blrb

Author: blrb.ai Team

  • Why Marketers Love Short Links (and How to Use Them Right)

    Why Marketers Love Short Links (and How to Use Them Right)

    Marketing Dashboard

    If you’re a digital marketer juggling campaigns across email, social, SMS, and ads, you know one thing for sure: links matter. They’re the gateway between your message and your results. But raw URLs are long, messy, and hard to manage—especially when you’re trying to track everything and keep it clean. That’s why smart marketers rely on short links.

    But a short link is more than just a pretty URL. Done right, it’s a tool for brand visibility, click tracking, and conversion insight—all in one line of text.

    1. They Make Every Character Count (Especially in Tight Spaces)

    Social platforms and SMS campaigns have strict character limits. A long URL can eat up space or get cut off entirely. Short links keep your message sharp and focused—while still getting users to the right place.

    Bonus tip: Short links look better visually and are less likely to be mistaken for spam.

    2. They Help You Track What Works—and What Doesn’t

    Every marketer wants to know: Did this link get clicked? Where did the traffic come from? With a short link service like blrb, you get click data broken down by time, location, and device—without needing to dig through Google Analytics.

    You can also create multiple short links pointing to the same destination, so you can test performance across platforms:

    • One for Instagram bio
    • One for Twitter post
    • One for email footer

    Then compare clicks directly and double down where you see results.

    3. They Let You Change the Destination Later

    Ever sent out a link and realized you need to fix the destination after it’s already live? Short links let you update the target URL without changing the original link—saving your campaign and your reputation. This is especially useful for:

    • Seasonal promotions
    • A/B tests
    • Fixing a broken landing page link on the fly

    4. They Reinforce Your Brand

    Instead of sharing a generic bit.ly or goo.gl link, you can use a custom domain like go.yourbrand.com/sale or get.yourbrand.co/free. It’s instantly more trustworthy and on-brand—especially in emails or sponsored posts where clicks depend on credibility.

    TL;DR

    Short links aren’t just about saving space—they’re about getting smarter with your marketing:

    • Track what’s working
    • Improve your click-through rate
    • Keep control over your content
    • Reinforce your brand identity

    Start using short links to streamline your strategy—and never send a messy link again.

    Ready to get smarter with your links? Try blrb.ai free and unlock zip code tracking, audience demographics, and real-time analytics.

  • What Happened to goo.gl? Why the Shutdown Still Matters

    What Happened to goo.gl? Why the Shutdown Still Matters

    Google URL Shortener

    If you’ve been online for more than a few years, you probably remember Google’s URL shortener: goo.gl. Fast, simple, and backed by Google’s infrastructure, it was the go-to choice for sharing tidy, trackable links across the web.

    But in 2018, Google began to divert resources from the service. First, new users were locked out. Then, in 2019, all link creation was disabled entirely. The final blow will come in August 2025, when most goo.gl links will stop working altogether. For millions of marketers, educators, publishers, and developers, this means something worse than inconvenience — it means link rot.

    What Is Link Rot?

    Link rot is what happens when a hyperlink stops working. It may lead to a 404 page, redirect to the wrong place, or simply time out. Over time, as platforms shut down, pages get deleted, or domains change hands, the links embedded in old emails, PDFs, tweets, blog posts, and documentation slowly decay.

    For goo.gl users, link rot isn’t hypothetical — it will be a direct hit:

    • Marketing campaigns with goo.gl links will lead nowhere.
    • Old QR codes will no longer resolve.
    • Archived documents, reports, and educational materials will lose their references.
    • Codebases and apps will break where links were hardcoded.

    Even after Google fully shutters goo.gl, shortened URLs created by Google apps will still function for now. But relying on that stability is risky. Google has a track record of quietly discontinuing products, and even their previously-recommended alternative, Firebase Dynamic Links, wasn’t spared—they’re also being phased out in 2025. This pattern leaves developers and marketers in the lurch, especially those who depend on reliable link infrastructure.

    Why the goo.gl Shutdown Still Matters

    The fall of goo.gl was more than just the end of a free tool. It was a wake-up call about what happens when large tech companies deprecate services. It taught teams a few painful lessons:

    • Free doesn’t mean forever. Relying on a big-name service doesn’t guarantee long-term reliability.
    • Short links need maintenance. A short URL is an abstraction layer — and like any layer, it needs upkeep.
    • Link trust is brand trust. When a customer clicks your link and hits a dead end, they don’t blame Google — they blame you.

    And for anyone who used goo.gl links in things like printed materials, SMS messages, or embedded software, there’s no easy fix. The links are hard to track down and impossible to update.

    What Can You Do About It?

    Link rot isn’t going away — but you can future-proof your links. There are a few smart practices you can adopt now:

    • Use a dedicated link shortener that lets you update destinations.
    • Consider a branded short domain you control.
    • Track link activity so you know if something breaks or stops performing.
    • Export and back up your links regularly.

