Creating Links

Creating links is the core functionality of ShortyLink. This guide covers all the options available when creating a new link.

Creating a Basic Link

To create a simple short link:

1. Navigate to the Dashboard
2. Click New Link or the + button
3. Enter your destination URL
4. Click Create Link

That's it! Your short link is ready to use and share.

Link Configuration Options

When creating a link, you have several optional settings:

Custom Alias

Replace the random shortcode with a memorable word or phrase. Custom aliases must be unique and can contain letters, numbers, and hyphens.

Title & Description

Add a title and description to help organize your links. These are only visible to you in the dashboard.

Tags

Add tags to categorize and filter your links. Useful for organizing links by campaign, project, or topic.

Expiration Date

Set a date when the link should stop working. After expiration, visitors will see a "link expired" message.

Password Protection

Require visitors to enter a password before being redirected. Perfect for private or exclusive content.

UTM Parameters

ShortyLink can automatically append UTM parameters to your destination URL for campaign tracking:

• utm_source - Traffic source
• utm_medium - Marketing medium
• utm_campaign - Campaign name
• utm_term - Keywords
• utm_content - Content variant

Bulk Link Creation

Need to create many links at once? Use the bulk import feature:

1. Go to Links → Import
2. Upload a CSV file with your URLs
3. Map columns to link fields
4. Review and create all links

CSV Format

Your CSV should have at minimum a URL column. Optional columns include:

• url (required) - Destination URL
• alias - Custom shortcode
• title - Link title
• tags - Comma-separated tags

Creating Links via API

For programmatic link creation, use the ShortyLink API:

curl -X POST https://api.shortylink.io/v1/links \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "url": "https://example.com/my-long-url",
    "alias": "my-custom-alias"
  }'

See the Links API documentation for all available options.