Ever wished for shorter, catchier, and on-brand links? Look no further. Branded Short Domains do just that. They take your long website links and turn them into compact, branded short links that pack a punch.
In this guide, we’ll reveal the secrets behind branded domains – what they are, why they matter, and how you can effortlessly get started. Let’s dive in and revolutionize your online presence, one link at a time.
What is a branded short domain?
A branded short domain is a customized and concise web address created from your domain name, designed to strengthen your brand’s identity in online communications.
In short, a branded domain is a way to transform long URLs into branded, memorable, and impactful short links that resonate with your audience.
Branded short link vs. branded short domain: What’s the difference?
Both branded short links and branded short domains provide more customized and memorable URLs compared to long, generic ones, the main distinction lies in whether you’re customizing the link portion only (branded short link) or also customizing the domain part (branded domain) to align with your brand’s identity.
Branded short domains offer a higher level of branding and control, but they require additional setup and configuration compared to branded short links.
Maximize marketing ROI
by transforming ordinary URLs into branded short links that convert.
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How to set up a branded short domain?
With Replug, you can now transform your URLs into branded short domains, seamlessly integrating your brand identity into every interaction. Say goodbye to generic links and hello to a more memorable and trustworthy online presence with this top-notch, all-in-one link optimization platform.
Let’s dive in and take your brand to the next level of link engagement with this reliable link shortener.
Set up the branded short domain using Replug:
Step no 01: Access the Replug Home, navigate to “Settings,” and select “Custom Domains” from the dropdown menu.
Step no 02: Click on “Add Domain” to add your custom domain for creating branded links.
Step no 03: Enter your Domain URL, set up Custom 404 redirection, and define the Branded Domain. Click “Connect” to proceed.
Domain URL: Your branded or custom domain.
404 Redirect URL: Where users land on 404 pages.
Branded Domain: Redirects users to the specified URL when they visit the root address of your brand’s domain.
Step no 04: To finalize the setup, you need to configure DNS records in your domain registrar’s settings. You have two options:
CNAME (Canonical Name) Record: Point it to “rplg.co” and set HOST as “@” or “www.”
A (Address) Record: Use the IP address “35.238.70.19” to point your root URL to the URL shortener.
For subdomains, such as “links.yourdomain.com” or “track.yourdomain.com,” use CNAME and A records accordingly.
Step no 05: After connecting your domain, Replug shows its status. You can also edit or delete custom domains as needed.
For detailed DNS setup instructions, Replug provides links to various domain registrars’ documentation, including Amazon Web Services, Namecheap, Cloudflare, cPanel, and HostGator.
Feel free to reach out to Replug’s support team if you have any questions or need assistance.
A complete link management solution
for marketing professionals & agencies.
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Why do you need to use a branded short domain?
Using a branded short domain offers several valuable benefits for individuals and businesses alike:
Enhanced brand identity: Branded domains allow you to incorporate your brand name or a related keyword directly into your shortened links. This reinforces your brand identity with every link you share, making your content more recognizable and memorable to your audience.
Consistent branding: Branded domains maintain a consistent brand presence across all online interactions. Whether it’s in social media posts, emails, or marketing campaigns, your audience sees your brand name prominently displayed in the links you share.
Improved click-through rates: Branded short domains are more visually appealing and professional-looking. This can lead to higher click-through rates as users are more likely to click on links that appear trustworthy and associated with a familiar brand.
Analytics and insights: Many branded short-domain services provide detailed analytics about link performance. You can gain insights into click rates, geographic locations of clicks, devices used, and more. This data helps you optimize your link-sharing strategies.
Flexibility and control: With a branded domain, you have the flexibility to customize your links based on different campaigns, promotions, or content types. You can also easily update or change the destination URLs without affecting the branding.
SEO benefits: Branded short domains may contribute to boosting overall domain authority. As these links are associated with your main domain, they can potentially provide a small SEO advantage.
Professionalism: Branded domains create a more professional image for your brand. Instead of using generic shortening services, you present your audience with tailored, branded links that reflect your commitment to quality.
FAQs on branded short domain
Why should I use a branded short domain?
Using a branded short domain reinforces your brand identity, increases link trustworthiness, and maintains consistent branding in your online communications. It also improves click-through rates and provides analytics insights.
Do I need technical skills to set up a branded domain?
While some technical knowledge might be helpful, many branded short-domain services offer user-friendly setup processes. They typically provide instructions for configuring DNS records to link your domain with the shortening service.
Can I still use a short domain if I don’t have a website?
Yes, you can still use a branded short domain even if you don’t have a website. You can set up a subdomain for this purpose, such as “links.yourdomain.com,” and link it to the shortening service.
Can I track the performance of branded short links?
