Loyalty programs are a powerful tool for fostering customer retention, but convincing your target audience to sign up can be a major hurdle. The sign-up experience often feels cumbersome, and without the right approach, potential members may lose interest before they even join.
Branded short links for registration simplify this journey, making it easy for customers to sign up for your rewards program from any platform—whether online or through physical promotions.
Why does this matter? Research shows that loyal customers are 64% more likely to make repeat purchases than new customers. By using short links to streamline the sign-up process, you can increase participation but also lay the foundation for long-term customer loyalty and repeat business.
Note: The brands and examples discussed below were found during our online research for this article.
Top benefits of short links for increasing loyalty program sign-ups
Increasing loyalty program sign-ups not only enhances customer engagement but can also significantly boost your business revenue. Short links play a crucial role in this process by simplifying access and improving the customer experience.
The Bitly URL shortener is an ideal tool to help achieve this, offering features like custom branded links, QR Codes, and link tracking that can have a major impact on your enrollment rates.
Let’s explore the top benefits of using short links for your loyalty program.
Simplify the sign-up process
Have you ever been overwhelmed by a lengthy sign-up form or forced to type out a long URL from a flyer or billboard? It’s tedious and may cause customers to abandon registration. Short links solve this problem by directing users to the enrollment page with one click—making program participation fast and straightforward.
Branded short links are easier to remember and recognize, and also build confidence and credibility. Customers can feel assured when engaging with a branded link, knowing it’s secure and trustworthy, which reduces their concerns about scams or phishing attempts.
These links can also streamline referral programs, making it simpler for existing loyalty program members to refer others and for new customers to join—particularly when paired with sign-up incentives.
Improve total click rates
With growing concerns about viruses, scams, or fraudulent websites, people are increasingly hesitant to click on long, unfamiliar URLs. Short links alleviate this concern and can drastically improve your enrollment rates.
Branded short links are proven to increase click rates by up to 39% compared to generic links. Let’s say you receive an email marketing campaign. Which link would you be more inclined to click on?
www.yourbusinessname.com/loyaltyprogramsignup
or
bit.ly/2WtPMc8
Many would lean toward trusting the branded option over the generic one.
By using Bitly’s tools, you can increase trust with branded links and track and analyze click rates. Bitly Analytics offers valuable insights into location, referrers, engagements over time, and even the device type, helping you measure the effectiveness of your loyalty program campaigns.
Enhance cross-channel marketing efforts
Social platforms, email clients, and mobile devices often impose character limits on URLs, which can cause long links to break or get cut off. Short links offer an easy workaround, enabling you to share links across multiple channels without worrying about character limits.
With Bitly’s mobile links, you can customize the destination of your short link based on the user’s device, ensuring a smooth experience across both mobile and desktop.
Whether shared through your email list, social media platforms, SMS, or printed materials like flyers and posters, branded short links help create a consistent and recognizable identity for your program across all marketing channels.
How to use short links effectively in loyalty program promotions
Customer loyalty programs are proven to increase retention and drive sales, but even the best programs can go unnoticed without proper promotion. Short links are an effective solution to boost visibility and drive participation.
Whether you’re incorporating short links into gamification in loyalty programs or using them on physical cards for in-store promotions, they play a crucial role in driving engagement and increasing customer lifetime value (CLV).
Follow these tips to use short links effectively in your loyalty program promotions:
Use branded links for a cohesive brand experience
Think of McDonald’s golden arches—they instantly communicate the brand and its products. That’s the power of cohesive branding. Without it, your program could cause confusion and erode customer confidence. Branded links provide a clear, recognizable identity for your business, building credibility and fostering customer commitment.
Consistent branding across all channels doesn’t just build recognition—it drives tangible results. In fact, companies with cohesive branding see up to a 23% increase in revenue. By using branded short links in your promotions, you ensure a unified user experience that strengthens your brand and drives repeat business.
Try A/B testing for optimal link performance
A/B testing is a reliable method for optimizing marketing strategies, and it’s highly effective when applied to short links. Create and test different versions of your links, each with slight variations in wording, calls to action (CTAs), or branding. Then, use Bitly Analytics to track each version’s performance and identify which one generates the most sign-ups.
For example, test “signup.coffeeshop.com” versus “join.coffeeshop.com” to determine which one resonates better with your target audience. Use these insights to refine your campaigns and drive even more registrations.
