With Clearstream, you can create a custom link shortener for sending URLs to your people. Shortened links have a few big advantages:
They use less characters, which ultimately helps you use less credits.
They can be tracked, so you can see how many people clicked on your link.
Generally, they are more pleasing to the eye than a longer URL.
To create your custom link shortener, head to Settings > Short Links > Clearstream Link Shortener.
A default subdomain will be created for you, but you can always change it to something else. Best practice is to use something that resembles your church name. Wireless carriers prefer shortened links to be branded according to the organization, and the people receiving your texts are more likely to trust the link if it has your church name in it.
To use your link shortener, head to the Messages page and paste any link into your message. Click the Shorten Links icon, and you're all set to send your message.
After you send your message, you can see how many people clicked on the link by viewing the Message Details > scroll down to 'Short Link Tracking'. You can also filter the time range displayed on the graph if you'd like to see clicks over the week, month, etc.
Want to customize a short link further?
The built-in shortener generates a link automatically, but you can also create more customized short links to copy and paste anywhere. This is great for registration links, a specific event on your website, or even holiday information.
To create a short link with a custom tail, just head to Settings > Short Links > Create Link. You'll paste the destination URL, then customize the end of your short link (up to 20 characters). Example 👇
All short links you create within your account can be found under Settings > Short Links. Each one will automatically generate a QR code for you, and they're easy to reuse.
Still have questions? Reach out in chat, we're happy to help!