New Research Reveals Strong User Preferences for Short Links Using Real Words

Top Reasons Include: Clarity / Simplicity of Information, Memorability, and Trustworthiness

Donuts Inc., the global leader in high-quality, new top-level Internet domains, announced the results of a third-party online survey assessing Internet link sharing and user preferences. The objectives of the survey, conducted by Sapio Research and commissioned by Donuts, were to assess user behaviors and compare their preferences for traditional long links, branded short links using real words, and legacy short links (primarily character-based).  

In 2018, a panel of more than 1,000 online respondents was presented with five different real-world scenarios that involved links. The scenarios included: viewing online ads and online shopping promotions, listening to a radio ad, creating and sharing a job posting, and planning a vacation online with friends. In each scenario, users were asked to select the link that was most preferable within that context, and indicate the primary reason for their choice (easy to remember, clear and informative, or trustworthy).

The responses were definitive, both by scenario and in aggregate: users overwhelmingly preferred short links using real words. Regardless of the scenario, between 60% – 75% of respondents chose short links with real words, rather than the alternatives. Surprisingly, 90% of all respondents preferred either short link using real words or traditional long links; only 10% of respondents selected legacy short links using character strings.

Check out 10 smart ways our customers use branded short URLs to boost their business.

About Sapio Research
Sapio Research is a global market research consultancy. Our entrepreneurial spirit and wealth of experience help our clients tackle business and consumer (strategic or content) market research with knowledgeable, innovative thinking.  Managing partners Guy Washer and Jane Hales previously founded Redshift Research – a company with an excellent reputation for customer service, which was short-listed for the Research Awards ‘Best New Agency’ in 2008, and Kent Excellence in Business Best Place to Work 2011. The Sapio team are creative, evidence-based problem solvers who pinpoint the issues and use good sense to solve them.