Place short links strategically across channels
To maximize sign-ups for your loyalty program, you need to make it easy for customers to access and join it. Place short links where your audience is most likely to engage, using them in various channels to widen your reach:
- Email newsletters promoting exclusive loyalty rewards with simple CTAs
- Social media posts featuring shortened links to drive immediate sign-ups
- SMS campaigns offering personalized incentives that encourage fast enrollment
- In-store signage or receipts with QR Codes that link directly to the sign-up page
Integrate short links with loyalty program platforms
Having a great reward system is only part of the equation. By integrating short links with your existing CRM or loyalty platform, you can streamline the sign-up process and enhance customer engagement.
This integration also provides valuable insights into customer behavior, enabling businesses to track interactions and tailor their offerings more effectively. For instance, retailers can use short links to automatically register new members, offering a convenient and data-driven marketing experience.
Pair short links with QR Codes
Because QR Codes are attached to a short link, the two go hand-in-hand—offering both clickable and scannable options for accessing your loyalty program sign-up page. Short links make long URLs more manageable and branded, while QR Codes provide a simple tap-and-go option for customers to access the same information with their smartphones. Together, they form a powerful combination for driving sign-ups and participation.
Creating QR Codes is a piece of cake with Bitly Codes. You can generate codes that are customizable and trackable and redirect them to your desired destination.
Here’s how short links and QR Codes can work together:
- Include a short link in your social media profile or bio and pair it with a corresponding QR Code on physical marketing materials for consistency.
- Add a QR Code to your email newsletter that links to a custom Bitly Pages landing page with details on program perks, exclusive offers, or how to use bonus points.
Additionally, personalized loyalty programs with QR Codes can help provide tailored rewards and exclusive offers, strengthening customer relationships and making the journey even more engaging.
Monitor and refine with analytics
What’s more rewarding than executing a well-crafted campaign? Knowing it’s working. With strategically placed short links and QR Codes, it’s essential to monitor their performance using tools like Bitly Analytics.
Bitly offers a variety of metrics for links and codes, including:
- Total engagements and scans
- Engagements and scans over time
- Location
- Referrers
- Engagements and scans by device, browser, and operating system
By focusing on the right metrics, you can fine-tune your initiatives and increase sign-ups for your loyalty program.
For example, if SMS campaigns are driving more engagement than other channels, it may be worth allocating more resources to text-based marketing. Or, if a specific short link is performing well, consider amplifying its use to further boost sign-ups.
Best practices for using short links in loyalty campaigns
Like any marketing strategy, using short links effectively requires planning and optimization. Here are some best practices to maximize results for your loyalty program:
Make links actionable and easy to remember
Short links are effective when they’re simple to remember and prompt action. Keep your links clean and easy to recall, avoiding overly complex or lengthy URLs. Pair them with a clear call to action that encourages customers to take the next step.
Consider using a branded domain, like “joinnow.brandname.com,” to make your link more memorable and reinforce brand loyalty. Pair it with a direct CTA, such as “Sign up today!” to make the link more compelling for customers.
Test links for functionality
There’s nothing worse than clicking a broken link. Before launching your campaign, test your short links across various devices and browsers to ensure they work as expected. Luckily, updating your links is simple with Bitly Links’ redirect feature!
It’s also important to regularly check the functionality of your links, especially after updates to your website or sign-up page. If changes are made, verify that your short links still lead customers to the right destination.
Promote exclusivity and urgency
To encourage quick sign-ups, make your links feel exclusive and urgent. Phrases like “Limited-time offer: Sign up now!” or “Exclusive early access for members only” create a sense of urgency and make customers feel like they might miss out.
This approach doesn’t just increase signups—it also adds real value to your loyalty program by making users feel like they’re getting something unique. Just remember, any offer you promote should be genuine and aligned with your brand’s values, ensuring a positive experience for your customers.
Simplify loyalty program sign-ups with short links
Building a loyal customer base begins with making each individual feel valued. By strategically using short links in your loyalty program campaigns, you can simplify the sign-up process and drive higher engagement across multiple touchpoints.
Bitly helps you achieve this with branded short links that build trust and recognition, boosting engagement with your reward program. With customizable domains, QR Codes, and built-in mobile optimization, Bitly ensures convenient and seamless access to your program—whether customers sign up online, through email, or in person. Plus, robust analytics provide detailed insights into user behavior, helping you refine your strategy and track campaign performance.
Unlock the full potential of your loyalty program with Bitly—explore our plans today to drive more sign-ups and enhance customer engagement.
