Custom slugs
Pick a memorable alias instead of a random hash.
URL Shortener: a link shortener for campaigns, decks and print
Turn long URLs into short, brandable links you can share anywhere — email, social, slide decks, print, QR codes. Every short link tracks clicks in detail, with referrer, device, and campaign breakdowns.
- Custom slugsYes
- UTM builderInline
- AnalyticsPer-link
app.nautis.io/url-shortener
What is URL Shortener?
A link shortener turns a long web address into a short one that redirects, and counts the clicks on the way through. The Nautis URL Shortener takes a long URL, an optional custom slug and optional UTM tags, then lists the short link with four actions: Copy, QR Code, Analytics and Delete. Its analytics separate human clicks from bots and crawlers.
A short link has a life of five steps: you make it, tag it, share it, read it and eventually retire it. The module covers each one from a single page under Marketing, then URL Shortener. Paste the address into Enter your long URL, put an alias such as spring-launch in Custom slug (optional), or leave it blank for a random one, and click Shorten. It's added to Your URLs, a paginated list you page through with Previous and Next.
Tagging happens before the link exists, and that order matters. Tick Add UTM parameters to URL and a dialog asks for UTM Source, UTM Medium and UTM Campaign, which are required, plus optional UTM Content and UTM Term. Apply adds them to the long URL. Change them with Edit next to the checkbox while you still can, because once you click Shorten, the tags, like the slug, can't be changed. The fix for a mistake is a new link.
Retiring a link is the step people get wrong. Links don't expire by default, and deleting one breaks it for everyone who saved it, so a deck link from last year's raise can still be doing work. Whether you need links on your own domain is a separate question, answered in branded URL shortener. How to read the numbers well is covered in URL shortener with analytics.
Built for
- Founders running outbound campaigns
- Teams sharing decks and one-pagers
- Operators tracking inbound from print and offline channels
Capabilities
What you can do with URL Shortener
Everything ships out of the box. No setup, no plugins, no extra tools.
UTM builder
Build UTM tags inline and watch them flow into your analytics.
Click analytics
Total and human clicks, with referrer, social network, browser, OS, country, and city.
QR codes
Generate a QR for every link — perfect for print and offline.
Use cases
How startups use URL Shortener
A launch announced on three channels
Make three links to the same page, such as launch-li, launch-x and launch-mail, each with its own UTM Source and the same UTM Campaign. A week later, open Analytics on each and compare Human Clicks. The channel that wins gets next month's effort.
A deck link in investor emails
A slug such as acme-seed-deck reads better in an email than a file-sharing URL. The analytics show where clicks came from by Referrer, Country and City, but never who clicked. When you need to know which investor read what, share the deck from a data room instead.
A QR code on a conference banner
Create the link with UTM Medium set to print, click QR Code and then Download QR for a sharp PNG. Print it at least 2 cm by 2 cm. The code points at the short link, so a scan goes through the same redirect as a click.
Short links made in other modules
You don't always start here. In Custom Forms, Share has a Generate Short URL button for the public form, and the booking page under Share & Links in Meetings can generate a short link too. Both give you something short enough to read aloud on a call.
Quick start
From zero to using URL Shortener
- 1
Paste a long URL
Optionally pick a custom slug.
- 2
Add UTM tags
Build UTMs inline so analytics tie back to the campaign.
- 3
Share the short link
Use it anywhere — print, email, slides, social.
- 4
Watch the analytics
Total and human clicks, referrer, browser, OS, and location for each link.
Short links and connected AI tools
With Claude or ChatGPT linked to your workspace through Connect Claude and ChatGPT, Short Links are on the list of records those tools can read. That lets you ask an outside assistant to find the link you made for a campaign, rather than scrolling Your URLs.
Nautis link shortener vs raw UTM links vs a dedicated link tool
Plenty of teams skip shortening and paste tagged URLs straight into posts. That works until someone has to read the link out loud or print it.
| Need | Long URL with UTM tags | Nautis URL Shortener | Dedicated link tool |
|---|---|---|---|
| Readable link | No | Custom slug, unique across your organization | Yes |
| Links on your own domain | Not applicable | Not documented | Varies by plan |
| Click counts | Only visits that reach your web analytics | Total Clicks and Human Clicks, a chart, and change on the previous period | Yes |
| Breakdowns | Whatever your web analytics shows | Referrer, Social, Browser, OS, Country and City | Often more filters |
| Change a link after creating it | Edit the URL anywhere you pasted it | No: delete it and create a new one | Varies by product |
| QR code | A separate generator | PNG for every link | Usually yes |
| Next to your forms, booking page and campaigns | No | Same workspace | Separate subscription |
Plans and limits
- Your plan caps how many short URLs you can create. At the cap, a "URL Limit Reached" window appears, and pricing shows the options.
- Creating and deleting links needs the matching permission. Without it, the form and the Delete buttons are disabled.
- Try it in the 14-day trial before you print anything. No card is required.
What URL Shortener doesn't do
- No custom domain is documented. Links use the Nautis short domain with your slug after it.
- You can't change a slug or UTM tags after creating a link, and the guide doesn't describe changing where a link points. Treat a printed QR code as permanent.
- Analytics are aggregate only. You see browsers, places and referrers, not names or emails.
- The guide documents no export of click data and no conversion tracking. Follow the visit after the click with UTM tags in your web analytics.
URL Shortener questions
What makes a good slug for a short link?+
Short, lowercase and hyphenated, with enough in it to tell links apart a year later. A pattern such as campaign plus channel, for example nov-webinar-li, works well. Slugs must be unique across your organization, so a clear pattern also avoids clashes.
Do I need UTM tags if the link shortener already counts clicks?+
Yes, for anything you want to follow past the click. The shortener counts clicks at the redirect. UTM tags tell your web analytics which campaign each visit came from, so you can see what those visitors did on your site.
Why does one campaign show up as two sources in my analytics?+
UTM values are case-sensitive in most analytics tools, so twitter and Twitter count as different sources. Pick lowercase for every tag and stick to it.
Can I make a short link for a Nautis form or booking page?+
Yes. In Custom Forms, open Share and click Generate Short URL. In Meetings, the booking page under Share & Links can generate a short link and a QR code as well.
How large should I print a QR code?+
The guide's advice is at least 2 cm by 2 cm, and the download is a sharp PNG that scales cleanly. Scan the printed proof with two different phones before the full run.
What happens if someone uses my short link after I delete it?+
They'll see an error page. Don't delete a link that's actively in use.
Can I edit a slug after creating it?+
No. Delete the link and create a new one with the new slug.
How long do short URLs last?+
They don't expire by default. They keep working as long as the link exists in Your URLs.
Can I track who clicked my link?+
The analytics dialog shows aggregate data — browser, OS, country, city, referrer, and social network. It doesn't show individual names or emails; those aren't captured by short links.
Why are 'Total Clicks' and 'Human Clicks' different?+
Total Clicks includes everything — bots, crawlers, link-checkers, and humans. Human Clicks filters out the bots so you see real audience numbers.
Can I make a QR code without creating a short URL?+
Not from this page. Create the short link first, then click QR Code to download the QR.
Will the same long URL always make the same short URL?+
No. Each time you shorten, you get a new short URL (unless you pick the same custom slug — and the slug must be unique, so duplicates are blocked).
Do you support a custom domain?+
No. Short links use the Nautis short domain, followed by your custom slug.
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