What is Bitly and why you should use it
Have you ever wanted to share a long and complicated web address with someone, but found it too hard to type or remember? Have you ever wondered how many people actually click on your links, where they come from, and what they do after they land on your page? Have you ever wished you could integrate your links with other tools and platforms to create seamless and engaging experiences for your audience?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you need Bitly. Bitly is a URL shortener and link management platform that helps you create, share, and track your links. Whether you want to promote your brand, drive more traffic, or optimize your campaigns, Bitly can help you achieve your goals.
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In this article, we will explain how Bitly works, how to use it, and how to get the most out of it. By the end of this article, you will be able to create short URLs that are easy to remember, customize, and analyze.
How Bitly works
Bitly is a web-based service that takes any long URL and turns it into a short one. For example, if you have a URL like this:
Bitly can shorten it to something like this:
The short URL is easier to type, copy, paste, or share on social media, email, or text messages. It also looks more professional and trustworthy than a long URL that may contain random characters or parameters.
But that's not all. Bitly also tracks every click on your short URL and provides you with detailed data on how your link performs. You can see how many people clicked on your link, when they clicked, where they came from, what device they used, and more. You can also compare different links and see which ones generate more engagement.
With this information You can also integrate Bitly with email marketing services such as Mailchimp, Constant Contact, AWeber, and more. This way, you can create short URLs for your email campaigns and track their performance from Bitly. You can also use Bitly to test different subject lines, calls to action, or landing pages and see which ones generate more clicks.
Moreover, you can integrate Bitly with content management systems such as WordPress, Shopify, Squarespace, and more. This way, you can create short URLs for your website or blog posts and track their performance from Bitly. You can also use Bitly to optimize your SEO and increase your organic traffic.
Finally, you can integrate Bitly with analytics tools such as Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, Mixpanel, and more. This way, you can sync your link data with your other analytics data and get a holistic view of your online performance. You can also use Bitly to add UTM parameters to your links and track the source, medium, and campaign of your traffic.
By integrating and optimizing your links with other tools, you can create seamless and engaging experiences for your audience and enhance your link experience across different channels.
How to use Bitly
Now that you know the benefits of using Bitly, let's see how to use it. Here are the steps you need to follow to create, share, and manage your links with Bitly:
Sign up for a free account
The first step is to sign up for a free account on Bitly. You can do this by visiting and clicking on the "Get Started for Free" button. You can also sign up with your Google or Facebook account.
Once you sign up, you will be asked to enter some basic information such as your name, email address, password, and industry. You will also be asked to verify your email address by clicking on a link sent to your inbox.
After you verify your email address, you will be able to access your Bitly dashboard where you can create and manage your links.
Create your first link
The next step is to create your first link with Bitly. You can do this by clicking on the "Create" button on the top right corner of your dashboard. You will see a pop-up window where you can paste a long URL that you want to shorten.
For example, if you want to shorten this URL:
You can paste it in the box and click on the "Create" button. Bitly will automatically generate a short URL for you like this:
You can also use the Bitly browser extension or mobile app to create short URLs from any web page or app that you visit.
Customize your link
The next step is to customize your link and make it more appealing and memorable. You can do this by clicking on the "Edit" button next to your short URL. You will see a new window where you can edit the title, slug, and domain of your link.
The title is the text that appears on the top of your link when someone hovers over it or clicks on it. It should be descriptive and relevant to the content of your link. For example, you can change the title of your link from "France Elections Macron Le Pen" to "France Elections: Macron vs Le Pen".
The slug is the part of your link that comes after the domain name. It should be short and catchy and contain keywords that relate to your link. For example, you can change the slug of your link from "3x1Xz0y" to "france-elections".
The domain is the part of your link that comes before the slash. It should be recognizable and trustworthy and match your brand identity. For example, you can change the domain of your link from "nyti.ms" to "yourbrand.com".
By customizing your link, you can create a branded and memorable link that reflects your brand identity and message.
Share your link
The next step is to share your link with your audience and drive more traffic to your page. You can do this by clicking on the "Copy" button next to your short URL. You will see a confirmation message that says "Copied!".
You can then paste You can then paste your link on any platform or channel that you want to share it on. For example, you can paste your link on an email, a text message, a social media post, a blog post, a flyer, or a business card.
You can also use the "Share" button next to your short URL to share your link directly on some of the most popular platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and more. You will see a pop-up window where you can choose the platform and customize your message.
By sharing your link, you can reach more people and drive more traffic to your page.
Manage your links
The next step is to manage your links and organize them according to your needs. You can do this by accessing your link dashboard where you can see all your links and their data.
You can use the "Search" box to find any link that you want by typing its title, slug, or domain. You can also use the "Filter" button to filter your links by date range, tags, groups, or custom domains.
You can use the "Tag" button to add tags to your links and categorize them by topic, campaign, channel, or any other criteria that you want. You can also use the "Group" button to create groups of links and bundle them together for easier access and management.
You can use the "Edit" button to edit any link that you want and change its title, slug, domain, or tags. You can also use the "Delete" button to delete any link that you want and remove it from your dashboard.
By managing your links, you can keep track of your link activity and organize them according to your needs.
Analyze your link data
The final step is to analyze your link data and gain valuable insights into your link performance and audience behavior. You can do this by clicking on any link that you want and viewing its metrics and reports.
You can see the number of clicks that your link received in the last hour, day, week, month, or year. You can also see the click-through rate (CTR) of your link, which is the percentage of people who clicked on your link out of those who saw it.
You can also see the referral sources of your link, which are the platforms or channels where people clicked on your link. You can see the percentage of clicks that came from each source such as direct, email, social media, web, or others.