    Don’t let link rot kill your campaigns. Try blrb.ai free and take control of your links with unlimited history, editable destinations, and real-time analytics.

  • Startup Founders: Use Smart Short Links in Your Pitch Decks and Outreach

    Startup Founders: Use Smart Short Links in Your Pitch Decks and Outreach

    Startup Pitch Meeting

    You’ve refined your pitch, rehearsed your story, and built a beautiful deck. But once you hit “send,” you lose visibility. Who actually opens it? Did they click the demo link? Are they forwarding it around?

    This is where short links become a stealth power tool for startup founders.

    Used right, short links give you insight, control, and credibility—without changing your workflow. They turn your email pitch, deck, or product demo into a mini analytics engine that helps you work smarter.

    Here’s how founders are using them today.

    1. Track Who’s Actually Engaging with Your Pitch

    Sending your deck to investors? Replace raw URLs with unique short links:

    • One link for each investor
    • One for each version of your deck
    • One for your product demo or waitlist page

    That way, you can see:

    • Who clicked your links
    • When and where they clicked
    • Which version of your deck is actually getting traction

    It’s not just vanity metrics—it’s feedback. If your top link isn’t being clicked, maybe your subject line needs work. If someone’s opened your demo 3 times this week… it might be time to follow up.

    2. Keep Control Over Your Links (Even After You Hit Send)

    Let’s say you catch a bug in your product demo the morning after you send your deck out. Or your pricing page changes. If your links are raw, there’s nothing you can do. But with short links, you can update the destination behind the scenes—without changing the original link.

    That means:

    • No scrambling to resend updated decks
    • No broken links floating around VC inboxes
    • No loss of control once your content is shared

    You stay agile, even when your materials are already in the wild.

    3. Add Professional Polish with Branded Short Domains

    Instead of sending out links like https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/xyz…, you could send:

    pitch.yourstartup.co/deck
    go.yourstartup.io/demo

    These branded short links:

    • Build trust (especially helpful if you’re sending cold emails)
    • Signal professionalism and attention to detail
    • Look better in investor briefs, media kits, and one-pagers

    They’re also easier to remember and manually retype if someone’s reading from a printed version or screenshot.

    4. Use Short Links in Your Hiring Pipeline and Early Growth

    It’s not just about investors. Smart founders also use short links to:

    • Track which job boards or referrals bring in the best candidates
    • Create single-use or region-specific referral links
    • Monitor early landing pages or waitlist interest by channel

    Short links give you data on your earliest signals, long before you have deep analytics tooling in place.

    TL;DR

    If you’re a founder, short links give you:

    • Insight into who’s engaging with your pitch
    • The ability to fix or change links after you’ve sent them
    • A more polished and professional presentation
    • A low-effort way to gather real-world feedback from your early efforts

    You don’t need to be technical. You just need to start tracking what matters.

    Ready to track your pitch deck clicks? Try blrb.ai free and see exactly who’s engaging with your startup materials.

  • The Startup Founder’s Link Strategy: How to Use Smart URLs from Day One

    The Startup Founder’s Link Strategy: How to Use Smart URLs from Day One

    Startup Analytics Dashboard

    In our last post, we talked about how short links can give startup founders more control, better data, and a more professional edge when sending out decks, demos, and more.

    Now let’s get tactical.

    This guide shows you exactly how to set up and use short links—from your very first pitch to your early hiring funnel—without adding overhead or complexity.

    🔗 Step 1: Set Up a Branded Short Domain

    Before you start sending out links, grab a short domain that matches your brand. Examples:

    • go.yourstartup.com
    • pitch.getloop.io
    • demo.withnimbus.co

    You can usually get a short domain for ~$10/year. Once connected to your link service, all your short links will use it—so your links always look clean and trustworthy, even in cold emails.

    📤 Step 2: Use Unique Links for Each Investor or Outreach List

    You’re probably sending the same pitch deck or demo page to multiple people. Don’t use the same link for everyone.

    Instead:

    • Create a separate short link for each investor or firm (e.g., go.yourstartup.com/a16z).
    • Create grouped links for outbound rounds (e.g., go.yourstartup.com/seed-round).
    • Use short links for different platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter DMs, or cold emails.

    Now when someone clicks, you’ll know where the interest is coming from—and when it’s time to follow up.

    🧪 Step 3: Run A/B Tests Without Extra Tools

    Short links can help you A/B test:

    • Two different versions of your pitch deck
    • Two different demo pages (one “feature first,” one “value first”)
    • Different CTAs or subject lines in your cold email

    Just generate separate short links and track the click rates. No code needed. You’ll start learning what resonates—and fast.

    🧹 Step 4: Keep Control Over Your Links

    One of the most powerful features of short links is the ability to change the destination later.

