Hey there, WordPress user! Are you looking for a simple way to generate short, shareable links for your blog posts and pages? You‘re in the right place. In this guide, we‘ll break down exactly how to create short links in WordPress, even if you don‘t have the "Get Shortlink" button in your editor.
Why You Should Be Using Short Links in WordPress
First off, let‘s talk about why short links are so valuable for WordPress sites. Here are a few key benefits:
Better social media engagement: According to research by Rebrandly, short links can increase click-through rates on social media by up to 39%. That means more people actually visiting your site from your social posts!
More space for your message: Short links free up valuable characters in your social media posts and messages, giving you more room to craft compelling copy that drives clicks.
Cleaner, more professional appearance: Long, complex URLs can look spammy and untrustworthy. Short links are neater and more attractive, increasing the perceived credibility of your content.
Easier to remember and share: It‘s much simpler for your audience to recall and share a short, branded link like
yourdomain.com/best-vacuumthan a lengthy URL with tons of parameters.
Now that you know why short links are so powerful, let‘s dive into how to start using them on your WordPress site.
Method 1: Create Custom Short Links with Pretty Links
Our first recommendation for creating short links in WordPress is the Pretty Links plugin. This free tool lets you generate custom short URLs for any link, whether it‘s a post on your site or an external resource.
Here‘s a quick rundown of how to use Pretty Links:
- Install and activate the plugin from the WordPress.org repository
- In your WordPress dashboard, go to Pretty Links > Add New
- Paste the long URL you want to shorten into the "Target URL" field
- Customize the "Pretty Link" slug to your liking (e.g.
yourdomain.com/your-slug-here) - Optionally set up a custom domain for your short links (requires DNS configuration)
- Configure additional options like redirection type, nofollow, and tracking
- Click "Create" to generate your short link
One of the standout features of Pretty Links is its built-in tracking and reporting. You can easily monitor how many clicks each of your short links is getting over time and even track conversions if you‘re using them for affiliate marketing or other promotional purposes.
[Screenshot: Pretty Links click tracking report]The Pro version of Pretty Links adds even more sophisticated features like autolink keyword replacement, advanced redirect types, link categorization, and detailed click reporting. However, the free version covers all the basics of short link creation and management within WordPress.
Method 2: Restore the Shortlink Button with a Plugin
If you‘re using the Classic Editor in WordPress, you may remember the old "Get Shortlink" button that used to appear below the permalink. WordPress removed this handy button a while back, but you can restore it with the aptly named Bring Back the Shortlink Button plugin.
Getting started with this plugin could not be easier:
- Install and activate the plugin from the WordPress.org repository
- That‘s it! The shortlink button will automatically appear in the Classic Editor
Whenever you‘re editing a post or page with the Classic Editor, just click the "Get Shortlink" button and your WordPress-generated short URL will appear. Click "Copy" and it‘s ready to share.
The main limitation of this plugin is that it only works with the Classic Editor. If you‘re using the newer Block Editor (Gutenberg), you won‘t see the shortlink button. Additionally, it only provides access to the default WordPress shortlinks – you can‘t customize the URL like you can with Pretty Links.
Method 3: Bring Back Shortlinks with Code
If you‘d rather not install a plugin, you can restore the shortlink button in the Classic Editor by adding a bit of code to your WordPress site. We‘ll be using the free Code Snippets plugin to implement the code, which is much safer than editing your theme files directly.
Here‘s how to do it:
Install and activate the Code Snippets plugin
Go to Snippets > Add New in your WordPress dashboard
Give your snippet a name and paste in the following code:
add_filter( ‘get_shortlink‘, function( $shortlink ) {return $shortlink;} );
Under "Code Placement", select "Only run on site front-end"
Click "Save Changes and Activate"
With the code snippet active, the "Get Shortlink" button will reappear in the Classic Editor, functioning just like the plugin method. To turn off the shortlink button, simply deactivate the snippet.
Keep in mind that this code only works in the Classic Editor, not the Block Editor. It also relies on the default WordPress shortlink system without any customization options.