You can also see the geographic location of your link clicks, which are the countries or regions where people clicked on your link. You can see the percentage of clicks that came from each location such as United States, Canada, United Kingdom, India, or others.
You can also see the device type of your link clicks, which are the devices that people used to click on your link. You can see the percentage of clicks that came from each device type such as desktop, mobile, tablet, or others.
You can also see the browser type of your link clicks You can also see the browser type of your link clicks, which are the browsers that people used to click on your link. You can see the percentage of clicks that came from each browser type such as Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge, or others.
By analyzing your link data, you can gain valuable insights into your link performance and audience behavior. You can also use this data to optimize your link strategy and improve your marketing campaigns.
How to get the most out of Bitly
So far, we have covered the basics of how to use Bitly and what benefits it offers. But Bitly also has some advanced features and options that can help you get the most out of it. Here are some tips and best practices on how to optimize your link strategy with Bitly:
Use QR codes for offline engagement
One of the features that Bitly offers is the ability to generate and customize QR codes for your links. QR codes are scannable images that can direct people to your web page or app when they scan them with their smartphone camera.
You can use QR codes to create offline engagement with your audience and drive more traffic to your online content. For example, you can print QR codes on flyers, posters, business cards, product labels, or packaging and encourage people to scan them and visit your page.
You can also customize your QR codes with Bitly and make them more attractive and branded. You can change the color, shape, logo, or background of your QR code and match it with your brand identity and message.
By using QR codes, you can create a bridge between your offline and online channels and reach more people with your links.
Use link-in-bio for social media profiles
Another feature that Bitly offers is the ability to create and curate link-in-bio pages for your social media profiles. Link-in-bio pages are mini landing pages that contain multiple links for your audience to explore.
You can use link-in-bio pages to overcome the limitation of having only one link in your social media bio. For example, you can create a link-in-bio page with Bitly and add links to your website, blog, products, services, offers, or any other content that you want to share with your followers.
You can also customize your link-in-bio page with Bitly and make it more appealing and branded. You can change the title, description, image, color, or layout of your page and match it with your brand identity and message.
By using link-in-bio pages, you can create a hub for all your links and drive more traffic to your online content.
Upgrade to a premium plan for more features
The last tip that we have for you is to upgrade to a premium plan if you want to access more features and options with Bitly. Bitly offers three premium plans: Basic, Premium, and Enterprise.
The Basic plan is free and allows you to create up to 1,000 links per month, track up to 1,000 clicks per link, use up to 50 custom domains, and integrate with up to 20 apps.
The Premium plan costs $29 per month and allows you to create up to 1,500 links per month, track up to 1,500 clicks per link, use up to 150 custom domains, integrate with up to 50 apps, and access advanced features such as branded links, QR codes, link-in-bio pages, UTM builder, custom reports, and more.
The Enterprise plan is customized for large businesses and organizations and allows you to create unlimited links per month The Enterprise plan is customized for large businesses and organizations and allows you to create unlimited links per month, track unlimited clicks per link, use unlimited custom domains, integrate with unlimited apps, and access advanced features such as branded links, QR codes, link-in-bio pages, UTM builder, custom reports, and more. You can also get dedicated support, account management, and API integrations with the Enterprise plan.
By upgrading to a premium plan, you can unlock more features and options with Bitly and take your link strategy to the next level.
Conclusion
Bitly is a URL shortener and link management platform that helps you create, share, and track your links. Whether you want to promote your brand, drive more traffic, or optimize your campaigns, Bitly can help you achieve your goals.
With Bitly, you can shorten and customize your links, track and analyze your link data, integrate and optimize your links with other tools, and access advanced features such as QR codes, link-in-bio pages, and branded links.
To use Bitly, you just need to sign up for a free account and follow the steps we have outlined in this article. You can also upgrade to a premium plan if you want to access more features and options.
If you are looking for a simple and powerful way to create and manage your links, Bitly is the solution for you. Try it today and see the difference for yourself.
FAQs
Here are some of the frequently asked questions about Bitly:
Is Bitly safe?
Yes, Bitly is safe to use. Bitly does not store or share any personal information about you or your links. Bitly also scans all the links that are created with its service and blocks any malicious or spammy ones. You can also report any suspicious or inappropriate links to Bitly and they will take action accordingly.
How long do Bitly links last?
Bitly links last forever unless they are deleted by the user or by Bitly. Bitly may delete links that violate its terms of service or that are reported as abusive or illegal. You can also delete your own links from your dashboard if you want to.
Can I change or edit my Bitly links?
Yes, you can change or edit your Bitly links at any time. You can edit the title, slug, domain, or tags of your link from your dashboard. You can also change the destination URL of your link by using the "Edit" button next to your short URL. However, keep in mind that changing the destination URL may affect your link data and performance.
Can I track my Bitly links?
Yes, you can track your Bitly links and see how they perform. You can view various metrics such as clicks, click-through rate, referral sources, geographic location, device type, browser type, and more from your dashboard. You can also access detailed reports on your link data and compare different links or time periods.
Can I use Bitly for free?
Yes, you can use Bitly for free with the Basic plan. The Basic plan allows you to create up to 1,000 links per month Yes, you can use Bitly for free with the Basic plan. The Basic plan allows you to create up to 1,000 links per month, track up to 1,000 clicks per link, use up to 50 custom domains, and integrate with up to 20 apps. However, if you want to access more features and options, you can upgrade to a premium plan.
I hope this article has helped you understand what Bitly is and how to use it. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below. Thank you for reading and happy linking! 44f88ac181