In the professional world, sharing links on LinkedIn is a common practice for networking, showcasing your work, or promoting your business.
However, long and complex URLs can detract from your message’s clarity and aesthetics, making it harder for your connections to engage with your content.
Enter the LinkedIn link shortener—a tool that not only simplifies the process of sharing links but also enhances your brand’s presence on this professional networking platform.
In this guide, we’ll explore how to use a LinkedIn link shortener to share branded links effectively, improving click-through rates and making your posts stand out in a crowded feed.
Main Takeaways From This Article:
- LinkedIn automatically shortens URLs that exceed 26 characters, which can hinder brand visibility and tracking capabilities.
- Choosing a link shortener that offers solid branding capabilities, analytics, ease of use, and integration options enhances your LinkedIn posts. TinyURL stands out in this regard.
- Through TinyURL, you can create branded and customizable links easily, plus monitor their performance with built-in analytics.
- While sharing your branded links on LinkedIn, incorporating best practices not only optimizes your posts for engagement but also surmounts common challenges tied to link sharing.
- Using TinyURL for link shortening on LinkedIn boosts your online visibility, instills trust in your network, and provides helpful analytics for strategic adjustments.
Understanding LinkedIn’s URL Shortening
When you share a post on LinkedIn that includes a URL longer than 26 characters, LinkedIn automatically shortens this URL. This process is designed to streamline the appearance of posts on the platform, keeping them tidy and more readable for users scrolling through their feeds.
However, while this automatic shortening makes for a cleaner look, it comes with certain trade-offs that professionals and brands should consider.
Implications of LinkedIn’s Native Shortening
The primary implication of using LinkedIn’s automatic URL shortening is the loss of brand visibility in your links. Branded links, which include a company’s name or relevant keywords, can reinforce brand recognition and trust among your audience. When URLs are automatically shortened by LinkedIn, they’re converted into a generic “lnkd.in” link, stripping away the opportunity to showcase your brand directly within the link itself.
Another significant drawback is the lack of tracking capabilities. Branded links often come with the advantage of being able to track click-through rates, geographic locations of clickers, and other engagement metrics, providing valuable insights into how your content performs. With LinkedIn’s automatic shortening, you miss out on these analytics, making it more challenging to measure the effectiveness of your content and refine your marketing strategies based on user engagement data.
Benefits of Using a Link Shortener for Branded Links
If you’re keen to maximize your professional branding game on LinkedIn, using a link shortener to share branded links comes with a truckload of benefits.
Let’s dig into five opportunities that can significantly provide you with an edge:
- Enhances Brand Recognition: Branded links fully exploit your company’s name, adding a personal touch to your shared links and, therefore, making your brand name more memorable to your prospects.
- Compliance With Character Limit: With LinkedIn implementing a character limit, a shortener condenses long URLs to meet this threshold without eliminating any relevant information.
- Improved Trust: Customized URLs often appear more trustworthy to your audience compared to generic, shortened links, which could be spam.
- Increased Click-Through Rates (CTRs): People are more likely to click on a link they recognize – put your brand name in it, and see the magic unfold in your analytics dashboard
- Effective Tracking: Using a good link shortener allows you to track key site metrics such as the number of clicks, geographic location, and device used, thus helping you better understand your audience and tweak your strategies for optimal results.
Trusting a good LinkedIn URL shortener to share branded links can significantly increase your visibility and online presence and help you hit your marketing goals on the money.
Best Practices for Sharing Branded Links on LinkedIn
You’re on board with the idea of using a LinkedIn link shortener for your branded links, so what’s next? Well, there are a few practices that you should take into consideration when sharing these links to make the most out of their benefits.
Create Clear and Concise Content
When sharing your brand’s link on LinkedIn, the content accompanying your link acts as the welcoming committee. It’s important to craft a message that’s both straightforward and engaging. Your aim is to capture interest and encourage click-throughs to your linked content. Remember, clarity in your message enhances the likelihood of your audience understanding and acting upon your call to action.
Use a Call To Action (CTA)
A well-placed CTA within your post can significantly increase the chances of your LinkedIn audience clicking on your link. Employ action-oriented language, instill a sense of urgency, or highlight the benefits awaiting the audience. A compelling CTA serves as a guide, nudging your audience towards the desired action, making it a critical component of your post.
Use Shorter Branded Links
Opting for branded shorter links not only makes your post look more polished but also contributes to higher engagement levels. These links, which can be customized to include your brand’s name, offer a more trusted and recognizable gateway to your content. Utilizing a link shortening service like TinyURL allows you to easily create and manage these branded links, enhancing your professional image on LinkedIn.
Include Links in the Right Place
The placement of your link within the LinkedIn post matters. Ideally, you want your link to be readily visible and positioned in the main body of the post to avoid being hidden behind the “see more” prompt. This ensures that your audience sees your link immediately, increasing the chances of engagement without needing extra clicks to uncover the full message.
Track Your Links
After posting your branded links, keeping an eye on their performance is essential. Tracking allows you to understand how your audience interacts with your links, providing valuable insights into their preferences and behaviors. Tools like Google Analytics or TinyURL’s own tracking features offer robust options for monitoring clicks, enabling you to refine your strategies for even better results in future campaigns.
