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.
We recommend using something that resembles your church's name. Wireless carriers prefer shortened links to be branded using the organization's name, and the people receiving your texts are more likely to trust the link if it has your church's name in it.
To use your link shortener, head to the Messages page and paste any link into your message. Click the link (Shorten Links) icon to automatically shorten your link using your custom name.
After you send your message, you can see how many people clicked on the link by clicking on your message and scrolling down to Short Link Tracking. You can also filter the graph to see clicks over a day, week, month, etc.
Want to customize a short link further?
The built-in shortener generates a link automatically, but you can also create short links with a custom tail to copy and paste anywhere, like yourchurchname.cls.co/easter. This is great for registration links, a specific event on your website, or even special holiday services.
To create a short link with a custom tail, just head to Settings > Short Links > Create Link. Paste your URL, then customize the end of your short link (up to 20 characters). Example below👇
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 you can reuse them by updating the link as needed.
Still have questions? Reach out in the chat, we're happy to help!