Ever wished your website links looked cleaner and more professional? If you manage a WordPress site, you’ve probably noticed those long, clunky URLs that are hard to remember and even trickier to share. Clean, “pretty” links not only make your site look polished, but they also boost user trust and can improve your search rankings.
In this article, you’ll learn exactly how to create pretty links in WordPress. We’ll walk you through the simple steps and share practical tips to tidy up your URLs effortlessly.
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What Is Pretty Links for WordPress?
Pretty Links is a popular WordPress plugin designed to help you manage, brand, and track your website’s links. With Pretty Links, you can turn long, unattractive URLs into short and memorable links that match your brand. This is especially useful for bloggers, affiliate marketers, and website owners who want to track clicks, mask affiliate links, and make URLs look more trustworthy to their audience.
Put simply, Pretty Links acts as your site’s personal link manager—making it easy to create tidy, brand-friendly links and monitor how well they perform.
Why Use Pretty Links in WordPress?
Using Pretty Links offers several benefits for WordPress users:
– Brand Consistency: Make links match your site’s branding, helping build trust.
– Affiliate Link Cloaking: Hide lengthy affiliate URLs so they look appealing and professional.
– Link Tracking: Monitor how many clicks your links receive and from where.
– Easy Sharing: Share shorter, memorable links on social media, emails, podcasts, and print.
– Organization: Keep all your important URLs in one place with effective categorization.
How to Set Up Pretty Links in WordPress: Step-by-Step
Here’s a simple guide to get Pretty Links up and running on your WordPress website:
1. Install the Pretty Links Plugin
- Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
- From the left-hand menu, click on Plugins and select Add New.
- In the search bar, type “Pretty Links”.
- Locate the Pretty Links plugin and click Install Now.
- Once installed, click Activate.
2. Create Your First Pretty Link
- In your dashboard, find Pretty Links on the menu and click it.
- Select Add New Link.
- Enter your original (target) URL in the Target URL field.
- Create a custom, shortened link in the Pretty Link field (e.g.,
yoursite.com/offer). - Add a title and notes to help organize your links.
- Choose a redirection type (most users select 301 Permanent or 302 Temporary).
- Click Create to save your new pretty link.
3. Manage and Track Your Links
- All your links will be visible in the Pretty Links dashboard section.
- Here you can view:
- Click counts for each link
- Source of the traffic
- Update or edit links as needed
Key Features of Pretty Links
Pretty Links isn’t just a URL shortener. Here’s what makes it exceptional for WordPress users:
- Custom Short Links: Personalize your links using your website’s domain for professional branding.
- Redirection Types: Choose between permanent (301), temporary (302/307), or even JavaScript redirects.
- Link Grouping and Tagging: Organize links into categories for easy management.
- Automatic Keyword Replacement: Automatically convert specific keywords in your posts into Pretty Links.
- Advanced Tracking: Measure unique vs. total clicks, referrers, locations, and devices.
- Expiration and Scheduling: Set links to expire after a certain date or number of clicks.
- Reports and Exports: Generate exportable reports for deeper analysis.
- Optional Link Cloaking: Mask long affiliate links to look clean and avoid commission hijacking.
- QR Code Generation: Instantly generate QR codes for your pretty links.
Common Uses and Practical Applications
Pretty Links appeals to a wide range of website owners. Here’s how you might use it:
For Affiliate Marketers
- Hide ugly, complicated affiliate URLs.
- Track which affiliate campaigns or sources drive the most clicks.
- Modify or switch affiliate links site-wide, hassle-free.
For Bloggers
- Create short, memorable URLs for post linking or guest appearances.
- Protect affiliate commissions by cloaking links.
- Replace keywords with links automatically, saving time.
For Businesses
- Use branded short links on marketing collateral, business cards, or presentations.
- Track link performance in email campaigns and newsletters.
- Prevent broken links or redirect visitors to relevant pages after campaigns end.
For Podcasters, YouTubers, & Social Media Marketers
- Share easy-to-pronounce links (e.g., yoursite.com/mydeal) on-air or in the description.
