Bitly lets you create short links, Dynamic QR Codes, and mobile landing pages in one place. You can track clicks and scans to see what’s working and figure out where your engagement funnel needs improvement. This guide is for new users, small teams, and marketers testing our tools who want a clear path from sign-up to first share.
You’ll learn how to open an account, shorten your first link, create a QR Code, build a Bitly Page, check basic performance, and use a few time-saving tips.
Key takeaways
- Start free, then create one short link so you learn the full create → copy → share → check workflow before you explore advanced features.
- Custom back-halves are the highest-value beginner move. bit.ly/summer-menu tells someone what they are about to open, while bit.ly/2e33F2rrZ does not.
- Bitly lets you link your marketing with branded short URLs, Dynamic QR Codes, Landing Pages, UTM Tracking, and Deep Analytics.
Why use Bitly for your marketing campaigns?
Bitly gives you one place to create and brand short URLs and link your marketing efforts with additional tools like pages and QR Codes. We’re also the place to view reports detailing the user data these assets collect on your behalf. Bitly short URLs provide two key benefits other shortened links don’t:
- Each link is editable after publication. The destination need not be finished before you commit to print.
- Every link gathers analytics data. A click is a measurement. It is the only report you get back from a printed poster, a business card, or a text message.
Try this on your own numbers. List every place you shared a link last month, then write the click count beside each one. The rows you cannot fill are the campaign insight static link shorteners are costing you today.
“I like how simple it is to use, and I really appreciate how quick and straightforward the initial setup was.” — Suzanne F, Director of Operations, Nashville on the Move of Compass RE.
Bitly Links boost brand exposure
Bitly Links are short links you can name, organize, and track. The part after the slash is the back half, and you get to choose it.
That choice matters more than it looks. bit.ly/3xKp9Qm tells a reader nothing, so clicking it is an act of faith. bit.ly/FlashSale20 tells them exactly what happens next. Branded links see a 2.3x increase in clicks compared to unbranded links, and back halves are a free branding opportunity we offer to every user. Our guide on shortening a URL covers the mechanics.
One constraint to know before you plan a free campaign: Back-halves are unique across the entire bit.ly domain. Every Bitly user shares that namespace, so plain words like /sale went years ago. Add something specific to your brand, like /your-brand-name_sale rather than /sale, and you can find the perfect free short URL. Letters, numbers, dashes (-), and underscores (_) are allowed, and up to 255 characters.
Bitly Codes optimize your short URLs for omnichannel engagement
QR Codes move short links onto the physical page in a user-friendly format. Someone points a phone at a printed square and lands on your destination. That is how a poster or package panel becomes a channel you can count on.
Your audience already knows the gesture. In 2024, TEAM LEWIS found that 68% of consumers had used QR Codes at least once in the last year. You can set the colors, pattern, frame, and logo, then export as a PNG, JPEG, or SVG for a designer or a printer. We provided a full walkthrough in How to Make a QR Code Using Bitly.
Bitly Analytics helps surface what your short links report
Bitly Analytics turns clicks and scans into four actionable insights.
| Metric | What it tells you | What you do with it |
| Total engagement | Clicks on links and Pages, plus QR Code scans | Compare assets against each other |
| Top locations | Country and city geolocation | Decide where to run the next spend |
| Technology | Device, browser, and referrer | See which platform actually sent the traffic |
| Campaigns | Grouped links and codes | Judge numbers by initiative instead of one asset |
The referrer information, collected via UTM tracking, is the one beginners underestimate. It answers the question every content calendar eventually raises: Which platform sends paying customers, rather than which platform got the most likes.
Bitly Pages: A destination when you don’t have one
Bitly Pages are mobile landing pages you build without code. Pick a template, add buttons and images, publish, share one URL.
A page earns its place when a single link serves multiple purposes. HubSpot reports the average landing page conversion rate is 5.89% across industries, and a single-purpose page generally performs better than a generic homepage that makes visitors hunt. Our Bitly Pages explainer offers a more in-depth look at how your free pages can add weight to your campaign.
How to use Bitly: Two simple steps
Create a free account and make a free link. That’s the best way to test our platform.
