How to Use URL Shorteners in Email Marketing to Boost Engagement and Track Clicks with OpenMyLink

Framed interface of a URL shortener showcasing options for custom links and analytics, set in bright colors. The design is symmetrical and modern, highlighting the digital elements in a clean layout.

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How to use URL shorteners in email marketing

If you’re running any kind of email marketing campaign, you’re probably tracking opens, clicks, and conversions. But how often do you look closely at your links? A well-placed, properly shortened URL can make a significant difference in your click-through rate (CTR). Learning how to use a URL shortener the right way opens new doors to flawless tracking, smarter testing, and better-performing emails.

A shortened URL isn’t just a convenience—it’s a measurable tool. Platforms like OpenMyLink let you shorten URLs, add branded links, control redirection, and track every click with granularity. This matters more than you think when working to optimize the small windows where attention lives inside an email inbox.

Let’s say you’re sending a weekly newsletter promoting a new product line. You add two links: one to the product page and another to read customer reviews. You include the full URL or maybe hyperlink a CTA like “Check it out.” But here’s what you’re missing without a URL shortener like OpenMyLink:

  • You can’t differentiate which link is performing best unless you deploy complex tracking manually.
  • If users share your email content outside the inbox, referral tracking gets murky.
  • You lose the branding opportunity that a custom short domain provides.

By integrating OpenMyLink, you can track granular performance data per link while keeping your CTAs clean and branded. For example:

Original URL:
https://yourstore.com/product-category/summer2024-collection/new-arrivals
Branded Short Link:
https://go.yourbrand.com/summer24

This not only maintains aesthetics and trust but also hooks directly into marketing analytics dashboards.

Everything inside an email campaign fights for that one click. Studies show that users are more likely to click links that look clean, especially when they resemble branded entities. According to Campaign Monitor, emails with personalized CTAs and structured, attractive links convert 202% better than generic ones.

Using a URL shortener with branded links can:

  • Build trust with your audience
  • Align with your brand’s voice and style
  • Appear streamlined on both desktop and mobile
  • Increase visibility in plain-text emails

Furthermore, shortening and tracking your links isolates which parts of your email layout are driving the most action. Is it the header CTA? The image-based button? The text underneath the review snippet? Remove guesswork by attaching unique shortened URLs to each element.

This is where things move from aesthetic to strategic. Link tracking should go beyond aggregate “clicks.” You want to know:

  • Who is clicking?
  • From what device?
  • In which location?
  • What link outperformed others?

OpenMyLink provides this breakdown, letting you filter by country, city, even device-specific performance. If you’re targeting users in different geographical regions or marketing multiple products across segments, this insight is critical.

Here’s a quick setup to make link tracking actionable:

  1. Assign a unique shortened URL to each CTA or featured product.
  2. Segment your email list based on buyer behavior or persona.
  3. Analyze the click performance of each link and adjust the structure of future emails.

Take it even further by embedding QR codes generated via OpenMyLink in transactional emails for mobile interactivity. This avoids redundancy and captures clicks outside traditional email interfaces.

Too many marketers A/B test headlines, send times, and CTA shapes while ignoring links. That’s a mistake. Testing shortened URLs lets you:

  • Route users to different landing pages to test conversion
  • Swap URLs dynamically without changing the email
  • Measure impact of personalized vs. generic CTAs

Say version A of your link directs to a video landing page, and version B goes straight to a product catalog. Using OpenMyLink, you assign each version a unique shortened URL, then track which one brings in higher engagement or conversions. Adjust your strategy in real time based on this data.

Another tactic: rotate product links based on geolocation or device. If one user clicks from an iPhone, push them to the iOS product page. From a laptop in Germany? Redirect them with localized pricing. This is all possible with OpenMyLink’s smart redirection tools.

FAQs

What is a URL shortener in email marketing?

A URL shortener compresses long URLs into compact, trackable links you can embed in emails. These can also be customized as branded links to reflect your company domain.

Why should I track links in email campaigns?

Tracking links gives you insight into how users engage with your content. You see what’s working, what isn’t, and how to improve your messaging and placement for better results.

How do I improve email performance with OpenMyLink?

Use OpenMyLink to shorten all URLs, deploy branded short links, segment traffic by region or device, perform A/B tests, and gather real-time marketing analytics.

Can URL shorteners increase email click-through?

Yes. Clean, branded, and purposeful links look more credible, which helps to increase email click-through. Paired with strong CTAs, they prompt more users to take action.

How do I shorten URLs for emails?

Sign up on a platform like OpenMyLink, paste your long URL, and customize your short link. Copy and paste the shortened link into your email wherever needed.

Start tracking smarter and converting better. Create your free OpenMyLink account and upgrade your email marketing strategy today.

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