- Make tracking marketing channels simple by assigning different links.
Benefits of Using Pretty Links
Here’s why Pretty Links is a game-changer for WordPress users:
- Saves Time: Manage hundreds of links from a single dashboard.
- Boosts Trust: Branded links look more reliable and encourage more clicks.
- Drives Conversions: Clean, short links can increase click-through rates.
- Improves SEO: Avoid duplicate content and manage redirects cleanly.
- Data-Driven Decisions: Detailed analytics inform your marketing efforts.
Challenges to Consider
No tool is perfect. Here are a few challenges some users might face:
- Learning Curve: Beginners may need a bit of time to explore all features.
- Plugin Conflicts: Some WordPress themes or plugins might not play well together, requiring troubleshooting.
- Server Load: Extensive use with high-traffic sites can increase server load slightly.
- Premium Limitations: Advanced features like automatic keyword linking or detailed analytics are only in paid plans.
Tips and Best Practices
To get the most out of Pretty Links, keep these tips in mind:
- Use Descriptive Slugs: Make your pretty links meaningful and easy to remember.
- Test Redirects Regularly: Ensure all your short links work and update if targets change.
- Monitor Analytics: Check which links perform best and adjust your strategies.
- Organize by Groups/Tags: Keep things tidy as your list of links grows.
- Secure Affiliate Links: Cloak affiliate URLs as an extra layer of protection and professionalism.
Free vs. Pro Version: What’s the Difference?
Pretty Links offers both free and premium versions.
Free Version
- Perfect for basic link shortening and redirection.
- Offers simple tracking (number of clicks, basic referrers).
Pro Version
- Includes advanced tracking (locations, split-testing, conversion reporting).
- Automatic keywords, more detailed link types, scheduling, and reporting.
- Best for power users, affiliates, and businesses wanting in-depth analytics and features.
Cost and Saving Tips
Pretty Links Free is available in the official WordPress plugin directory. However, if you need advanced functionalities, the Pro version is a wise investment.
- Free: Handles most individual and hobby needs.
- Pro: Tiered subscriptions—often best for growing businesses or affiliate marketers.
- Tip: Try the free version first. Upgrade only when you need advanced features to maximize savings.
- Discounts: Pretty Links sometimes offers discounts or coupons around major holidays.
Shipping costs are not relevant unless you’re using Pretty Links to manage e-commerce links for tangible goods. In that case, use Pretty Links tracking to identify which promotional links generate physical product sales, potentially reducing wasted shipping on poorly performing campaigns.
Summary
Pretty Links is an essential plugin for WordPress users who want to manage, brand, and track their links with ease. Whether you run a blog, an online store, or an affiliate marketing site, Pretty Links lets you create clean, memorable URLs on your own domain. With powerful analytics, link organization, and flexible redirect types, it takes the guesswork out of link management and marketing.
Start by installing the free version to experience the immediate benefits. Upgrade to Pro whenever you’re ready for more advanced link strategies. With Pretty Links, your WordPress site’s links become powerful tools for better branding, tracking, and conversions.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is Pretty Links used for?
Pretty Links is a WordPress plugin that helps you shorten, brand, manage, and track links on your website. It’s popular for cloaking affiliate links and making URLs more shareable and attractive.
Can I use Pretty Links for free?
Yes, there is a free version of Pretty Links available in the WordPress plugin directory. It covers most basic needs for link shortening and tracking. For advanced features, consider upgrading to the Pro version.
Is Pretty Links good for affiliate marketing?
Absolutely! Pretty Links can cloak unruly affiliate URLs, boost trust with branded links, and provide tracking analytics so you know which links drive conversions—all important for affiliate marketers.
Will Pretty Links slow down my website?
For most WordPress sites, Pretty Links is optimized to run efficiently. However, if you manage thousands of links and serve millions of redirects, monitor server performance and optimize if needed.
What happens to my links if I uninstall Pretty Links?
If you uninstall or deactivate Pretty Links, your pretty links (short URLs) will stop working and will not redirect visitors. It’s important to plan your link management and redirect needs before making changes to the plugin setup.