Step 1: Create a Bitly account
You need an email address or a Google account, but our free plan doesn’t require a credit card.
- Go to Bitly.com and choose a paid plan or select Sign up Free in the upper-right corner.
- Sign up with Google or with an email address, and answer the onboarding questions.
- Verify your email if you didn’t sign up using your existing Google account.
Our tiered plans are grouped by what you are doing, not by company size. Free and Core cover getting started. Growth and Premium add branded domains, higher volumes, and longer analytics history retention. Enterprise covers large teams. Everything you create stays yours when you move between tiers.
Compare tiers on the pricing page or follow our support document to sign up for a Bitly account.
Step 2: Shorten your first link
Three ways in. Selecting Quick Create on your dashboard is fastest once you are signed in. Create new → Shorten a link starts the same process with more options, and the keyboard shortcut is L.
- Copy the destination URL and paste it into the Destination URL field.
- Choose your domain (bit.ly by default, or your own if you have one) and set a custom back-half, such as /yourbrand-VIP
- Set optional toggles and metadata, such as a title, tags, a matching QR Code, or a Bitly Page, then select Create.
Put UTM tags into the destination URL before you shorten it, not after. Bitly forwards the whole URL including the query string, so the tags reach Google Analytics intact and the short link stays clean.
Enhancing your Bitly Link marketing
Generate a QR Code
Use Create new → QR Code, or toggle on QR Code when you build a short link.
- Select Create new → Create a QR Code, paste in the destination URL, and select Design your code.
- Set the pattern, corners, colors, frame, and logo.
- Select Create your code and download it as a PNG, JPEG, or SVG.
Test a printed proof, not just the code on the screen. Print one proof, scan it from the distance where a real person would stand, then scan it again in a dim place. Use SVG-format QR Codes for anything printed, since they stay sharp at any size.
Create a landing page with Bitly Pages
A Bitly Page can serve as a campaign destination or a link-in-bio page for social profiles.
- Select Create new → Build a landing page and choose a template.
- Set the page URL and add buttons, images, video, and copy.
- Publish and create a matching short link and QR Code.
Read the analytics
Open Bitly Analytics from your dashboard a day or two after you share something.
Expect the first number to look high. When you post a link in Slack, iMessage, WhatsApp, or most social platforms, the app fetches it to build the preview card in the message. Those fetches register before a single human has clicked, and your own test clicks count too.
How you’ll know it worked
Four short checks:
- The short URL resolves for a stranger. Open the short URL in an incognito browser window. Does it reach the right page? You’re all done. If you hit a sign-in screen, your destination URL was session-specific, so recopy it while logged out and generate a short link from that URL.
- The back half saves. An error when generating the short address you want means that the back half is already taken somewhere on the bit.ly domain. Add a date or a word and try again.
- The QR Code scans off paper. Scan the printed proof at real distance and in poor light. If it fails on paper but works on screen, go bigger first, then raise the contrast, then check the margin.
- The clicks are moving. Click your short URL once yourself, and confirm that the number in your analytics pane updates. If it stays at zero after a day of real sharing, check that you shared the short link and not the long URL.
Free plan features at a glance
Bitly’s Free plan is real and ongoing (no credit card needed), with unlimited clicks and scans on everything you create. That mix is why many beginners start free to learn how to create a Bitly link. They can test 2 QR Codes each month, publish 2 simple Pages, and use them all forever at no cost. Use the table below to plan your first assets so they derive the most value from our Free tier features.
| Feature | Free | Why it matters for beginners |
|---|---|---|
| Short links | 5/month | Enough to test social, email, and SMS |
| Custom back-halves | 3/month | Makes links readable and on-brand |
| QR Codes | 2/month | Ideal for one print test + one backup |
| Bitly Pages | 2 | Room for a link-in-bio page and a funnel-specific landing page. |
| API calls | 1,000/month | Enough free calls to build your own automation platform without spending a cent on platform access. |
| Clicks & scans | Unlimited | Traffic never shuts off, no matter how viral you go |
For the full breakdown, see our Bitly Free plan guide and compare tiers on the pricing page.
