).
Vanity URLs should not be confused with a vanity domain. Although both are forms of branded short links, vanity domains are typically named after the owner. Thus, they are not effective for digital marketing campaigns.
There are many advantages to using a vanity link in your digital marketing campaigns. Here are a few to get the ball rolling:
Have you ever tried to recommend a website to someone only to forget the entire URL? That’s one function of a vanity URL. They are easy to remember. If your links are too confusing, users are likely to give up, or worse, head over to your competition.
Thus, having memorable short links is one way to keep your brand fresh in their minds.
When something is pleasing to the eye online, people tend to trust it more. That’s why vanity links are a powerful vehicle for digital marketing. You can create a beautifully honest vanity link with a complete call to action that people will follow.
They are much more likely to click on a vanity link that promotes something over a URL with a bunch of numbers and letters. The more people can see what it’s about, the more likely they will follow your redirect.
One of the largest drivers of commerce online is when people share a brand or ad. Everyone trusts their friends over a business, so when people advocate for your company, it’s hot stuff. Vanity links empower sharing.
What’s even better is if you make it quirky or funny. Then the URL itself becomes an ad. Plus, when you simplify a vanity URL, people will also share it verbally. Especially if it’s catchy.
Although vanity links are ideal for print media and mailers, they also go a long way in the digital arena. There are many different ways to employ vanity links in your marketing strategy.
Vanity links work great at the bottom of an email going out to a large list. It simplifies the message, keeps things concise, and makes you appear more organized. When you shorten your links, you are also able to include more in the body of an email. They take up much less space.
When it comes to running social media campaigns, the longer the message, the less clicks you’ll receive. Some platforms, like Twitter, won’t even allow you to post links that are too long. You have no choice but to shorten them.
Vanity URLs work great in these campaigns because people are more likely to share them with friends and family. They also make your ad or post seem more organized and less confusing.
It’s always best to keep a press release to one page. After the company bio and contact information, that doesn’t give you much space to convey an important message. Especially if it’s something like a product launch or new campaign. Vanity links will help you save space in a PR while also stating a lot.
People have short attention spans. If you are hosting a webinar or running an online presentation, it’s best to use short links or none at all. A long drawn out link will confuse and distract people. This is while you’re trying to speak to a live audience. In this case, a vanity link works to not only push your branding but deliver important CTAs in a short timeframe.
Have you created a vanity link? Let us know which ones you’ve had success with. Chatting short links is our passion!
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