Guides & eBooks

Everything we know about links, organized into learning paths. All free, no email gate.

URL shortening basics

Start here: what short links are, why they work and how to use them well.

Start here: How to Shorten URLs

QR code mastery

Create, style, size and deploy QR codes that actually get scanned.

Start here: Beginner's Guide to Creating QR Codes

Branding & custom links

Vanity URLs, branded domains and naming conventions that build trust.

Start here: Understanding Vanity URLs: Why They're Essential and How to Use Them

Tracking & analytics

Tracking links, campaign attribution and safe-link verification.

Start here: Understanding Tracking Links: A Guide to Creating Shortened URLs

Tools & comparisons

How GoTo.now stacks up, plus the wider shortener landscape.

Start here: Best Bitly Alternatives for Free Link Shortening

Guides FAQs

Are the guides free to read?

All of them - No email gate, no signup wall. Every guide is a regular article you can read right now.

Where should a complete beginner start?

The URL shortening basics path, starting with How to Shorten URLs - Then QR code mastery once you print anything. Unfamiliar words? The glossary has every term.

How current are the guides?

The whole library was reviewed and updated in July 2026, and articles are revised whenever the product changes.

Want everything? Browse the full blog archive.