Understanding Vanity URLs: Why They're Essential and How to Use Them
Learn why Vanity URLs matter for social media optimization and how GoTo.now helps create custom, professional links that improve e…
Branded links that look like you, not a random string
Branded short links get more clicks because people can see where they're going. Customize every goto.now link with a readable, on-brand back-half.
Brand your links Sign up free
Your link is the first thing they read
Before anyone sees your landing page, they see your link. goto.now/summer-menu says exactly what's coming; a random code says nothing and asks for blind trust. Branded back-halves put your message in the URL itself - Free, on every link you create while signed in.
- Free custom back-halves on every link
- Readable links raise click-through ~34%
- Instant availability check as you type
A naming convention is a superpower
brand-channel-offer: adopt one pattern and your whole team's links become an index you can read. Reporting gets faster, handovers stop losing context and audits take minutes. It's the cheapest piece of marketing infrastructure you'll ever deploy.
- Self-documenting campaign links
- Consistent links across teams and agencies
- Stats pages slot straight into reports
Say it, print it, remember it
Readable links work in places raw URLs can't go: spoken on a podcast, printed under a QR code for accessibility, typed from a billboard glimpsed at a red light. If a human has to carry your link in their head - Even for ten seconds - Branding it is the difference between traffic and nothing.
- Speakable on radio, podcasts and stage
- Typable from print and slides
- Memorable enough for repeat visits
Everything Branded Links gives you
Readable back-halves
goto.now/spring-menu beats a random code. Custom slugs tell people what they'll get before they click.
Higher click-through
Descriptive, branded links consistently earn more clicks than anonymous ones - Trust drives taps.
Anti-phishing by design
Every destination can be verified with our public link checker, so your audience can always confirm where a goto.now link leads.
Consistent campaigns
Use a naming convention (goto.now/brand-channel-offer) and your whole team's links stay organized and auditable.
Say it out loud
Readable links work on radio, podcasts and stage slides - Places where a random string is unusable.
Memorable = repeatable
People can retype a clean branded link from memory. That's free repeat traffic.
Create a branded link
1
Sign in free
Custom back-halves are available to registered users at no cost.
2
Paste your URL and choose a slug
Pick something short, descriptive and on-brand. We'll tell you instantly if it's available.
3
Ship it everywhere
Use it in ads, print, social and email - One clean link per campaign.
Branded Links FAQs
What is a branded or vanity link?
A short link whose back-half is a chosen word or phrase (goto.now/summer-sale) rather than random characters. It signals the destination and builds trust.
Are custom back-halves free?
Yes - Create a free account and set a custom back-half on any new link, subject to availability.
Can I change a link's back-half later?
Back-halves are permanent once created (existing shares would break otherwise), but you can always create a new alias and retire the old one.
Further reading
Guides from the blog that go deeper on branded links.
Understanding Branded Short Domains
Learn how branded short domains boost trust, engagement, and brand recognition. Use GoTo.now to create and track custom short link…