Why New Domains are an awesome pick for branded links

Social link shorteners are by no means a new phenomenon in the social media sphere, but it hasn’t been until recently that brands have understood the power of custom link shorteners. Rather than using generic short links (like ones that Bitly and Google offer), increasingly more social media users are creating their own unique versions that reflect their brand and personality.

But even as we see the uptick in usage for branded links, we’ve noticed something even more interesting: Many of these custom links feature New Domain extensions. With brands using everything from .SOCIAL to .LIVE for their distinctive link shorteners, it’s clear that companies and public figures alike have discovered the power of combining a New Domain with a branded link.

So why are so many people turning to New Domains while creating branded links? We’ve explored the biggest reasons below.

1. They won’t get mixed up with your main website: When you use a domain to create a branded link shortener, it can only be used for that purpose—meaning that if you were planning to use your main URL as a link shortener, you’re sadly out of luck. But there are benefits to creating a unique domain just for social media purposes. For example, it makes analytics tracking easier because you’ll be able to specifically tell which traffic is being driven by clicks and shares on social media. It’s also your chance to give your social media presence its own unique character.

2. New Domains are relevant to your content: Customizability is one of the biggest benefits of using a New Domain extension while creating branded links. Sure you can always get creative to the left of the dot while registering a legacy TLD, but you’re much more restricted by what’s available. When choosing a New Domain extension, you have the freedom to reflect your interests or personality. Photographers can use a .PHOTO extension while media outlets can use .NEWS. Want to inject some fun and personality into your brand? Try .NINJA or .ROCKS. Or, keep it simple with a highly-relevant .SOCIAL domain ending.

3. Big-name brands are already using them: Marketers from major companies have already recognized the value of New Domains for their branded links. Branded links increase brand awareness and trust, which leads to more engagement and a higher click-through rate. The Seattle Times uses st.news, Chick-fil-A has adopted chickfila.social, and StubHub uses stub.live on its social channels—and that’s is just the tip of the iceberg. As these thought leaders recognize the value of using a distinctive URL to share social links, influencers and and smaller brands are following in their footsteps.

Ready to set up your own branded link shortener?

Savvy social media users have already recognized the power of branded links, and it’s time for you to do the same. Rebrandly makes it easy to set up a custom links and track their performance through campaigns and analytics. And now that they’ve integrated with Name Apps, setting up your branded link shortener has never been easier.