How To Choose the Right Link Shortener for LinkedIn
When it comes to choosing a link shortener for LinkedIn, it’s crucial to know what to look for. The ideal tool can greatly amplify your efforts to share high-quality, engaging content with your network. Focus on key features that best serve your purposes.
Key Features To Look for in a Link Shortener
These are some of the most sought-after features:
- Branding Capabilities: Each touchpoint with potential customers and clients is crucial in a competitive professional sphere, and this includes the links you share. Your chosen link shortener should allow customization that aligns with your branding.
- Analytics: It’s not just about shortening and branding your links – it’s also about understanding how these links perform. A good link shortener will offer a comprehensive analytics system that details essential data related to your links. This could include the number of clicks, click-through rates, the geographical location of clickers, and other demographics.
- Ease of Use: Your chosen link shortener should be intuitive to navigate, making it quick and effortless to generate, modify, or manage links. It should also allow you to copy the short links effortlessly for seamless sharing on different platforms like LinkedIn. The less time you spend wrestling with a tool, the more time you can spend meaningfully engaging with your network on LinkedIn.
- Integration Options: A link shortener that integrates with other tools you’re already using – such as social media management tools, customer relationship managers, email marketing tools, or analytics platforms – will streamline your workflow. This makes sharing branded links even easier and less time-consuming, freeing up more of your schedule for strategy, creation, and networking.
One great choice is TinyURL. It’s a powerful tool that allows you to create custom-branded, trackable links that are perfect for your LinkedIn sharing needs. Plus, it hits all the right notes on those key features we’ve just discussed.
How To Shorten a Link for LinkedIn with TinyURL
Now that we understand the importance and benefits of using a link shortener for LinkedIn, let’s delve into the detailed process of how to actually achieve this with TinyURL.
Here’s a step-by-step guide for you to follow:
- Navigate to TinyURL, which you can reach directly through this link: https://tinyurl.com
- Once you’re there, you’ll see a widget with a field that says, “Enter long link here.” That’s where you’ll paste the lengthy URL that you wish to shorten.
- Next, you’ll find an option that says, “Enter alias.” This field lets you pick your own custom URL slug. It can be your brand name or any other term that aligns with your content.
- After you’ve pasted your URL and chosen your alias, click on the “Shorten URL” button.
- Your tiny, branded URL is now ready! Just copy the newly created link.
- Finally, share your customized short link on LinkedIn and stand out from the crowd!
Create Branded Links for LinkedIn with TinyURL Paid Plans
Ready to take your LinkedIn to the next level? Embrace the power of TinyURL Pro. This premium feature transforms the game of link sharing with its personalized and customized options.
Leverage Branded Links
With TinyURL Pro’s custom link feature, you can create branded links that elevate your company’s visibility. No longer are you sharing generic shortened URLs — now, each link you share is a subtle reminder of your brand. This sets your content apart from the noise of the internet and fosters better brand recognition.
Unlock Valuable Insights
TinyURL Pro provides link monitoring and analytics. This powerful feature keeps tabs on the clicks each link generates, thereby providing valuable insights into your content’s performance. Track your audience engagement, see how many users your links are reaching, and fine-tune your content strategy based on real-time data.
Command Attention on LinkedIn With TinyURL
Remember, on a platform like LinkedIn, first impressions matter. TinyURL is the ideal tool to ensure those first impressions are professional, memorable, and effective. Here’s how TinyURL helps you take command of your LinkedIn presence:
- Brand-Focused Links: Incorporate your business name or relevant keywords into custom links, building brand awareness with every click.
- Clean and Concise: Replace clunky URLs with short, visually appealing links that improve the appearance of your posts, profile, and updates.
- Track Performance: Monitor click data on your TinyURLs to understand which content resonates best with your professional network, optimizing your LinkedIn strategy.
- Multi-Purpose Power: TinyURL works seamlessly for streamlining LinkedIn posts, adding polished links to your profile, and sharing trackable links in direct messages.
Ready to elevate your LinkedIn game with TinyURL? Sign up for TinyURL and experience the power of branded, trackable links that command attention on LinkedIn.
FAQs
How Do I Create a Clean URL for LinkedIn?
Creating clean LinkedIn URLs involves optimizing your link for sharing. Navigate to the TinyURL site, input your original link into the provided field, and customize it using the ‘Enter alias’ field. This results in a branded, shorter link, perfect for sharing on your LinkedIn profile. With TinyURL, maintaining brand visibility has never been easier.
Does LinkedIn Have a URL Shortener?
Yes, LinkedIn does have an inbuilt URL shortener. However, the feature only shortens URLs that are longer than 26 characters entered in shared posts. Unfortunately, these generated short URLs lack customization options, making it challenging to maintain consistent brand visibility and tracking. So, third-party link shorteners like TinyURL could be beneficial here.
How Do I Stop LinkedIn From Shortening Links?
Unfortunately, the LinkedIn short URL generator automatically shortens all URLs longer than 26 characters in shared posts, and there’s no way to stop this automatic shortening. However, to bypass this, consider using a link shortener like TinyURL to create a branded, trackable link before posting it on LinkedIn.
What Is a LinkedIn Profile Short Link?
A LinkedIn profile short link, also referred to as a vanity URL, is the custom URL for your personal LinkedIn profile. This short LinkedIn URL primarily includes your name or a personal branding keyword, thereby making your LinkedIn account more recognizable and even easier to find in Google search results.