    You can:

    • Fix typos or broken demo links
    • Switch out your deck for a newer version
    • Redirect to your launch announcement after fundraising is complete

    This is essential if you’re moving fast and want to avoid legacy decks floating around with outdated info.

    👩‍💻 Step 5: Use Short Links in Early Hiring and Growth Experiments

    Short links aren’t just for investors. You can also use them to:

    • Track which job boards actually get clicks (go.yourstartup.com/jobs-hackernews vs. /jobs-linkedin)
    • Compare early signup interest by channel (/waitlist-tiktok vs. /waitlist-email)
    • See which referral partners or ambassadors are actually driving traffic

    And because short links work in SMS, DMs, and printed QR codes, they’re great for scrappy growth hacks.

    🧠 Step 6: Review the Data (But Don’t Overcomplicate It)

    Most short link tools show you:

    • Click counts
    • Device types
    • Time of day
    • Referring source or location

    That’s all you need early on. You don’t need Mixpanel on day one—just enough visibility to make smarter decisions and spot warm leads before they go cold.

    TL;DR: You Don’t Need to Be Big to Act Like It

    A solid link strategy helps you:

    • Look more professional
    • Learn faster from every round of outreach
    • Stay in control of your materials
    • Get better results from the same effort

    The best part? It’s easy to set up, and it scales with you. Whether you’re pre-seed or post-Series A, smart links let you track and tweak everything you’re sending out into the world.

    Ready to build your link strategy? Try blrb.ai free and start tracking your startup’s outreach from day one.

  • What Is a Link Shortener? And Why You Might Need One

    What Is a Link Shortener? And Why You Might Need One

    Link Shortener Concept

    Have you ever tried to share a long website link — only to watch it get cut off, turn into a jumble of characters, or scare off whoever you sent it to?

    That’s where link shorteners come in.

    A link shortener is a tool that takes a long URL and turns it into something cleaner, shorter, and easier to manage. You’ve probably seen one before, even if you didn’t realize it:

    • bit.ly/abc123
    • tinyurl.com/xyz
    • yourbrand.co/sale

    But link shortening isn’t just about saving space. It’s about making links more useful, more trackable, and more professional.

    Why Use a Short Link?

    Let’s look at some of the most common reasons people use link shorteners in their day-to-day work (or side hustles).

    1. Keep Your Posts Clean on Social Media

    Some websites have URLs that are dozens — even hundreds — of characters long. If you paste that into a tweet, an Instagram bio, or a LinkedIn post, it eats up your message and looks messy.

    Short links keep your post clean and clickable:

    “Check out our latest blog post: your.link/blog”
    instead of
    “Check out our latest blog post: https://yourwebsite.com/blog/2025/07/15/article-title-with-lots-of-keywords”

    Plus, they’re easier for followers to remember or type later.

    2. Make Your Links Clickable in Text Messages

    SMS has a hard character limit (160 characters), and long links often get cut off or wrapped across lines — especially on older phones.

    A short link fits easily, looks better, and helps your message come through clearly:

    “Your appointment is confirmed! Directions: go.brand.com/maps”

    3. Track How Many People Clicked

    Most short link tools come with basic analytics built in. That means when you send out a link, you can see:

    • How many people clicked it
    • When they clicked
    • What device they used

    You don’t need a website or an ad account — just share the link and track the clicks. Perfect for small campaigns, events, resumes, or personal projects.

    4. Make Your Links Look More Trustworthy

    Have you ever seen a link like this and hesitated to click?

    https://example.com/landingpage/index.php?ref=39012&utm_campaign=spring2025&utm_medium=email&utm_source=campaignmonitor

    It might be safe… but it doesn’t look safe.

    A short link replaces all that with something that’s clean and branded — especially if you use your own domain:

    brand.link/spring25

    Branded links help build trust. They also reinforce your business name every time someone sees or shares them.

    5. Fix Mistakes Without Breaking the Link

    Let’s say you send out a link to your newsletter or post a promo link on Instagram — and then realize it points to the wrong page. If it’s a short link, you can update the destination without changing the original link.

    That means:

    • You don’t need to resend anything
    • Old posts and bios still work
    • You stay in control of what people see when they click

    Who Uses Short Links?

    Short links are used by all kinds of people:

    • Social media managers who want to track post performance
    • Small business owners running text or email promos
    • Teachers or organizers sharing resources or Zoom links
    • Job seekers putting portfolio links in resumes
    • Anyone who wants a simple, trackable way to share URLs

    TL;DR: Link Shorteners = Simpler, Smarter Sharing

    You don’t have to be a marketer or developer to use short links. If you’re sharing links with anyone — in a post, a message, or a document — a short link makes it easier to track, fix, and polish your content.

    Ready to try it out? Get started with blrb.ai free and create your first short link in seconds.