In the world of social media, especially websites like Twitter, character count is practically a form of currency. Though Twitter has largely stopped counting links as characters, the truth is that nobody wants to see a full-length link on their feeds — They would rather allocate those characters for their personal tweets. If you want people to share your links online, you have to give them enough space to share their own thoughts.

Long links look cluttered and can be an eyesore, especially on social media sites where micro-blogging and memes reign supreme. On top of that, long links look unprofessional and can be a bit more difficult to trust — when users see long words and a confusing jumble of numbers on a link, they tend to have a harder time differentiating a good link from a malicious one.

Luckily, there is a solution to long links: short brand links.

Aesthetically Pleasing Links

On the internet, user experience is everything. This includes getting rid of eyesores and making people’s social media feeds cleaner and less cluttered. Minimalism is highly preferred online because it makes it easier to view content.

Get rid of long, ugly URLs and turn to short URLs instead. These URLs are only a few characters in length, and redirects the user to the web page of the original, longer URL. Though there are many free services that allow you to create a shortened URL for your website, such as Bit.ly and Goo.gl, many private companies are taking it a bit further by creating branded short links.

In fact, the majority of big companies, like Coca-Cola, are using customized, short brand URLs to promote their website. Other examples include huff.to, which links to the Huffington Post, Pepsi’s pep.si, and nyti.ms from the New York Times. Even Twitter has its own short brand url: t.co.

Short brand links are more aesthetically pleasing than full-length URLs and increase white space on the user’s social media feeds.

Shorter is Better

Shorter URLs are definitely better for keeping your social media page clean and easy to read, but a branded URL is even better.

A branded URL is preferable to a generic, shortened link from Bit.ly or Goo.gl because it makes it easier to see where the link leads — this is because generic links will bear the name of Google, not your own company.  It could lead to practically any page.

On the other hand, with a branded short link, they can see exactly what they are clicking. It further reinforces your brand’s reputation and professionalism. Want to improve your digital marketing strategy? A branded short link URL will certainly add to your social media presence.

Need more social media marketing tips? Contact Spike Interactive today 800-419-1643.