The question of whether to use Bitly links in email marketing campaigns is a common one, especially when trying to maintain strong email deliverability. On one hand, URL shorteners like Bitly offer convenience, tracking capabilities, and can make long, unwieldy links more aesthetically pleasing. On the other hand, there's a persistent concern that these links might negatively impact your inbox placement rates, potentially landing your carefully crafted emails in spam folders.
I’ve encountered this dilemma many times, and it often comes down to balancing marketing needs with the technical realities of email security and spam filtering. My general stance, and one widely shared among email deliverability professionals, is to approach generic URL shorteners in email with caution. While they have their uses in other digital marketing channels, email is a different beast entirely.
The core issue isn't with link shortening itself, but with the reputation of the shared domain used by services like Bitly. When you use a bit.ly link, you're effectively borrowing the reputation of the bit.ly domain. This can be problematic because these domains are frequently abused by spammers and malicious actors, leading to them being widely blacklisted (or blocklisted).
The impact on deliverability and trust
When your email contains a link to a publicly known URL shortener, email service providers (ESPs) and spam filters become highly suspicious. They’re designed to protect users from phishing, malware, and spam, and abused shortened URLs are a common vector for such threats. Even if your ultimate destination URL is legitimate, the intermediate bit.ly domain can trigger red flags.
One of the major concerns is how frequently these public shortener domains end up on various blacklists (or blocklists). When a domain is blacklisted, any email containing links from that domain, regardless of the sender's own reputation, risks being filtered as spam or rejected outright. This effectively trashes your email deliverability. It's a shared risk that many reputable senders prefer to avoid.
Some ESPs, like Gmail, have been known to actively block URL shorteners because spammers commonly use them to conceal malicious URLs. Even if you're using your own custom domain for click tracking within your ESP, the fact that it redirects to a generic shortener like bit.ly can still pose a risk. Filters analyze the entire redirect chain, and any suspicious hop can lead to deliverability issues.
Risks of using generic shorteners
Shared reputation: Public URL shortener domains are often used by spammers and scammers, leading to a poor shared reputation that can impact your legitimate emails.
Increased spam filtering: Spam filters are designed to detect and block emails containing suspicious links, including those from widely abused shortener domains, regardless of your sender reputation.
Hidden destinations: Shortened URLs obscure the final destination, which can erode recipient trust and trigger cautious behavior from internet service providers.
Even with an ESP's custom click tracking, redirecting to another shortener adds a layer of complexity that can be detrimental. Mailbox providers (MBPs) often analyze the entire redirect chain to assess link legitimacy. If your ESP's tracking link, which might be on your branded domain, then redirects to a bit.ly link, it introduces an additional hop with a potentially problematic reputation.
From a recipient's perspective, seeing a generic shortened link can also be off-putting. Most internet users are aware that scammers often hide malicious destinations behind shortened URLs. This lack of transparency can lead to decreased click-through rates, as recipients may hesitate to click on a link where the ultimate destination is unclear. Trust is paramount in email marketing, and opaque links can damage it.
I often think about the user experience. A direct, clearly labeled link is always preferable. It builds confidence and reduces friction. While shortened links might seem cleaner in plain-text emails, the trade-off in deliverability and trust is rarely worth it.
The problem is exacerbated when using a generic Bitly link that is then wrapped by your ESP's click tracking. This creates a multi-redirect scenario where the bit.ly domain is still present in the redirect chain. Some filtering techniques specifically count the number of redirects, and the presence of a known problematic domain like bit.ly makes the entire link path appear riskier. This can significantly impact your email deliverability and domain reputation.
Best practices for link usage
So, what's the alternative? The best practice is always to use your own domain for links within emails. This means either linking directly to content on your own website or, if you need tracking, using your ESP's custom tracking domain. Most reputable ESPs allow you to set up a custom tracking domain that mirrors your sender domain, maintaining brand consistency and reputation throughout the link chain.
If link shortening is absolutely necessary for aesthetics or character limits (e.g., in SMS, though some services block even Bitly in SMS), invest in a paid Bitly account or a similar service that allows you to use a branded short domain. This way, the short URL itself reflects your brand, and its reputation is tied solely to your usage, not to the collective actions of all users of the public bit.ly domain. This significantly mitigates the risk of being caught in a blocklist (or blacklist) due to someone else's misuse.
