What is a vanity URL?
A vanity URL is a short, branded address on your own domain, like go.yourbrand.com/sale. It replaces a generic short link so it carries your name and earns more trust.
Shortlen Editorial · · 3 min read
The short answer
A vanity URL is a short, memorable link built on your own domain with a readable ending, like go.yourbrand.com/sale. It does the same redirect job as a plain short link, but it carries your brand name and a chosen back-half instead of a generic domain and random code, so people recognise it, trust it, and click it more often.
Key points
- A vanity URL is a branded short link on your own domain with a readable, chosen ending.
- It differs from a plain short link in two parts: your domain in front, and a custom back-half instead of a random code.
- Your own domain builds trust, because the link shows your name rather than a shared generic one.
- A readable back-half also tells people where the link leads before they click, which lifts click-through.
- Setting one up needs your own domain connected to the shortener — see [using your own domain](/blog/use-your-own-domain-for-short-links/).
On this page
A vanity URL is a short web address built on your own domain, with a readable ending you choose — something like go.yourbrand.com/sale instead of b1.lc/x7f2a. It does exactly the same job as any short link: it redirects whoever clicks to your real page. The difference is purely in how it looks and reads. A vanity URL carries your brand name up front and a meaningful word at the end, so it’s recognisable and self-explanatory.
Vanity URL vs a plain short link
A plain short link has two generic parts: a shared domain the shortener owns, and a random code, like b1.lc/x7f2a. A vanity URL replaces both:
- The front becomes your domain or subdomain —
go.yourbrand.com— instead of a domain shared with everyone else using the service. - The back becomes a word you choose —
/sale,/guide,/menu— instead of a random string.
Both links redirect identically and just as fast. The vanity version simply looks like it belongs to you and tells people what they’ll get. That’s why the terms vanity URL and branded link describe the same thing from two angles: one stresses the readable ending, the other the domain.
Why your own domain builds trust
When a link shows your name — go.yourbrand.com — people can see at a glance who it comes from. That recognition matters in a world where short links are also used by spammers on throwaway domains. A link on your own domain borrows your reputation, not a stranger’s, and that reassurance is often the difference between a click and a pass. It also keeps the whole redirect on a domain you control and trust, which, as covered in do short links hurt SEO, removes the small risks that come from sharing someone else’s domain.
Why the custom back-half earns clicks
The readable ending does quiet work too. /sale or /spring-guide tells someone where they’re going before they commit, while a random code tells them nothing. A link they can read is a link they’re more comfortable clicking, and it’s easier to say aloud, type, or remember for print and video. Picking a good one is its own small craft — the guide on choosing a good custom back-half covers what works and what to avoid.
How to set up a vanity URL
Creating a vanity URL comes down to connecting a domain you own to the shortener, then choosing the back-half when you make each link:
- Connect your domain (or a subdomain like
go.yourbrand.com) to the shortener. The guide on using your own domain for short links walks through this. - Create a link and set a readable back-half instead of accepting a random code.
- Share it. It now redirects like any short link, but on your name.
What to do next
A vanity URL turns an anonymous short link into one that carries your brand and earns more clicks. See the features for branded links on your own domain, read what a branded link is, or check the prices to see which plan adds a custom domain.
Questions people ask
Is a vanity URL the same as a branded link?
Effectively, yes. 'Vanity URL' and 'branded link' both describe a short link on your own domain with a chosen ending. 'Vanity' emphasises the readable custom back-half; 'branded' emphasises the domain. Shortlen supports both at once.
Do I need my own domain for a vanity URL?
Yes. The front part of a vanity URL is your domain (or a subdomain like go.yourbrand.com), so you connect a domain you own to the shortener. The guide on using your own domain for short links walks through it.
What makes a good custom back-half?
Short, readable, and relevant to the destination — like /sale or /guide rather than a random string. It should tell someone where they're headed. The guide on choosing a good custom back-half has specifics.
Does a vanity URL help with clicks?
It can. A link that shows your name and a readable ending looks trustworthy and tells people where it leads, so more of them click. The redirect speed is the same; the difference is recognition and trust.