September 4, 2019
You want to compete? It’s time for your business to get vain. More specifically, you need to consider how you brand your domains and URLs. The more data you try to feed to people in a link, the less likely they are to click. That’s where vanity URLs come in. They can increase your advertising results by 35% plus.
A shortened link is a means of navigating a user to a desired webpage. It uses a small link to redirect to a webpage with a long URL. It helps reduce the size of an HTML file and in character-limited applications, like Twitter.
It’s also known as a “vanity URL” when branded. This is a way to entice an audience to click because the message is clear. Rather than a long string of characters, numbers, and symbols, a vanity link conveys a very focused concept.
So, if they are so useful, why do they need a comeback?
When link shortening first came on the scene, it was beloved by spammers and hackers. That’s because it masks the true identity of the domain you want the user to visit. In marketing, this is typically done for clarity and convenience. However, with egregious online behaviors, shortening a link is used to commit fraud and other offenses.
The user clicks a short, seemingly innocuous link, only to be redirected to a fraudulent page. These sites could contain a number of bad things, from malware to phishing for identity theft.
You may be wondering, “Why now? What has changed?” The algorithms of search engines and the filters of mailbox providers have never like short links but even these mechanisms have evolved.
It is much easier now to include a short link in an email or campaign without a system flagging it for spam. The technology has simply gotten smarter and adapted. The bottom line is that technology goes where the people demand, and the audience simply prefers short links.
There’s good reason for a comeback. A business can benefit in a multitude of ways when they take advantage of short links. Here are a few:
A key benefit to Vanity URLs is that they are memorable. Many brands don’t carefully consider their domain name when signing up. This may make it hard to spell or difficult to recall. A branded short link allows a business to rebrand.
The closer a vanity URL is to your brand or messaging, the easier it is for a consumer to trust it. People still feel burned from spammers using this avenue, so expect a little pushback.
That’s why it’s important to be extra creative when creating a vanity link. Bolstering consumer confidence means people click more.
A vanity URL can be tied to key analytics that measure success. It’s a great tool to utilize in funnel marketing strategies to guide your advertising efforts. A short link gives insight on important metrics like:
It just depends on what you choose to analyze. Studying these stats will help a business develop a strong customer engagement optimization plan.
A vanity URL always stands out. People have trained their brains to ignore links with a long string of characters. So much so, that when they view a vanity link on a web page or print campaign, it quickly grabs attention. Studies have demonstrated huge improvements in click-through rates when using this method, especially with a new customer viewing content for the first time.
Vanity links have made a comeback and are here to stay. Don’t be afraid of using this modern marketing strategy. It is the brands afraid to ride the tech wave that generally get left in the tide pools.
Share this article
