Shorten store links using a Shopify URL shortener

You can shorten store links using a Shopify URL shortener in two ways: with the URL redirects built into Shopify, which is free and good for a handful of links, or with a URL shortener app, which adds click tracking and makes many links quick to create. This guide covers both.

Compare these two links to the same product:

• https://yourstore.com/products/organic-cotton-crew-neck-t-shirt-washed-black
• https://yourstore.com/tee

The second is easier to read aloud, type from a poster, fit into an SMS or a social bio, and remember.

Why short links help

• They fit where space is tight: SMS, social bios, captions, printed packaging and QR codes.
• They look trustworthy when they are on your own domain, rather than a generic shortener's.
• They can be tracked. Give each campaign, influencer or channel its own short link and you can see which one sends visitors.
• They outlive URL changes. If a product's URL changes, update where the short link points instead of reprinting everything.

Method 1: Shopify URL redirects (free, built in)

Shopify's URL redirects send visitors from one path on your store to another. Point a short path such as /tee at a long product URL and you have a short link on your own domain.

1. From your Shopify admin, go to Content > Menus.
2. Click View URL Redirects.
3. Click Create URL redirect.
4. In Redirect from, enter the short path, for example /tee.
5. In Redirect to, enter the page it should open, for example /products/organic-cotton-crew-neck-t-shirt-washed-black.
6. Click Save redirect. It works immediately.

Limits worth knowing, from Shopify's help article on URL redirects:

• You can only redirect from a URL that doesn't already load a page, so pick a short path that isn't in use.
• Some paths are reserved and can't be redirected, such as those starting with /apps, /cart or /orders.
• Redirects don't count clicks. You'll need UTM parameters and your analytics to see where visitors came from.

Redirects are a good fit for a few permanent links, such as one for your packaging or your social bio.

Method 2: a Shopify URL shortener app

An app is a better fit when you create links often, for influencer campaigns, ads or SMS, and want to see clicks for each link.

Zegsu's Z Short Link ‑ URL Shortener is one. According to its Shopify App Store listing, it:

• shortens long store URLs into short, shareable links;
• creates short links on your own domain;
• tracks clicks in real time, with location and click data;
• supports UTM tracking, with an analytics dashboard you can export.

The free plan includes a small number of short links with combined analytics. The paid plan adds unlimited short links, analytics per link, custom short links for affiliates and social promotion, and shortening URLs from outside Shopify. Current limits and prices are on the App Store listing.

Creating a short link with the app

1. Install Z Short Link from the Shopify App Store.
2. In the app, create a short link for the product, collection or page you want to share.
3. Use the short link in your post, message or ad. For several campaigns, create one link for each.
4. Check the app's analytics afterwards to see how many clicks each link got, and from where.

Tips for short links that work

• Use words, not random characters, when people might type the link: /summer-sale beats /x7Kq.
• One link per channel or partner. A separate link for each influencer is the simplest way to see who sent the traffic.
• Add UTM parameters to the destination so your analytics attributes visits and sales correctly.
• Test every link on a phone before it goes out, especially in printed material you can't change.

Which method to choose

Use Shopify's URL redirects for a few permanent links you don't need to track. Use a URL shortener app such as Z Short Link when you create links regularly and want click data for each one.