Link Shortening and Custom URLs

Quick Answer

Create shortened, memorable links for your affiliate campaigns using the Affiliate Portal's built-in shortener or external services. Custom URLs make sharing easier while maintaining full tracking and attribution for your 30% commission.

Overview

Long affiliate links with tracking parameters can be unwieldy for social media, text messages, or verbal sharing. Link shortening creates clean, professional URLs while preserving all tracking capabilities. You can also create custom campaign names that are easy to remember and share.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Access Link Management

Log into your Affiliate Portal at affiliate.heritageweb.com
Navigate to "Links & Creatives"
Click "Create New Link"

Step 2: Create Your Custom Campaign Link

Select your target page (HeritageWeb.com or specific publication)
Name your campaign (e.g., "spring-workshop" or "linkedin-posts")
Add UTM parameters:
- utm_source (e.g., facebook, email, workshop)
- utm_medium (e.g., social, newsletter, presentation)
- utm_campaign (e.g., may2024, lawfirm-outreach)
Click "Generate Link"

Step 3: Shorten Your Link

Copy your generated tracking link
Click "Create Short Link"
Choose custom alias if desired (e.g., /workshop2024)
System generates short URL: hw.link/workshop2024
Test the shortened link immediately

Step 4: Using External Shorteners (Optional)

Copy your full Heritage Web affiliate link
Paste into Bitly, TinyURL, or similar service
Create custom back-half if available
Important: Test that cookies still set properly
Save both original and shortened versions

Custom URL Best Practices

Naming Conventions

Keep aliases short and memorable
Use descriptive names (hw.link/lawyers not hw.link/xyz123)
Include year/month for time-sensitive campaigns
Avoid special characters or spaces

Campaign Organization

Campaign Type	Example Alias	Use Case
Events	/chicago-mixer	Networking events
Social Media	/linkedin-cpa	Platform-specific tracking
Email	/newsletter-may	Email campaigns
Partners	/smithfirm	Co-marketing efforts

Tracking Multiple Channels

Create unique shortened links for each marketing channel
Use consistent UTM naming conventions
Document your links in a spreadsheet
Review performance weekly in analytics

Important Notes

Attribution Preserved: Shortened links maintain the full 60-day cookie window and 12-month commission eligibility. There's no difference in tracking between long and short URLs.

Mobile Sharing: Short links are essential for SMS marketing where character limits apply. They also look more professional in social media posts.

Verbal Sharing: Create memorable shortcuts for in-person networking. "Visit hw.link/accountants" is easier to remember than a full URL with parameters.

FAQs

Q: Do shortened links affect my commission? A: No, shortened links work identically to full links. You earn the same 30% commission on all purchases within 12 months of account creation.

Q: Can I change a short link after creating it? A: No, once created, a short link is permanent. Create a new one if you need changes. This ensures your existing marketing materials continue working.

Q: How many custom links can I create? A: Unlimited. Create as many campaign-specific links as needed to track your different marketing efforts.

Q: Should I use Heritage Web's shortener or external services? A: Use Heritage Web's built-in shortener when possible for best reliability. External services work but add another potential point of failure.