This post may contain affiliate links for more info visit my disclosure page.
On WordPress, you only need this handy little plugin to shorten a link and best yet, you can brand it with your own domain name!
Having a nice URL to display can be attractive as well as a link bait if you can word it right for those long nasty affiliate links. 🙂
I’m also going to show you how you can make money with a shorten link, not just on WordPress but also on your social media accounts to maximize your profits!
Are you ready to go through this with me?
- Uses For A Link Shortener
- Best Affiliate Link Plugin For WordPress
- How To Make Money With Your Shortened Links
- My Final Thoughts
USES FOR A LINK SHORTENER
I use a link shortener for several reasons and they are:
- Shorten My Own Blog URLs – Yes sometimes when I have a long title for my blog post, I’d like to shorten it to send to people so it doesn’t look like a mouth full. As well, it’s more pleasing to the eye when your links are short and concise which makes them easy to read.
- Hiding Affiliate Links – Most affiliate links are long and have nasty little characters in them all over the URL link so you may want to shorten it and to hide the messiness of that URL. Just be careful that you don’t do this with Amazon affiliate links because it’s not allowed.
- Promotion – Not just hiding your affiliate links but you may change the way an URL reads for a special promotion or campaign you want to do. Let’s say my money page I want people to go to can be targeted to several types of people so one shortened link can be for workanywherenow.com/SAHMsMakeMoney and other shortened link can be for workanywherenow.com/BuildARetirementFund – both going to the same page but directed to different audiences.
BEST AFFILIATE LINK PLUGIN FOR WORDPRESS
I want to mention that there are other link shorteners like bit.ly or goo.gl which will make your links even shorter than the plugin that I’m about to tell you about but I find using those will not convey anything to your target audience.
These days, even on Twitter you can use full links and it won’t count all the characters of your URL so you don’t need those types of link shorteners.
Being able to brand your links with your domain is awesome!
This is why I use: PRETTY LINKS!
FEATURES
Let’s look at some of the features of this great plugin:
- 8 Types of redirects including temporary, permanent, cloaked, Pretty Bar, Javascript, and tracking pixel.
- Many management tools like automatic link titling, nofollow links, conversion reports, delayed redirects. and Google Analytics integration.
- Automation features include but limited to:
- Auto Create Links for Pages, Posts and Custom Post Types
- Index Keyword & URL Replacements
- Replace URLs in Pages, Posts, Custom Post Types and Comments
- Rotated URL Redirects with optional Split Testing
- Technology and Time Based Redirects
- They also have some social media features like public link creation and social sharing buttons.
To see a full list of their features, check this page out. You will see there are two versions, the Lite and Pro, and with the Pro, you’ll get so much more features and tools of course. 🙂
WHY I LIKE IT SO MUCH
I just love being able to customize my links with my domain and can create URLs that are so unique and to the point for my audience to see.
It’s also a great way to track your traffic as well which I use it a lot for. You can set up different links for all your social media accounts let’s say and track where your most clicks are from.
Or if you’re commenting on forums, you can track which forums or blog you’re leaving links at with a customized URL.
Finally, I love it to track selling affiliate products which I’ll go into more in the next section.
HOW TO MAKE MONEY WITH YOUR SHORTENED LINKS
Affiliate Links
Oh boy, I like using it for all over the place! Online that is, but first, you’ll need to ensure you’re using affiliate links!
Affiliate links are tracking links that will track a customer from your site to the source site where they will take action that will earn you a commission.
You must join affiliate programs in order to find products to promote and get affiliate links for. Check out this post here to find how to search for affiliate products.
Create Pretty Links
Once you have affiliate links, you will shorten them with Pretty Links Pro and use attention grabbing words for your shortened links.
If you’re promoting a diet program, your shortened link can be “yourdomain.com/10LBSLessInAWeek” or something similar that will grab someone’s attention.
Where To Promote Your Pretty Links
- Blog – You can use the pretty links ton your blog where you talk about the program/product you’re promoting and tell people to try it using your link. Your blog should be focused in a certain topic / niche, so people will see you’re the “authority” in the field when they visit. You can learn how to build a niche website in no time with my #1 recommendation here!
- Social Media – You can also find people who are talking about weight issues on Twitter, Facebook, or Google+ and reply to those people with your pretty link and say something like, this program has help me solve this problem very quickly, then add the pretty link! When you engage with people who are having problems on the internet and you’re able to help them solve their problem, then they will be more likely to click on your link to check it out.
- Forums – this is similar to #2 but in forums and in a more indirect way. Forums are awesome because they are often places people talk about a problem they need solving. Just be careful you don’t just spamming forums with your links or you’ll be banned. You will just be an active member and in your signature is where your pretty link will go, so it’s just discreetly.
- Blog Commenting – I’m not sure if this will really work because most blog owners won’t let you put links in your comments, especially affiliate links. However, if you find the right one and if you’re responding to someone with some issue and you are providing value, maybe the blog owner will allow it.
