Unbranded links are short links that utilize the b.link domain, with the ability to use a randomized keyword or a custom keyword based on the user's preference.
NOTE:
This feature is no longer offered on our Name.com plans. For more information, please submit a ticket.
Creating an Unbranded Link
To create an unbranded link, start by logging in to BL.INK. In the drop-down at the top of the dashboard, click the arrow and select b.link from the list.
Click New Link.
Paste the long URL, or destination URL, into the first text field.
In the second field, after the long link has been pasted, BL.INK will generate a keyword (the word or string of characters after the “/”), but this can also be customized. To customize, delete the string that’s been randomly generated, and type in the preferred keyword. The keyword is not case-sensitive.
NOTE:
Keep in mind that b.link is a shared domain across many different users. Keywords already in use will show an error message and this may take a bit of creativity. We strongly recommend the use of branded links as they offer more control over keyword options and will better showcase the brand. For more information on creating branded links, click here.
Optionally, enter a description or add tags for the new unbranded link. For example, links may be tagged according to social media channel, email type, campaign type, client, language, location, and more.
TIP:
dding tags will make organizing, searching, filtering, sharing, analyzing clicks, and reporting much easier. For more information about tags, click here.
Click Save.
Now the new link is ready to be shared!
Other Field Options to Note When Creating Links:
- Notifications
- Select this box to receive an email notification for the first 10 clicks to monitor engagement.
- Redirect Type:
- The default redirect type in the BL.INK Platform is 307 Temporary. This can be changed to a 301 Redirect by clicking on the Temporary Redirect (307) field on the right. For more information and questions around which redirect type to select, click here.
- Archive*
- If this link should only be active for a specific period of time, users can enter an expiration date to the right of the Archive field. Once the Archive date has been reached, all click traffic will be redirected to the home page value set in Settings > Root Pages.
- Click on Archive to change the option to Delete on a specified date instead.
CAUTION:
Deleting the link will permanently remove all of the click analytics for that link when it has been deleted, so proceed with caution! Once a link has been deleted, there is no recovery option.
NOTE:
Redirect Type* option and Archive/Delete* option are only available on the SMB plan and higher.
Editing Unbranded Links
Once an unbranded link has been created, it can easily be edited if needed. To edit a single link, click Links and then My Links in the menu on the left side of the dashboard.
NOTE:
Unbranded links can only be edited on the Expert+ plan and higher.
Locate the link to edit in the list of links.
Click the edit (pencil) icon to the right of the link.
Make any changes needed and then click Update to save the changes.
If the destination of a link was edited and saved, but the short URL doesn't appear to redirect to the new destination, the lag could be due to the selected redirect type. If the default redirect is set to "Permanent (301)," most browsers will cache the destination and it is possible that the changes will not be reflected instantly.
Clearing the browser cache should help to speed it up. The link can be tested by trying a different browser or by navigating to the link on a smartphone or tablet.
If "Temporary (307)" was set as the default redirect type, delays can be avoided when editing a link. This setting ensures that the short links always call to the BL.INK platform and do not cache in a browser. For more information on the differences between 301 and 307 redirects, check out this article.
To update the redirect type for a link, follow the Editing Unbranded Links instructions listed above.
If you have additional questions, please submit a ticket.