URL Shortener

The URL shortener allows SMS, Email and similar events to

• shorten a long URL to short one.
• Track clicks
• Track opens in email
• Unsubscribe - a 2 click unsubscribe link

The URL shortener requires a domain to work, this is done by setting the domain plan.

For example it will change the text

Hello John, check the offer at amazon.com/blue/widgets

to

Hello John, check the offer at ajer2.com/al2

the al2 param is generated per SMS or Email and is unique.

Domains

The domains are used to create short links in the SMS message for example: hi offerdomain.com/?params=28ufh will become hi sho.rt/abcd

By default you will use our domain plan and accounts to purchase it and will be billed according to the related cost of the domain.

When setting Custom Plan domains will be purchased specifically for your account and you will be charged per domain and not per SMS.

Domain names will be 4 random chars when possible, f.e: a2fd.com

Managing domains on platform

Under the Campaigns > Create > Texts section at the bottom you can click "Advance" there you will see the Enable Dedicated Domains section. There you can choose the rules you want to add to the logic of the domains

Select the domain plan you want to use, if no domain plan is set in your account a prompt will ask you for the domain name.

Domain selection logic

• Country - which country to apply to
• SMS company - which company to apply this logic to
• Priority - the higher the number the more likely it will be selected.

Domains attributes

• TLD - From the TLD drop down which domain you want to purchase for that rule. Examples: .com, .net, .org etc'
• Max SMS per domain - will disable the domain after the SMS amount reached
• Domains in rotation - How many domains will be used while sending. For example, if 2 domains in rotation: SMS 1 - domain A, SMS 2 - domain B, SMS 3, domain A ...
• Domains in backlog - As domains take time for their DNS to be assigned it's a good practice if you have Max SMS per domain to enable a Domains in backlog with value of your expected weekly domains use. This will allow the domains to be ready to sending and won't affect sending.
• Domain pattern - The pattern to be used to buy domains, f.e "abcd" domains will be bought abcd1, abcd2, abcd3.. - (available only via API)

Costs

If using platform domains you will charged per the usage of the SMS per domains in rotation. When using dedicated domains you will be charged when domains are purchased.

Logic schema

The domains for the SMS are used to create a unique short link per sms message, this allows customers to track click conversions as well as spread the risk of sms not arriving due to filtering.

Diagram - User uses URL shortener.

graph TD;
    Start(Start) --> Create(Create Unique Short Link Per SMS)
    Create --> Send(Send SMS)
    Send --> Track(SMS Track Click Conversions)
    Send --> Spread(Avoiding SMS Filtering)
    Track --> End(User receives the SMS)
    Spread --> End

class Track internal-link
class Spread internal-link

Diagram - Domain selection process

graph TD;

User(User Sends SMS) --> SelectPlan(Selects Domain Plan)

SelectPlan --> FindRule(Domain plan - Decide on Domain rule)

FindRule --> |Found| UseRule(Use Rule Settings)

FindRule --> |Not Found| UseDefault(Use Plan Default Settings)

UseRule --> PurchaseSettings(Domain plan - purchase domains settings)

UseDefault --> PurchaseSettings

PurchaseSettings --> ChooseDomain(URL Shortener domain)

class SelectPlan internal-link
class FindRule internal-link
class PurchaseSettings internal-link
class ChooseDomain internal-link

FAQ

How do I connect my own domain to the URL shortener

You will need to point the A record of the domain to one of this 2 IP's

1. 3.249.255.65
2. 209.38.230.145

After that by going to the campaigns https://app.comm.com/settings/url-shortener and click the Connect domain

How do I purchase a single domain?

The purchase function in the domain plans

How do I connect a domain account?

How do I pay for platform domain account domains?

How do I connect an existing domain to the URL shortener?

How do I set which domains automatically get bought?

Under https://app.comm.com/settings/url-shortener/plan you can configure the pattern in which you want domains to be bought.