Vanity URL: Benefits And How To Get One
Ever run a great offer and then realize your audience would have to type a long URL like www.example.com/new/ID82474941639/KDW-348852849/landing-page to claim it? Long URLs are difficult to remember and prone to typographic errors. They don’t look aesthetic on a website or social media either. When it comes to campaigns, you need a short, catchy URL.
The answer? Vanity URLs. A vanity URL allows you to shorten long website addresses like the one above to www.example.com/NewProduct. Let’s find out more about these vanity URLs, their benefits and how to create them.
What is a Vanity URL?
A vanity URL is a web page address that has been customized to make it distinctive and easy to recall. It may also be called a vanity link. This URL retains all the tracking features of a regular URL but is much shorter.
Vanity URLs typically have 2 sections – the domain name and a short term linked to the target page. For example, www.example.com/NewFamilyInsurance. You can also create vanity URLs with a different domain name from your main website address. For example, a fashion retailer, Amy Lee, may use a vanity URL like BuyAmyLeeDresses.com. In this case, the domain name acts as a call to action.
Vanity URLs vs Shortened Links
It is important to note that not all short URLs can be called vanity URLs. There are many URL shortening tools that compress a long URL to links like abc.de/3hgj86. These links may be shorter but they aren’t necessarily easier to recall.
They have no connection to the brand. Instead, they are tied to the service provider’s domain name. Such generic links also have an unfortunate association with spam and have a high risk of being blacklisted at any time. They do not inspire trust and hence, they may not have the effect intended.
Advantages of a Vanity URL
A vanity URL doesn’t just look impressive, it can do a lot to boost brand image and marketing campaign successes. Some of the key benefits of using a vanity URL are:
Increase brand recognition
Vanity URLs are easy to include in all kinds of marketing campaigns. They’re short enough to be included in an Instagram post as well as a bus stop publicity. This increases visibility of the brand name and makes it easier to recognize.
Build a professional online presence
At a time when online scams and phishing attacks make regular appearances in the news, having a trustworthy, professional presence is vital. When given a choice between clicking on www.example.com/vyhjub and www.example.com/myproduct, the latter is more likely to be clicked on.
Including your brand name on the vanity URL builds trust in the link and creates a cohesive brand presence. It tells the user that the link is relevant to their search and legitimate.
Improve SEO efficiency
Every company with a website has a team working on making it SEO-friendly. Vanity URLs can be a big help to these efforts. It makes sure the links being published contain relevant keywords to be SEO-friendly. In turn, this increases the website ranking on search engines.
Simplify campaign tracking
Every marketing campaign needs to be tested and tracked to measure success. Vanity URLs allow you to designate different links to a common web page for email, print, social media and other channels. Tracking the click-through rates for these links helps assess which channel is most successful. This can prove instrumental to adjusting the overall marketing approach and maximizing campaign ROI.
Empowers online and offline sharing
90% of your audience is likely to trust a brand that has been recommended by someone they know. Vanity URLs comprise of readable words or phrases. In addition to making the links easier to recall, it also makes them easier to share through a text message or even by dictating the URL. Vanity URLs could also be inscribed on marketing collateral such as magnets, pens, stickers and so on.
Improve the customer experience
Customer experience has become one of the most important brand differentiators. Vanity URLS make the link readable and understandable. Thereby they create a connection between the brand and the customer.
For example, when a customer reads a vanity URL like www.example.com/NewBootLaunches, they know where the link will take them. These links are more memorable and trustworthy. Further, there’s less typing required and hence, they’re easier to use.
How to create a Vanity URL
A vanity URL is as easy to create as it is to use. You can have as many vanity URLs as you like. That said, use a vanity URL only when it is likely to have additional benefits. For example, if you already have a short, catchy URL like example.com/red-shoes, you don’t really need a vanity URL. In such cases, using a vanity URL may cause confusion.
Create a vanity URL only when it makes a considerable difference to the overall link appearance and recall value. Assuming you already own a domain name, first decide on the phrases you want to use for your vanity URL. A few points to keep in mind:
- Maintain a naming convention for consistent branding
- Ensure the URL is available
- Make sure the phrase reflects the target page
- Use SEO keywords
- Choose a unique phrase
- Keep it short
- Make sure it is easy to spell
- Avoid symbols
Once you have a clear URL in mind, turn to redirection.io to create these vanity URLs. You don’t need extensive technical knowledge or coding experience. This is one of the biggest advantages of using a service like redirection.io to manage vanity URLs. All you need to do is type in the source URL, choose the redirection action and enter your target vanity URL. You can choose to make this a permanent or temporary redirection depending on your requirements.
FAQs
What is a Vanity URL?
A vanity URL is a short, branded link that retains all the tracking features of a long URL while being easier to read and more memorable.
How to make a vanity URL?
Creating a vanity URL is easy. Start by brainstorming relevant phrases that can be used for the link and making sure they are not already in use. If you have an account with redirection.io, you can use this to quickly create a vanity URL. Enter the original link and the new phrase to create your vanity URL.
How to create a vanity URL in WordPress?
WordPress allows users to customize their URLs to make the links easier to remember and SEO friendly. The simplest way to do this is by using a plugin. There are many options available with redirection.io being one of the most popular.
These plugins are user friendly and intuitive thereby taking away the stress of needing technical know-how.
Once the plugin is installed and activated, it should appear on the left navigation panel. From then on, it’s just a matter of following the on-screen instructions. Enter the desired URL and its target and create vanity URLs in minutes.
Summing it up
Vanity URLs may sound like a minor detail but they can be very influential for marketing campaigns, user experiences and SEO ranking. By making links crisper and more memorable, brands can experience a significant increase in audience awareness. Tools like redirection.io make it easy to create vanity URLs. What’s more, they aid in tracking the efficacy of marketing campaigns run with these links.