Comparing the Shortlink Methods
With three distinct methods for creating WordPress short links covered, which one should you choose? Here‘s a quick breakdown of the key differences:
| Method | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Pretty Links Plugin | – Customizable shortlinks – Works with any URL – Built-in tracking | – More complex setup – Some features require paid version |
| Shortlink Button Plugin | – Easiest setup – Adds button to Classic Editor | – Only works in Classic Editor – No customization options |
| Code Snippet | – No extra plugin required – Adds button to Classic Editor | – Requires editing code – Classic Editor only – No customization |
For most users, we recommend starting with the free version of Pretty Links. It offers the most flexibility and features for creating short links in WordPress. If you just need a quick way to access default shortlinks in the Classic Editor, the button plugin or code snippet will do the trick.
WordPress Shortlink Best Practices
No matter which method you use to generate short links, there are some best practices to keep in mind:
1. Use meaningful link slugs
Instead of relying on random characters or numbers, create shortlinks with descriptive keywords related to the link destination. For instance:
❌ yourdomain.com/p=12345
✅ yourdomain.com/best-vacuum-review
Clear, relevant link slugs are more enticing to click and even provide a minor SEO benefit.
2. Brand your shortlinks with a custom domain
If you want to maximize the professionalism and recognizability of your short links, consider setting up a custom domain for them. So instead of yourdomain.com/vacuum-review, you could use go.yourdomain.com/vacuum-review.
This does require some additional DNS setup, but it‘s worth the effort for a cleaner, more cohesive shortlink branding.
3. Organize your links
As you create more and more shortlinks, organizing them will become crucial. Categorize your links based on type, topic, campaign, or any other relevant criteria.
Pretty Links offers tagging and filtering functionality to keep your links organized. If you‘re using one of the other methods, consider maintaining a spreadsheet to track your various shortlinks.
4. Monitor link performance
Shortlinks provide a valuable opportunity to gain insights into your audience‘s interests and behaviors. Most link shortening tools, including Pretty Links, offer built-in tracking so you can see how many clicks each link is getting.
Watch your click stats closely and look for patterns. Which links are getting the most engagement? What do they have in common? Use this data to inform your content strategy moving forward.
5. Don‘t abuse shortlinks
While shortlinks are extremely useful, it‘s important not to overuse or misuse them. Only create shortlinks for content you genuinely want to promote, and avoid using deceptive or clickbait-style link text.
Aim to provide value to your audience with every link you share. Shortlinks should enhance their experience, not detract from it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Before we wrap up, let‘s address a few common questions about WordPress shortlinks:
The "Get Shortlink" button was removed from the WordPress editor starting with version 4.4, released in December 2015. The WordPress developers decided it was not a necessary core feature. However, shortlinks still exist in WordPress – the button is just hidden by default.
Can I customize the default WordPress shortlink URL?
Not easily. The default shortlink URL format is generated based on your WordPress site configuration, and it can‘t be directly customized. If you want fully customizable shortlinks, you‘ll need to use a plugin like Pretty Links.
Do I need a separate domain for my shortlinks?
No, using a separate domain for your shortlinks is completely optional. You can create shortlinks using your main domain (e.g. yourdomain.com/your-link) if you prefer. A separate domain offers branding benefits but is not required.
Are short links bad for SEO?
No, short links are not inherently bad for SEO. In fact, descriptive shortlinks with relevant keywords can actually provide a small SEO benefit. However, excessive or deceptive use of shortlinks could potentially harm your search engine rankings, so always prioritize user experience over any perceived SEO advantages.
Can I track clicks on my shortlinks?
Yes, most link shortening plugins like Pretty Links offer built-in click tracking. This allows you to monitor how many people are clicking each of your shortlinks over time. You can also integrate your shortlinks with Google Analytics for even more detailed tracking and reporting.
Start Sharing Smarter with WordPress Shortlinks
Whew, that was a lot of information! But by now you should have a solid understanding of how to create and use shortlinks on your WordPress site.
Whether you opt for a custom shortlink plugin like Pretty Links, resurrect the old shortlink button with a plugin or code, or simply stick with the default WordPress shortlinks, you‘re well on your way to sharing your content more effectively.
Remember, shortlinks are all about making your content more accessible, shareable, and engaging for your audience. Used strategically, they can help drive more traffic to your site and cultivate a stronger connection with your readers.
So what are you waiting for? Go forth and start shortening those links! Your audience (and your social media character counts) will thank you.
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