If you're still manually generating short links, copying UTM tags, pasting them into emails, and hoping not to make a mistake in the utm_source parameter, then automation hasn't settled in your marketing yet. And in vain.
Short links are no longer just "looking good". This is a tool that provides clear analytics, speed of response, and — most importantly — the ability to automate part of the boring routine. If you work with CRM, email newsletters, advertising or websites, integrating shorteners is the first step to a normal workflow in which you don't need to look for "where is that link".
Let's get to the point: why, how, and what to do about it.
Why short links are no small matter
Let's start with the fact that short links solve several problems at once:
They don't scare the user — they don't have 1,000 symbols and question marks.
Have a clearer structure (especially if branded).
Allows you to quickly change the destination link without updating the entire campaign.
And most importantly, it’s a data collection point. Transitions, sources, devices, campaigns — everything flows through a single window.
And when you insert a link into a website, email, or SMS, the question "who clicked?" already has an answer.
But what if you create dozens of such links a day?
Handcrafting is the path to chaos
Imagine you have 3 segments for your mailing, 4 buttons in your email, 2 versions of your landing page. All of this is multiplied by sources, goals, campaigns, and turns into a table of UTM tags that someone accidentally deleted. Or worse, they inserted the wrong link into an email that has already gone to 10,000 addresses.
And this is without taking into account errors in parameters, duplicates, or simply tired eyes of the marketer. That's why integration is not an "enterprise feature", but a simple answer to the question "how not to go crazy and ruin the campaign."
What integration looks like in practice
Don't expect magic out of the box. Integration isn't a magic button. But it is simple and logical.
On the website
Websites are the first place where automation starts. In a CMS or custom admin, you can add automatic shortening for links in product cards, promotions, blogs. This is especially useful if you generate a lot of pages dynamically — for example, on Tilda, Shopify, or through your own system.
Another case is the generation of QR codes for offline advertising. When you create a promotion page, a short link is immediately generated, added to the QR, and uploaded to the layout. And you already have analytics — you can even track conversions from a banner at a stop. For this, it is convenient to use ready-made tools — for example, the QR code generator from Hyperhost , where you simply insert a link and immediately get a ready-made image for printing or embedding on a website.
Or payment: an invoice was created — the system generated a short link — sent it to the client. Beautiful, fast, controlled. No need to send long URLs with a bunch of parameters — everything looks concise and works like clockwork.
In CRM
CRM is where the magic really begins. Everything revolves around user actions, and this is where it's most convenient to insert short links.
When a manager sends an email or SMS, the system automatically inserts a personalized short link — with name, campaign, unique ID. No more "forgot to add UTM" or "mixed up link".
You can see which customers clicked, when, and from what — and tie it to the funnel. For example:
The client opened the email - the status changes to "interested".
I clicked the link and a trigger with an additional offer went off.
Converted, but didn't buy - remarketing starts.
This is no longer just an email campaign. This is a normal, personalized communication cycle.
Through the ARI
API integration is the most flexible and powerful option. If you don't want to manually create links for each campaign or page, the API solves the problem once and for all.
It works simply: you connect the link shortening api from surl.li — and generate a short link with literally one request. Without even opening a browser. Request — response — you already have a branded short link.
The output is a ready-made short link with UTM tags, if necessary, with a link to a campaign or user. Then you simply insert it into your CMS, CRM, Google Ads, Telegram bot or email - wherever you want. And you no longer have to think about copying and pasting long URLs from an Excel spreadsheet.
The main thing: through the API you can not only create links one by one, but also en masse. For example, you start 100 emails - the system takes data from CRM, forms individual links and inserts them into the template. All this - without involving a marketer or manager. Just an automatic cycle. Watch mass link generation here .
Such scenarios are especially useful if:
you have many segments, each of which has its own CTA;
links should be tied to a specific product or user;
You need to track clicks and conversions directly in CRM or reporting.
Integration takes a few hours, but saves dozens of hours every week. Automation that really works.
What is important to consider: security, control, domains
When it comes to integrating short links, most focus on convenience, speed, and analytics. But one thing can ruin all this beauty — the lack of control. If you don’t provide basic security principles, at best you won’t get any statistics. At worst, you’ll get a phishing scandal, a ban from email systems, or a campaign hack. You shouldn’t let this happen. Here’s what to look out for.