Yes, most branded short-domain services offer analytics and tracking features. You can monitor click rates, locations of clicks, devices used, and more to assess the effectiveness of your links.
Are there any SEO benefits to using a branded domain?
While the direct impact is limited, using branded short domains can potentially contribute to boosting your domain authority. The links are associated with your main domain, which could have a small positive effect on SEO.
Have you ever shared an interesting post, recommended a funny video, or perhaps even critiqued an article that missed the mark? We’ve all been there.
However, what you may not realize is that the way you share these online treasures can have a significant impact on your brand identity.
If you’ve been using plain, generic short links to share content, it’s time to take a closer look. By doing so, you may unknowingly promote other brands instead of your own.
We’ll get straight to the point and discuss the difference between branded links vs. short links inside this blog. We’ll help you understand the implications of your choice and how it can affect your brand’s online presence.
So, let’s get straight to it!
What is a short link?
A short link, also known as a “short URL” or a “generic short link”, uses a public domain from a third-party service to compress a long version of a web address or URL.
Short links are created to simplify lengthy URLs, making them easier to share, remember, and use. They play a key role, especially in contexts where character limits are a concern, such as social media or printed materials.
Generic short links typically redirect users to the original, longer URL when clicked.
Check out this example of a short link:
👉 Example: bit.ly/3XyZ9aL
This type of link uses a generic shortening domain and a random string of characters. It’s quick to create and works across any platform, but doesn’t reflect your brand identity.
What makes short links so practical & powerful
Higher click-through rates (CTRs): Short links are clean, simple, and visually appealing, encouraging users to click more often compared to long, cluttered URLs.
Enhanced recognition: Even generic short links can reflect consistency and professionalism, helping users associate your content with reliability and trust.
Data-driven insights: These links provide measurable analytics, such as click counts, location, and device type, enabling you to optimize your campaigns with actionable data.
Seamless user experience: Shortened links load quickly, look better across platforms, and make sharing effortless, improving the overall experience for your audience.
Major use cases for short links
SMS marketing: Short links save character space in text messages while tracking engagement, making them perfect for concise, measurable mobile campaigns.
Social media: Generic short links appear clean, fit better within character limits, and enable consistent tracking across platforms like X, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Email campaigns: Using short links keeps your emails neat and improves click tracking, helping marketers measure the effectiveness of each link more accurately.
QR codes: Short links integrate seamlessly with QR codes, ensuring faster scans, shorter URLs, and flexible tracking of offline-to-online traffic.
Organic sharing: These links make content easier to share across blogs, forums, and emails, increasing reach without cluttering the message.
Offline marketing materials: Placing short links on posters, flyers, or packaging makes it easy for users to type or scan, bridging the gap between offline and online engagement.
Customer support & feedback: Support teams use such links to quickly direct users to FAQs, surveys, or troubleshooting pages without confusing them with long URLs.
A branded link, also known as a “custom short link” or a “vanity URL”, is a type of shortened URL that includes a brand’s or organization’s name or a custom keyword as part of the link.
Unlike generic short links that use a random combination of characters and numbers, branded links are customized to reflect the brand’s identity, making them more recognizable and trustworthy to users.
3 key elements of a branded link are:
Domain – The custom name that represents your brand (e.g., go.yourbrand.com), helping build recognition and trust.
TLD (top-level domain) – The extension that follows the domain (e.g., .com, .io, .link), which can be chosen to align with your brand’s identity or industry.
URL slug – The customizable part after the slash (e.g., /summer-sale), used to describe the content or campaign clearly and memorably.
Example of a branded link:
👉 Example: go.yourbrand.com/offer
A branded link uses a custom domain (e.g., go.yourbrand.com, link.apple.com, etc.). It reinforces brand recognition, looks more trustworthy, and still provides all the tracking and analytics benefits of a short link.
What makes branded links so practical & powerful
Stronger brand identity: Branded links carry your custom domain, reinforcing your brand’s identity every time someone shares or clicks your link.
Increased trust & credibility: Users are more likely to click links that clearly display a recognizable brand name, making them appear legitimate and secure.
Easy to remember & share: Simple, descriptive branded links are easier to recall and share, helping your campaigns gain more organic traction.
Enhanced brand awareness: Every branded link acts as a micro touchpoint, spreading your brand name across social media, email, and digital channels.
Actionable insights & control: You can track clicks, sources, and audience behavior in detail, allowing you to optimize your campaigns with data-driven precision.
Clean & consistent link appearance: Branded links look professional and tidy across all platforms, maintaining consistency in tone and presentation.
Improved SEO & discoverability: Descriptive, keyword-rich branded links can enhance search visibility, helping both users and search engines better understand your content.