Direct links
When sending emails, the most straightforward and deliverability-friendly approach is to link directly to your content. This ensures clarity for the recipient and avoids any potential issues associated with redirects or third-party domain reputations.
Transparency: Recipients can see the full URL, enhancing trust.
Deliverability: Reduces redirect hops and reliance on external domain reputations, improving inbox placement.
Generic shortened links
Using generic shortened links, like those provided by the free version of bit.ly, is generally discouraged in email marketing due to the inherent risks to deliverability and sender reputation.
Reputation risk: Shares a domain that is frequently blacklisted (or blocklisted) due to abuse by spammers.
Filter triggers: Increases the likelihood of emails being flagged as spam by various email security systems.
Handling third-party Bitly links
When working with clients or third-party content providers, you might find yourself in a situation where they insist on using Bitly links for their own tracking. This is a tricky situation, as their tracking needs shouldn't compromise your deliverability. I've been there, and it's a battle worth fighting for your sender reputation.
In such cases, it's crucial to educate your clients on the risks. Explain that while Bitly offers valuable analytics, using their generic bit.ly domain in emails can lead to their promotions (and your overall campaign) landing in spam. Propose alternatives, such as using your own ESP's click tracking for their links, or asking them to use a custom, branded short domain if they have a paid Bitly account.
It’s also wise to establish clear guidelines or a prohibited list of link domains in your campaign specifications for third-party promotions. This proactively addresses the issue and sets expectations. Protecting your sender reputation is paramount, as recovering from a poor reputation or a domain blocklisting can be a long and arduous process.
Remember, the goal is to get your emails delivered to the inbox. While convenience and granular tracking are important, they should not come at the expense of deliverability. Prioritizing your domain's reputation and maintaining transparent, direct linking practices will serve you best in the long run.
Views from the trenches
Best practices
Always use your own domain or your ESP's custom tracking domain for all links within your emails to maintain brand consistency and control over your link reputation.
Educate clients and third-party content providers about the deliverability risks associated with using generic URL shorteners in email marketing campaigns.
Establish a clear list of prohibited link domains in your campaign guidelines for third-party content to prevent the inclusion of problematic shortened URLs.
Regularly monitor your email deliverability rates and domain reputation to quickly identify and address any issues arising from link usage or other factors.
Common pitfalls
Relying on generic public URL shorteners like bit.ly, tinyurl.com, or goo.gl, which have shared reputations often negatively impacted by spammers and malicious actors.
Nesting generic shortened links within your ESP's click-tracking system, creating multiple redirects that can trigger spam filters and add unnecessary friction.
Failing to communicate with third-party content providers about link best practices, leading to the inclusion of problematic URLs in your campaigns.
Prioritizing aesthetic brevity or external tracking over the crucial aspect of email deliverability, resulting in emails landing in spam folders.
Expert tips
Use a branded short domain (e.g., yourbrand.link) if you absolutely need to shorten URLs for email, as this keeps the reputation tied to your brand.
For optimal deliverability, consider hyperlinking relevant text in your email body directly to your desired destination, avoiding visible URLs altogether.
Remember that email service providers are becoming increasingly sophisticated in detecting suspicious link patterns, so a clean and direct link path is always preferred.
If a client insists on using their own third-party tracking, suggest they implement a custom tracking domain with their chosen service, thereby maintaining their own link reputation.
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks says I would generally avoid using Bitly links in email because there's usually no good reason for them.
2022-11-17 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks says domains inside redirects can also cause deliverability issues, reinforcing the need to avoid multiple hops to shorteners.
2022-11-17 - Email Geeks
Maintaining a strong link strategy
In conclusion, while Bitly and other URL shortening services can be useful for tracking and aesthetics in other contexts, their use in email marketing, especially with generic domains, carries significant risks to your email deliverability. The potential for shared bad reputation and increased scrutiny from spam filters outweighs the perceived benefits.
Prioritize transparency and directness in your email links. Use your own branded domain, either directly or via your ESP's custom click-tracking feature. If third-party links are unavoidable, insist on a branded short domain to protect your sender reputation and ensure your messages reach the inbox. Your efforts to build a strong email program depend on it.
Gmail, have been known to actively block URL shorteners because spammers commonly use them to conceal malicious URLs. Even if you're using your own custom domain for click tracking within your ESP, the fact that it redirects to a generic shortener like bit.ly can still pose a risk. Filters analyze the entire redirect chain, and any suspicious hop can lead to deliverability issues.