Getting more out of Bitly
Customize your short links
Custom back-halves work on every plan and cost you nothing but a few seconds. Growth, Premium, and Enterprise add branded links on a domain you own, so the whole address of each short URL carries your name rather than just the tail.
Keep back-halves under about 20 characters, use words a person could read aloud over the phone, and stay consistent across a campaign. /spring-email and /spring-sms sort together in your dashboard and tell you which channel did the work.
Brand your QR Codes
Customized QR Codes see a 3.8x increase in scans versus uncustomized codes. A code that matches the packaging it sits on reads as something the brand deliberately put there.
Frame text does much of that work with very little effort. “Scan for the menu” performs differently from a bare square: It tells the reader what they get for taking out their phone.
Integrate Bitly with other tools
Bitly connects to the tools you already use, so you can shorten links while you draft rather than in a separate tab. Browse the Bitly Marketplace for integrations that fit your stack. Common setups run through design tools like Canva, collaboration environments like Slack, and platforms like HubSpot and Shopify. A WordPress plugin handles shortening and collecting click data without leaving your site.
Use shortcuts, the browser extension, and the mobile app
Press L or B for a link, Q for a QR Code, and Enter after the destination for a fast create.
The Bitly browser extension shortens the page you are on in Chrome, Edge, or Firefox, and creates QR Codes too. You can learn more about it in our Chrome extension guide. Our mobile app supports iOS and Android, and is what you want at an event when a code needs to be redirected from the floor.
Automate with Bitly’s API
The Bitly API creates links programmatically and integrates Bitly with your systems. Start there for authentication, endpoints, and webhooks. API access starts on our Free tier, so you can build bespoke solutions without paying a dime. For bulk work without code, CSV upload supports batch processing on Growth and above, and our MCP server enables industry-standard LLM integration.
Where to go next
- One level up: The complete guide to URL shortening, for understanding short links as a discipline rather than a task.
- Deeper on short link creation: How to shorten a URL.
- Deeper on QR Codes: How to make a QR Code using Bitly.
- Sideways: Bitly Pages and the Chrome extension.
Start creating with Bitly today
A Bitly link points to your destination rather than containing it, which is why it can be tracked and changed. Make one, test it logged out, share it, and read the clicks a day later.
Bitly is the marketing platform that helps businesses of all sizes see what’s working. Simply and clearly.
Link your marketing. Sign up for free and create your first short link on Bitly today.
Frequently asked questions
How do I use Bitly as a beginner?
Create a free account, then select Create new → Shorten a link on the main menu, or press L. Paste your long URL, and add a custom back half. Select Create your link, copy the link, then open it in a private window to check it works. Share it, and check the click count a day later.
Is Bitly free to use?
Yes. You can create an account for free with no credit card. A free account includes 5 short links and QR Codes each month, plus two Bitly Pages, and custom back-halves, with unlimited clicks and scans on everything you create. Features and monthly amounts vary by plan, so check the pricing page for the latest details.
How does Bitly work?
Bitly stores a mapping between your short link and your destination URL. When someone clicks or scans, Bitly looks up the mapping and forwards them, recording the click along the way. The destination is never written into the short link, which is why the two can be managed separately.
How do I open a Bitly link, and is it safe?
Click it like any other link. To see where it goes first, paste it into the Bitly Link Checker or add a plus sign (+) to the end in your browser’s regular address bar. Bitly shows the destination. Bitly blocks known malicious destinations and displays a warning page instead of forwarding you.
Can I change where a Bitly link points after I share it?
Yes, on paid plans. Because the short link points to a stored destination rather than containing it, editing the destination updates every copy in circulation, including printed ones. Confirm this is available on your plan before a print run depends on it.
Does a short link affect my SEO?
Not in the way people usually worry about. A short link redirects to your page rather than duplicating it, and search engines index the destination. Use the full URL on web pages you control, and short links where a full URL will not fit or cannot be counted.
Does the Bitly Free plan include analytics?
The free plan includes landing page view tracking for Bitly Pages. Click and scan history for short links and QR codes starts on paid plans, with longer history windows as you move up tiers. Compare plans on the pricing page.