- YouTube Channel – I usually provide a product review of what I want to link on there and then put the affiliate link below the video in the description. Because your pretty link will be branded with your domain, you can even add the link to your video as a Card! You’ll be able to tell your YouTube visitors to literally “Click to Buy Now” link in the video.
MY FINAL THOUGHTS
If you want to make money online long term, your best bet is to build a blog and monetize it with affiliate marketing.
Many bloggers can make a full time income from doing just that but it’s not a quick way to make money as it will take time to build.
However, if it takes a year or two to build something that can generate a full time income, wouldn’t that be worth it??
I say so, and that’s what I’m doing myself and I love being able to work anywhere I want!
You don’t have to worry about not know how to do it because I have the solution for you here: Wealthy Affiliate!
Literally the best affiliate marketing training online AND they have all the tools you’ll need right on their platform like a site builder, a keyword search tool, live chat, and a huge community to help you whenever you get stuck!
I’ve been a Premium member there since last Sep 2016, and I can’t say enough about them because I have learn so much since I’ve joined. I will also help you personally every step of the way!
The best part is you can start for FREE! Yes, they have a Starter membership that is free to join and includes TWO free websites!
You must see all the details here in my full review:
If you have any questions about how to shorten a link or Wealthy Affiliate, please do not hesitate to leave me a comment below! I always respond to my readers. 🙂
Let’s make money online!
This is great info here, appreciate the highlights of Pretty Link, I didn’t think of it this way. I will try it this way and see how I can brand myself better.
Jayden
It’s great to hear that you have learned more about Pretty Links and how to use them. I really love the way I can brand my links, it’s the main reason why I use it. 🙂
Please let me know if you run into any problems using it,
Grace
Great info here on Pretty Link. I appreciate the reasons you say to use Pretty Link vs other shorteners, I will have to try this myself.
Grant
So happy to hear this, and glad you found this post useful, you’ll like using Pretty Link!
Grace
Your thorough review on Pretty Link has given me a second look on this feature. I will check it out and will try using it now. thanks.
I’m so glad this has helped you, please let me know if you need anything else or have any questions after you have used it a bit. 🙂
Thanks for visiting!
Grace
Thanks for the info here, I didn’t know about Pretty Links and glad I got to read your post about it. Very interesting indeed.
-Dorothea
Hi Dorothea, thanks for stopping by and happy to hear this post has helped you learn about Pretty Links! It’s a great link cloaking to brand your links or use it as a shortener with your domain. I use it often and love it!
So glad to have helped,
Grace
Great work here with this post, I learned something new about Pretty Link that I didn’t know before which was really how to use it effectively. I really liked what you wrote here, thanks.
Aline
Hi Aline,
Thanks for your kind comment and glad you liked my post. Always grateful to have been able to help my reader learn something new. I hope you will like Pretty Links and give it a try!
Let me know if you have any questions with it,
Grace
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I shared this on my facebook and my followers loved it keep up the good
work
Thanks Corey, you’re too kind, appreciate your loyal following!!
Grace
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Thanks so much! 🙂
Very interesting solution, appreciate it for putting up. It helped me find a solution that I’ve been having for a long time! Thank you!
You’re very welcome!
Glad to be of help! 🙂
Love this post, thanks for the info!
You’re so welcome. 🙂
I have learns how to make shorten link from your blog and I am earning from my word press website thanks for sharing
Thank You
That’s great to hear Colin! Glad to be of help. 🙂
Your style is unique compared to other people I’ve read stuff from.
Thanks for posting this, I learned a lot, Guess I’ll just bookmark this web site.
Thank you! Thanks for visiting. 🙂
This is so helpful thanks so much. 🙂
You’re very welcome. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
Really like the way you show how to use the link shortener. Very informative indeed.
Many thanks for sharing!
You’re so welcome, glad you found it useful, thanks for visiting!
Grace
Excellent article, it really helped me understand how to use Pretty Links. I absolutely love this site.
Keep writing!
Thank you Vera, glad to hear to have helped you! Hope you will visit again soon.
Best,
Grace
Wonderful, what a website it is! Loved this post about Pretty Link, learned a lot and will use it from now on. Will check out Pro version too.
Thank you,
Geoff
What a great comment to read, thanks so much and glad I can be of some help to you! Enjoy using Pretty Link, I know you will love it.
Thanks for visiting,
Grace
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Thanks Matt!
This was so helpful, thank you!
You’re so welcome George!
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That’s great to hear! 🙂
Thanks for visiting,
Grace
Ottime Informazioni Grazie!
You’re welcome.
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Yes, you can find the community I use in my free guide here, check it out!
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You’re so welcome Robert, thanks for visiting my blog!
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Thanks very much, glad you liked it. 🙂
That’s very interesting using Pretty Links, thanks for sharing this, I sure didn’t know about it and I like the fact that I can brand my own links.
Very cool,
Billy
Thank you Billy for visiting my blog first of all! I also appreciate your kind comment. Yes, I use Pretty Links everyday on here to help me brand all my links and I love it. I think it’s easier for people to remember too if you have branded links. 🙂
Enjoy!
Grace