Short links that know where your clicks come from

What is a link shortener?

A link shortener turns a long web address into a short one. When someone opens the short link, they're sent straight on (redirected) to the original page. The visitor ends up in the same place; the link they had to read, type or tap was just much shorter.

Because every visit passes through the short link first, the shortener can also count each click and note where it came from.

Why do creators use short links?

Clean links anywhere. Bios, video descriptions, stream overlays and chat commands all look better with /merch than with a 120-character store URL.

Links people can type. If a link is on screen during a stream or printed on a sticker, viewers have to type it. Short and readable matters.

One link you can update. If your merch store moves, change where the short link points instead of hunting down every place you posted it.

Knowing what works. Click counts show whether people came from your YouTube description, your Twitch panel or a tweet.

What makes a good short link?

Use readable slugs

The slug is the part after the slash. /discord and /tour-2026 tell people what they'll get; /x7Gq2 doesn't, and people are more cautious about clicking links they can't read.

Keep them stable

Once a short link is printed or said out loud on stream, keep it working. Change the destination, not the slug.

Common mistakes

Shortening a link and never checking the clicks.

Using a different slug style every time, so nobody can guess your links.

Reusing one link for everything, so you can't tell which placement worked.

When should you use a QR code?

A QR code is a short link people can scan with a phone camera. Use one wherever people can't click: on stream (a corner overlay during a giveaway), on merch tags, flyers, business cards, event badges and packaging. Test it from a distance before you print, and make sure there's enough contrast between the code and its background.

What are UTM tags?

UTM tags are small labels added to the end of a link, like ?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=summer-merch. They don't change where the link goes; they tell your analytics where the click came from.

The three you'll use most

utm_source: the site or platform, such as youtube, twitch or instagram.

utm_medium: the type of placement, such as video, bio or overlay.

utm_campaign: what you're promoting, such as summer-merch or charity-stream.

Keep the names consistent

Pick one naming style (lowercase, hyphens) and stick to it, or your reports end up split between YouTube and youtube.