{"id":1056,"date":"2022-07-21T16:10:10","date_gmt":"2022-07-21T16:10:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/test.thesmsworks.co.uk\/blog\/?p=1056"},"modified":"2022-10-31T16:23:32","modified_gmt":"2022-10-31T16:23:32","slug":"url-shortener-sms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thesmsworks.co.uk\/blog\/url-shortener-sms\/","title":{"rendered":"Complete guide to using short links in text messages"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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A complete guide to using short links in text messages<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

With SMS, every character counts. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A text message contains just 160 characters, so it\u2019s vital to make the most of every single one. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Standard links are cumbersome and use up your precious character allowance.
Long links in your text messages can also look suspicious. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benefits of using short links in your SMS messages<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Increase click through rate<\/strong>
Long URLs in texts look messy, unprofessional and can even come across as spammy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decrease your costs<\/strong>
Long web addresses in texts might increase overall message length, meaning that the message is sent as a multi-part message. Instead of using 1 text credit to send the message, you could be using 2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Track your click through rates<\/strong>
Using tracking tools like Google Analytics, you can track the click through rate and record the customer’s journey on your mobile optimised website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Short links improve trust<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A typical URL can get unwieldy, particularly if it includes an extension, like the example below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/thesmsworks.co.uk\/sms-sender-id<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

This URL uses 39 characters <\/strong>or nearly 25% of the 160 character maximum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And this is how that URL would look in an actual text.
It\u2019s messy and cumbersome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

By using a URL shortener, you can increase the number of characters available to get your message across as well as making your texts look less scruffy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s the same text again, this time using bitly<\/a><\/strong>, one of the most popular URL shorteners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ve freed up 18 precious characters and improved the appearance of the text when it lands on your customers\u2019 phones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How do you use a URL shortener in a text?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

How do I shorten a link in a text message?
It\u2019s a simple process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Firstly choose one of the many providers available. (We\u2019ll talk about choosing a URL provider later.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then simply copy and paste your long URL and press the \u2018shorten URL\u2019 button, (or whatever term the provider uses.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Almost all providers allow you to shorten the URL from their homepage, for ease of use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s how the Bitly URL shortener looks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How do you choose a URL shortener for your text messages<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Frankly, you\u2019re spoilt for choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are literally dozens to choose from and they all basically do the same thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For a complete review, have a look at\u00a0this article by G2<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0. It runs through a quick review of about 30 of them.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I suggest you don\u2019t agonise too much about which one you use.
 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Should I use branded short links in my text message campaigns?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Most URL shorteners allow you to brand the links that you include in your text messages. So instead of your SMS having a bitly prefix like this example..<\/p>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/bit.ly\/3A4zEmx<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

…you\u2019d have a branded version like this example below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/COMPANY\/3A4zEmx<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The idea is that you will improve the click through rate by gaining more trust from the user that the destination is genuine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The downside is that by including your company name, you may actually increase the size of the shortened link in your text. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your company name is reasonably long like ours, (The SMS Works), then you might want to use an abbreviated version in the branded link for your SMS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But by shortening your company name, the abbreviated version might not be recognisable and you lose the benefit of having the branding in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See these examples\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/bit.ly\/3A4zEmx – unbranded short link<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/TheSMS Works\/3A4zEmx<\/strong> – branded short link with company name. Too long.<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/TSMSW3A4zEmx <\/strong>– branded short link reduced to company initials. Short but not recognisable as our company.<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

For us, I think the benefits of a branded shortlink in our SMS campaigns are pretty marginal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most providers charge for this service so if you\u2019re a regular sender of large SMS campaigns, it makes sense to explore this option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you only send occasional texts that include a short URL, you can probably stick with the free option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cost comparison for branded short links for SMS<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Most URL shortener companies charge for branded links but Cuttly appear to offer this as part of their free plan. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

URL Shortener<\/strong><\/td>Web site<\/strong><\/td>Free short links \/ month<\/strong><\/td>Cost of branded short links<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Bitly<\/td>https:\/\/bitly.com\/<\/a><\/td>1000<\/td>$29 \/ month (1500)<\/td><\/tr>
Rebrandly<\/td>https:\/\/www.rebrandly.com\/<\/a><\/td>Unlimited<\/td>500 free. $29 \/ month for 5000<\/td><\/tr>
Tiny URL<\/td>https:\/\/tinyurl.com\/app<\/a><\/td>Unlimited<\/td>$9.99 \/ month 500 active URLs<\/td><\/tr>
Cuttly<\/td>https:\/\/cutt.ly\/<\/a><\/td>Unlimted<\/td>Free unlimited<\/td><\/tr>
Sniply<\/td>https:\/\/sniply.io\/<\/a><\/td>0<\/td>$149 \/ month 5000 clicks<\/td><\/tr>
Buffer<\/td>https:\/\/buffer.com\/<\/a><\/td>Unlimted<\/td>$5 \/ month<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How to improve the appearance of short URLS in text messages<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Although short links look better than standard links in text messages, they\u2019re still pretty ugly.
If you\u2019re using unberaded short link, there\u2019s not much you can do.,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example this URL\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/bit.ly\/3A4zEmx<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

..is just a jumble of letters and numbers and there’s nothing you can do to change it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re using branded URLs there is some scope to improve the appearance of the URL by capitalising some of the letters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 https:\/\/rb.gy\/aboutus<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Or with capitals<\/p>\n\n\n\n

https:\/\/rb.gy\/AboutUs<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s an improvement, no doubt. This is about doing all you can to make your links user friendly and attractive as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are there any mobile network restrictions in adding a short URL to my text messages?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Not in the UK.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are no restrictions on including standard or shortened links in texts to any of the UK\u2019s mobile networks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although they are becoming smarter about identifying and blocking texts that contain suspicious links to phishing or scam websites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many other countries and networks do impose restrictions on including links in texts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s an ever changing position, so the best advice is to test that your links are being delivered before sending your text campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tracking clicks on your shortened URLS<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Most URL shorteners offer some form of analytics, allowing you to track clicks to your landing pages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These are very helpful standalone tracking tools to help you understand how many clicks your SMS campaign received and the customer journey on your mobile optimised website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are already a user of Google Analytics, it is probably easier to track clicks using that as it will keep all your website analytics data in one place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can you use anchor text with your links in text messages?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When we link to sites on the web, we normally use anchor text rather than linking directly to the site by using their web address, like this link to our homepage<\/a><\/strong> for example. (With \u2018link to our homepage\u2019 being the anchor text.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This isn’t possible with SMS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SMS is just a plain text messaging tool with no ability to do anything other than display text.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s incredible that we\u2019re still using it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, SMS is the only messaging tool that every mobile phone ever made can use, without having to download and install a new app. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Standard links in texts use up way too many characters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

URL shorteners allow you to win some back by shortening your links.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Branded links look better than unbranded but only if the branding is retained and is meaningful to the person receiving the text.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re a heavy user of shortened links, then the URL shortener\u2019s tracking tools can be useful, otherwise Google Analytics is fine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Related articles<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to use emojis in SMS<\/a> <\/strong>Is it a good idea to stick emojis in your business texts or does it seem a bit tacky? Id there any additional costs to using them?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An SMS marketing guide<\/a> <\/strong>Whether you’re new to SMS marketing or a seasoned campaigner, this multipart guide will help you get the most out of your SMS campaigns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SMS OTP<\/a> <\/strong>SMS one time passwords have become very common as way to increase security for logging in to services and making financial transactions. There’s more detail in this article.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A complete guide to using short links in text messages With SMS, every character counts.  A text message contains just […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":534,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"disabled","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1056","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t