When I first started working on LinkShortener.io, I thought I was building something simple. Shorten a long, messy URL, make it easier to share — job done. But the truth is, the way businesses use links has changed a lot, and it’s still changing fast.
So, where will link shorteners be one year from now? From what I’ve seen firsthand, the next 12 months are going to look very different.
One year from now, I expect analytics to be at the centre of every short link. Businesses don’t just want a click count anymore — they want to know who clicked, where they were, and what happened next.
At LinkShortener.io, we’ve already seen users push for geo and device tracking, and I think that’s only the start. Short links are turning into lightweight analytics tools in their own right.
We know our clients that use LinkShortener for their email marketing campaigns where they apply telephone numbers and email addresses but weren’t being picked up in their click reports. But since using LinkShortener.io, the whole team uses us to shorten these links to display all click data so you monitor the engagement.
When links look random, people hesitate to click. That’s why branded domains are growing so fast. They build trust and boost click-through rates.
We added branded short links after hearing from users who didn’t feel safe sharing random strings of letters. The difference was clear: branded links get more clicks. And branding with custom domains is becoming more of a default of customers using short links, because of the nature and awareness users are of phishing, spam or malware links. Branded domains offer that reassurance to the end user that the link is safe to click on.
Phishing and spam are top concerns for users today. A branded domain signals safety before someone even clicks.
QR codes aren’t going anywhere. They’re one of the most effective ways to connect offline and online.
A year from now, I see shorteners offering even more QR templates for platforms like Instagram, Just Eat, or Google Maps. It makes it simple for a customer to scan and land exactly where you want them.
We have several customers that use us for their QR code generation, and one common way we are seeing is the in-restaurant or café experience. From adding QR codes on the doors and windows to review, to scanning a code to pull the latest menus, reducing print costs.
Restaurants and cafés are leading the way, but QR codes are now just as common on packaging, posters, and events.
What excites me most is how short links connect different marketing channels. Email, SMS, social media, even print campaigns — they all tie together with a single, trackable link.
In the next year, I think shorteners will play an even bigger role in link-in-bio pages and multi-channel tracking. It’s a simple tool that unifies complex campaigns.
As we mentioned earlier, shops are using QR codes more and more to connect the in-store offline world to the online world — from pushing social media followers to Trustpilot and Google reviews.
So, where will link shorteners be a year from now? Smarter, safer, and far more essential to digital marketing than most people realise.At LinkShortener.io, that’s exactly what we’re building towards: tools that give businesses more trust, more insight, and more control. And I’m excited to see how far we can take it in the next 12 months.
Written By: Shaun Reynolds, Founder of LinkShortener.io
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