> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://tinyanalytics.io/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Trackable Short Links

> Create short, trackable URLs that redirect to any destination and record every click as an analytics event — for emails, social posts, and ad campaigns.

A shortlink is a short, trackable URL that redirects to any destination and records **every click as an analytics event**. Drop it in an email, a social post, or an ad, and you get a full breakdown of who clicked — where they came from, which country, which device — without touching the destination page.

## Create a shortlink

Give tinyanalytics a **destination URL** and it generates a short link ending in `/l/<slug>`. You can:

* Let tinyanalytics generate a short, unambiguous slug, or set a **custom slug** you'll remember. A custom slug must be unique across tinyanalytics; if it is already taken, choose another.
* Add a **title** so the link is easy to find in your list later.

Copy the generated short URL and use it anywhere. When someone opens it, they're redirected straight to your destination — the click is recorded in the background, so the visitor never waits.

<Tip>
  Add campaign parameters to the short URL itself (for example `?utm_source=newsletter`) and tinyanalytics captures them with the click, so your shortlink traffic shows up correctly in acquisition reports.
</Tip>

## What does a shortlink track?

Every shortlink has its own stats page covering, over your chosen range:

* **Total clicks** and **unique visitors**.
* **Clicks over time**.
* **Top referrers, channels, countries, devices, and browsers**.

Bots that follow the link (for example, a chat app generating a link preview) are redirected so the preview still works, but their clicks are **not counted**.

<Note>
  Shortlink clicks are **not** counted as site traffic in your overview, sessions, or users — a redirect click isn't a visit to your site. They appear on the shortlink's own stats page and in your [events explorer](/docs/event-analytics).
</Note>

## Frequently asked questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Do shortlink clicks count as site traffic in tinyanalytics?">
    No. Shortlink clicks are **not** counted in your overview, sessions, or users — a redirect click isn't a visit to your site. They appear on the shortlink's own stats page and in your [events explorer](/docs/event-analytics).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Are bot clicks on a shortlink counted?">
    No. Bots that follow a tinyanalytics shortlink — a chat app generating a link preview, for example — are still redirected so the preview works, but their clicks are **not counted** in the shortlink's stats.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I choose my own shortlink slug?">
    Yes. tinyanalytics generates a short, unambiguous slug by default, or you can set a **custom slug** you'll remember. Custom slugs are globally unique, so choose another if yours is already taken. Either way the link ends in `/l/<slug>`. Add a **title** as well so the link is easy to find later.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Do UTM parameters work on a shortlink?">
    Yes. Add campaign parameters to the short URL itself — for example `?utm_source=newsletter` — and tinyanalytics captures them with the click, so your shortlink traffic shows up correctly in acquisition reports.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Related

<Columns cols={2}>
  <Card title="Acquisition & channels" icon="signs-post" href="/docs/web-analytics-dashboard">
    See where your traffic comes from.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Events explorer" icon="bolt" href="/docs/event-analytics">
    Find shortlink clicks among your events.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Goals" icon="bullseye" href="/docs/conversion-goal-tracking">
    Measure what clicks go on to do.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Filter your data" icon="filter" href="/docs/analytics-filters">
    Slice clicks by source, country, or device.
  </Card>
</Columns>


## Related topics

- [Analytics Channels and Attribution](/docs/resources/analytics-channel-attribution.md)
- [Exclude Internal and Unwanted Traffic](/docs/exclude-traffic-from-analytics.md)
- [tinyanalytics API Playground](/docs/api-reference/api-playground.md)