Compare these two links:
gener.ic/xyz12%32fsd
versus
yourbrand.com/sale.
Which would you click?
The first one looks suspicious at best. The second is recognizable, professional, and clearly connected to a brand you know.
That's the difference a vanity URL makes. Instead of using generic shorteners that hide your brand, you put your name front and center in every link you share. People click more because they recognize you. You track better because you control the infrastructure. And over time, those branded links become another way your audience connects with you.
This guide covers how to create a vanity URL from scratch—picking the right domain, setting up your redirect system, organizing your links, and measuring what works. If you want to skip the technical setup, we'll also show you how Rebrandly handles it all automatically..
Why vanity URLs matter
Every email, social post, and QR code you share includes a link. That link is often the first thing your audience sees—and if it looks like gener.ic/xyz123, you're starting with a credibility problem.
Long URLs stuffed with tracking parameters look unprofessional. Generic shorteners hide your brand completely. Vanity URLs fix both issues. They keep links short and clean while reinforcing your brand name in every click.
Vanity URLs also make tracking easier. You can include UTM parameters and detailed analytics without cluttering the link itself. Over time, this data shows you what resonates with your audience and where to optimize.
Creating a custom vanity URL with Rebrandly
Rebrandly is the fastest way to create a vanity URL. Connect your custom domain, create a branded short link, and start tracking clicks—all in a few minutes.
Rebrandly also includes advanced analytics, automated UTM tagging, and integrations with over 50 marketing tools. Your vanity URLs don't just look better—they perform better too.
You can get started free today and turn every link you share into something memorable, measurable, and your own.
Here's how to create and use your vanity URL.
Step 1: Choose your vanity domain
Your domain should be short, recognizable, and clearly connected to your brand. Many brands use subdomains like go.yourbrand.com or get.yourbrand.com—this approach is simple and uses your existing domain. If you want something shorter, you can purchase a dedicated domain using extensions like .ly, .co, or .io.
Avoid hyphens, numbers, and symbols. They make links harder to remember and awkward to say out loud. Before registering, check that the domain isn't trademarked or already associated with another business in your industry.
A good vanity domain will work across campaigns for years. Choose something flexible enough to handle future products or markets. Register it for multiple years to protect ownership and build credibility with search engines.
Step 2: Set up your vanity link infrastructure
Once you have your domain, you need a system to handle redirects and analytics. You could build this yourself, but most teams use a link management platform instead.
Rebrandly handles the technical setup automatically. Connect your domain and the platform provisions SSL certificates and manages redirects in the background. Every link works instantly and loads through HTTPS without extra configuration.
You also get built-in analytics, automated UTM tagging, and integrations with tools like HubSpot, Salesforce, and Google Analytics. Teams can create shared workspaces, assign roles, and control who can create or edit links.
Step 3: Plan your URL structure and naming conventions
Before creating links, define a naming system that your whole team can follow. Each vanity URL should describe what's on the other side without clutter. For example, brand.com/summer-sale is clear, while brand.com/promo_1234 means nothing to anyone.
Some teams organize links by campaign (brand.com/holiday2025), others by channel (brand.com/email, brand.com/social) or product line (brand.com/sneakers). What matters is consistency—every link should follow the same logic so teammates can understand it months later.
Keep slugs short, under 20 characters when possible, and use lowercase letters to avoid case sensitivity issues. Skip internal codes, long strings, or special characters. Document your approach in a simple guide so everyone stays aligned.
Rebrandly enforces these conventions automatically across your account, so all teammates follow the same structure. This keeps your vanity URLs clean and easy to manage as campaigns expand.
Step 4: Configure tracking and analytics
Once your URL structure is set, configure tracking. With the right analytics setup, you can see not only how many people clicked but where they came from, what device they used, and which campaigns drove engagement.
Rebrandly handles most of this automatically. When you create a link, the platform adds UTM parameters that feed directly into Google Analytics and any connected CRM or marketing automation system. This gives you accurate attribution without manually tagging every link.
Rebrandly's analytics dashboard shows click volume, geographic distribution, referrers, and device breakdowns in real time. You can identify regional patterns or platform-specific performance within minutes of launch.
Review your analytics regularly to see which campaigns perform best, which channels deliver quality clicks, and where drop-offs occur. Over time, this data helps refine your messaging and targeting.
Step 5: Test and optimize your vanity URL
Before going live, verify that your redirects work properly on both desktop and mobile. Click each link from different browsers and devices to confirm people land on the right page. Check that analytics platforms are recording data accurately—a missing UTM parameter or misconfigured redirect creates reporting gaps that are hard to fix later.
Confirm that your SSL certificate is active and every vanity link loads through HTTPS. A "not secure" warning undermines trust immediately.
After launch, optimization becomes ongoing. Review your top-performing vanity URLs monthly, retire links that are no longer needed, and reuse slugs thoughtfully to avoid clutter. Rebrandly detects broken redirects automatically and lets you A/B test different destinations to see what works best.
Best practices and common mistakes
Technical considerations
Use 301 redirects for permanent links to preserve any SEO value. Make sure all links load over HTTPS, and if your site uses subdomains, test those redirects separately to avoid errors.
Create a custom 404 page under your vanity domain. If someone mistypes a link or visits an outdated campaign, they should still see your brand with navigation options back to active content.
Branding guidelines
Check how your links appear in social media preview cards. Rebrandly lets you customize titles and images for each vanity link, giving you control over how your brand shows up across platforms.
Common mistakes
Missing UTM parameters means you can't tell whether a link came from email, social, or paid media. Rebrandly automates UTM tagging so every campaign follows the same format.
Letting anyone on the team create links without oversight leads to duplicates and inconsistencies. Set clear access rules early. Rebrandly's workspaces and permissions let you define who can create, edit, or delete links.
Remember that vanity URLs often appear in space-constrained formats—SMS messages, social bios, or print materials. Test your links across all relevant formats before publishing.
Measuring success and optimizing performance
Track click-through rate by channel to see where your audience responds best. Compare performance across devices and regions. You might find that mobile users prefer shorter slugs, or certain geographies drive higher conversion rates.
Rebrandly's analytics dashboard lets you filter by date range, campaign tag, or destination page to pinpoint what works.
Test variations in link format—brand.com/offer versus brand.com/get-offer—to see which gets more clicks. If you're running ads across platforms, compare vanity link performance between social, search, and email to refine your investment.
Connect Rebrandly with your CRM or attribution platform to track conversions each vanity URL drives. With Rebrandly Webhooks, you can push real-time link data directly into your existing systems for automated reporting and deeper integration. This closes the loop between branding and performance, giving you hard numbers to justify investment.
Bringing it all together
A well-designed vanity URL program does more than shorten links. It boosts engagement, strengthens consistency, and turns ordinary URLs into marketing assets you can measure.
By choosing the right domain, setting up reliable infrastructure, defining naming conventions, configuring analytics, and testing regularly, you build a system that scales across campaigns.
If you're ready to see how it works, Rebrandly handles everything from domain setup to analytics. Get started free and start creating campaigns that perform.
FAQ
How long does it take to set up vanity URLs?
Most users can connect a domain and create their first link in under 15 minutes with Rebrandly's guided setup.
Can I use my existing domain for vanity URLs?
Yes. You can create a subdomain like go.yourbrand.com or use a new short domain.
Do vanity URLs affect SEO?
Vanity URLs can improve click-through rates and user engagement—both positive signals for search performance.
How much do vanity URLs cost?
Your domain registration and your Rebrandly plan. You can start free, with paid tiers offering advanced analytics and team collaboration.