1. HTTPS — not negotiable
In 2025, HTTP links are like sending a letter without an envelope. Mail, browsers, antiviruses, and especially corporate systems all react to unencrypted links the same way: “Danger. Do not click.” And if your browser doesn’t support HTTPS, it’s not even a bell, it’s a fire siren.
Be sure to check:
So that all created links are https://, even if the original is HTTP.
So that the SSL certificate is constantly updated and supports automatic renewal (for example, through Let's Encrypt).
So that redirects do not break on mobile or with weak internet (this happens with poor-quality HTTPS implementation).
2. Branded domains — trust level +100
Imagine a user who receives an email with a button: bit.ly/4xZ1PkP. What is this? Where does it go? Is it safe? For many, the reflex reaction is: don't click.
And now another one: go.mybrand.com/promo25. It's clear where it leads, who sent it, how it relates to the brand. Such links inspire trust, look professional, and reduce the risk of being blocked by the postman.
A branded domain allows you to:
Increase CTR (trust = more clicks).
Reduce the risk of getting caught in spam filters.
Stand out among competitors.
And most importantly, you get full control: the domain belongs to you, not the platform.
3. API access restrictions
When you integrate a shortener into your website or CRM, you will most likely be using an API. And this is where the area of responsibility begins.
A poorly implemented API is an invitation for outsiders. If tokens are not limited, if there are no rate limits, if logs are not kept, anyone with access can:
create thousands of links to third-party resources;
replace your landing pages with malicious ones;
exhaust your limit or API quota.
Ago:
create separate access tokens for different systems or users;
set maximum restrictions — number of requests, allowed IP addresses, allowed domains;
log everything: who created it, when, what link, from which account;
Check activity regularly to notice suspicious behavior.
4. Validation of target links
A serious incident can occur if someone accidentally (or maliciously) shortens a link to a fake site, phishing page, or prohibited content. If you don't control where you can create links, the result can be a domain ban, sanctions from email systems, or even lawsuits.
How to avoid:
add a whitelist of domains that are allowed to create links;
Set up keyword filters in URLs that could be potentially dangerous (e.g. login, verify, bank);
Periodically review active links, especially those that lead to third-party sites.
5. Backup and logging
It seems like a banality, but we often forget: links are also data. Sometimes they are very important. If something goes wrong in the system and the link database is lost, you will have "dead" buttons in campaigns, gaps in analytics, and broken landing pages.
Necessarily:
create backup copies of the short link database;
keep a history of changes — who updated or deleted what, when;
Make sure that when updating the entire URL, the old version is also preserved (for rollback, if necessary).
This point can be thought of as "insurance" - while everything works, security seems unnecessary. But when something breaks, these settings are what separates normal workflow from disaster.
If necessary, I can also add examples of implementing secure integration or a comparative table of services by level of protection.
And most importantly, a branded domain. If you have go.mybrand.com, that's +50 to trust. Nobody wants to click on bit.ly/4XyPz3.
How it all looks in reality: an example
You have a CRM that sends emails based on a trigger: the user registered → received a welcome email.
When generating a letter, CRM takes the email, name, and registration source.
Before inserting a link, it sends a request to the shortener via the API.
Gets a short URL with correct UTM tags.
Inserts a link into the email.
The user clicks — the shortener tracks — the CRM updates the status → the manager sees who clicked.
This isn't fantasy. This is a script that can be set up in half a day — and saves hours on each email.
What tools can be used?
Surl.li is one of the most convenient options. It has a simple API, branded links, statistics, TTL, quick editing of the destination URL. It integrates with Tilda, Zapier, CRM, and email platforms.
For developers, you can use YOURLS (open-source), but it requires more configuration.
For large teams, Rebrandly is suitable, with the ability to distribute rights, create subdomains, and API management.
The main thing is to choose a tool that gives you control, so that the links don't live their own lives somewhere in the table.
Conclusion: short link — long perspective
Automation is not about complexity. It's about not doing the same boring action dozens of times. And integrating short links is exactly the case where you win time, quality, and analytics.
Instead of "generate, copy, paste" - "send, observe, analyze." And this is a different level of work with marketing.
And it's also a step towards systematization. To a situation where every click is not just a number, but a signal. And you don't just see it, you react immediately.
So if you still don't have integrated short links, it's time to change that. Not tomorrow. Not after another campaign. But right now.
