DrutoLink resources

Practical guides to short links, tracking, and routing

Learn how redirects, campaign parameters, routing rules, and link analytics work in real campaigns.

URL shortening

How to shorten a URL: a step-by-step guide to clean, trackable links

Learn how to shorten a long URL, choose a useful custom slug, preserve UTM tracking, test the redirect, and add analytics or routing without creating a fragile link.

Published: · 12 min readRead article

Latest articles

Short answers and operating guidance for people publishing links across email, social, print, and product surfaces.

02
Link management

What is a URL shortener and how does it work?

A URL shortener maps a compact key to a destination and returns an HTTP redirect. Learn how 301 and 302 redirects, routing rules, analytics, privacy, and failure handling work.

· 13 min read
 03
Platform comparisons

DrutoLink vs Bitly: an honest URL shortener comparison

Compare DrutoLink and Bitly across shortening, analytics, routing, experiments, privacy, QR codes, integrations, pricing questions, and migration, including where DrutoLink is not ready yet.

· 14 min read
 04
UTM tracking

How to track short links with UTM parameters

Build consistent campaign URLs, preserve attribution through redirects, and diagnose source, medium, and campaign reports.

· 3 min read
 05
Geo targeting

Geo-targeted links by country: when and how to route visitors

Plan country destinations, rule priority, fallbacks, testing, and measurement for international short-link campaigns.

· 3 min read
 06
Device targeting

Device targeting for app download links

Route iOS, Android, mobile, tablet, and desktop visitors with clear fallbacks and realistic device-detection expectations.

· 3 min read
 07
A/B testing

A/B test landing pages with weighted short links

Plan traffic weights, stable allocation, QA, and conversion analysis without confusing redirect clicks with outcomes.

· 3 min read
 08
Link controls

Password-protected and expiring links: practical access control

Configure passwords, activation, expiry, and human-click limits while understanding what redirect controls protect.

· 3 min read
 09
Link analytics

Link analytics and bot filtering: read clicks more accurately

Separate human, bot, blocked, and speculative traffic; interpret unique visitors; and reconcile redirect data.

· 3 min read
 010
Redirect behavior

301 vs 302 redirects for short links: which status should you use?

Understand caching, destination changes, analytics, testing, and migration risks before choosing a permanent or temporary short-link redirect.

· 3 min read
 011
Analytics definitions

Unique clicks vs total clicks: how to read short-link reports

Learn what each click metric answers, why estimated visitors differ from people, and how bots, retries, privacy, and date ranges affect totals.

· 3 min read
 012
QR campaigns

QR code campaign tracking without confusing scans and clicks

Build a measurable QR workflow with UTM parameters, managed destinations, print testing, and honest limits around camera scans and link clicks.

· 3 min read
 013
Custom domains

Custom short domain readiness: DNS, ownership, TLS, and launch checklist

Prepare a branded short domain responsibly before DNS changes, then connect and verify it in DrutoLink with one DNS record.

· 3 min read
 014
Traffic sources

Referrer vs direct traffic in short-link analytics

Explain missing referrers, app and privacy boundaries, redirect chains, and how UTM parameters provide more dependable campaign context.

· 3 min read
 015
Campaign planning

Smart-link campaign planning template: from objective to QA

Use a practical campaign brief to define audiences, destinations, routing, UTM governance, ownership, measurement, and fallback behavior before launch.

· 3 min read
 016
Analytics privacy

Privacy-conscious redirect analytics: methodology and limits

Understand what a redirect service can measure, how privacy-preserving unique estimates work, and which conclusions the data cannot support.

· 3 min read
 017
Link operations

Short-link migration checklist: preserve destinations and campaign continuity

Inventory, map, test, launch, and monitor a short-link migration without losing critical destinations, parameters, ownership, or rollback options.

· 3 min read
 018
Routing strategy

Smart-link routing decision tree: choose geo, device, A/B, or a fallback

Choose the smallest routing setup that matches the campaign need, understand rule precedence, and avoid overlapping conditions that hide experiments.

· 3 min read

Browse by question

Choose the problem you need to solve.

URL shorteningLearn how to shorten a long URL, choose a useful custom slug, preserve UTM tracking, test the redirect, and add analytics or routing without creating a fragile link. Link managementA URL shortener maps a compact key to a destination and returns an HTTP redirect. Learn how 301 and 302 redirects, routing rules, analytics, privacy, and failure handling work. Platform comparisonsCompare DrutoLink and Bitly across shortening, analytics, routing, experiments, privacy, QR codes, integrations, pricing questions, and migration, including where DrutoLink is not ready yet. UTM trackingBuild consistent campaign URLs, preserve attribution through redirects, and diagnose source, medium, and campaign reports. Geo targetingPlan country destinations, rule priority, fallbacks, testing, and measurement for international short-link campaigns. Device targetingRoute iOS, Android, mobile, tablet, and desktop visitors with clear fallbacks and realistic device-detection expectations. A/B testingPlan traffic weights, stable allocation, QA, and conversion analysis without confusing redirect clicks with outcomes. Link controlsConfigure passwords, activation, expiry, and human-click limits while understanding what redirect controls protect. Link analyticsSeparate human, bot, blocked, and speculative traffic; interpret unique visitors; and reconcile redirect data. Redirect behaviorUnderstand caching, destination changes, analytics, testing, and migration risks before choosing a permanent or temporary short-link redirect. Analytics definitionsLearn what each click metric answers, why estimated visitors differ from people, and how bots, retries, privacy, and date ranges affect totals. QR campaignsBuild a measurable QR workflow with UTM parameters, managed destinations, print testing, and honest limits around camera scans and link clicks. Custom domainsPrepare a branded short domain responsibly before DNS changes, then connect and verify it in DrutoLink with one DNS record. Traffic sourcesExplain missing referrers, app and privacy boundaries, redirect chains, and how UTM parameters provide more dependable campaign context. Campaign planningUse a practical campaign brief to define audiences, destinations, routing, UTM governance, ownership, measurement, and fallback behavior before launch. Analytics privacyUnderstand what a redirect service can measure, how privacy-preserving unique estimates work, and which conclusions the data cannot support. Link operationsInventory, map, test, launch, and monitor a short-link migration without losing critical destinations, parameters, ownership, or rollback options. Routing strategyChoose the smallest routing setup that matches the campaign need, understand rule precedence, and avoid overlapping conditions that hide experiments.

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