Major use cases for branded links
Marketing campaigns: Use branded links to track and analyze engagement across multiple campaigns, improving ROI measurement.
Social media marketing: Create short, on-brand links for platforms like X, Instagram, and LinkedIn to increase clicks and maintain brand consistency.
Affiliate marketing: Provide affiliates with custom-branded URLs to ensure trust, improve conversions, and monitor performance.
Email marketing: Include branded links in newsletters or promotional emails to increase click-through rates and minimize the risk of being filtered as spam.
Influencer collaborations: Give influencers branded links to share, securing brand visibility and accurate tracking of their impact.
Paid advertising: Use branded short links in PPC ads or sponsored content to make URLs look cleaner and more credible.
Event promotion: Share memorable branded links for event registrations, webinars, or launches to simplify access and tracking.
Offline & print media: Utilize branded URLs in flyers, posters, or business cards for easy recall and consistent branding.
Product launches or updates: Direct audiences to specific landing pages for new products or announcements with clear, branded links.
Branded links offer several advantages, particularly in strengthening your brand identity and enhancing user trust. They are valuable for businesses and individuals seeking to establish a cohesive online presence and improve user engagement.
Short links, on the other hand, are helpful in cases where you need a precise link to share with friends or family members, without worrying about online presence.
Feature
Branded Links
Short Links
Domain
Uses a custom, brand-specific domain (e.g., brand.co/link).
Uses a third-party domain (e.g., bit.ly, tinyurl.com).
Branding
Reinforces brand visibility and consistency in every link.
Offers no brand identity or recognition.
Credibility & Trust
Instantly recognizable and trusted due to brand association.
It may appear suspicious or spammy to users.
Click-Through Rate
Higher CTR because branded links look professional and secure.
Typically lower, as users hesitate to click on unfamiliar links.
Use Case
Ideal for marketing, promotions, and professional brand communication.
Suitable for quick personal sharing or temporary links.
Best For
Businesses, marketers, and organizations focused on brand growth and analytics.
Individuals or small-scale, non-branded usage.
The choice depends on your priorities
The choice between branded links and short links eventually depends on your specific goals and the context in which you plan to use them.
Branded links: If strengthening your brand identity, increasing trust, and improving user recognition are important to you, branded links are an excellent choice. They excel in marketing campaigns and content sharing where branding matters.
Short links: If brevity and saving space are crucial, short links are suitable. They are especially dominant in platforms with character constraints. They also make shared URLs look easier to remember, improving overall user experience.
How to create a branded short link using Replug
Are you ready to start using branded links for your own brand? Replug, a powerful free link shortener and branding tool, simplifies the process of creating custom, branded short links.
Let’s walk through the steps to create these links and amplify your brand’s reach.
Step 1: Add your custom domain
The first step in creating branded links with Replug.io is to incorporate your custom domain.
While Replug provides a default shortener domain (rplg.co), using your custom domain strengthens your brand identity and reputation.
Open your Replug dashboard and navigate to “Settings.” Then select “Custom Domains” from the dropdown menu.
Click on “Add Domain” to begin setting up your custom short URL.
On the next screen, provide the essential details, including your custom domain and settings such as the 404 redirect URL and branded domain.
Click “Connect” to add your custom domain to your Replug account.
After successfully connecting your custom domain, you can manage it within your Replug account. Check connectivity status, edit domain settings, or delete domains as needed.
With your custom domain integrated into Replug, you’re now ready to create your custom-branded link. Here’s how:
Paste your long URL in the bar under “Quickly shorten your link”.
Next, click on the blue arrow. Replug will automatically generate a short link for your long URL.
You can rename the link easily. All you need to do is change the slug of your short link.
Finally, save your shortened link. Now your link is ready to share anywhere on Instagram, Discord, or in an email campaign.
Note: You can add some amazing Replug features to your generated link, like customizing your link preview, adding custom favicons, A/B test your links, and more! You can also add retargeting pixels or custom CTAs to your link-shortening campaigns.
Leading brands & businesses prefer branded short links
Let’s take a look at how some of the most popular brands use branded links to their advantage:
The New York Times – nyti.ms
The renowned newspaper, “The New York Times”, simplifies sharing long article URLs on social media and beyond by using the branded link nyti.ms. This branded link not only shortens the URL but also reinforces the brand’s identity with every click.
Nike – swoo.sh
When it comes to sports and lifestyle, Nike is a standout name. They utilize the branded link swoo.sh to create a memorable link for their products and promotions. This reinforces the Nike brand with every shared link.
Amazon – amzn.to
E-commerce giant “Amazon” opts for the branded link amzn.to, to shorten product URLs. This not only saves space in printed materials but also keeps the focus on their products rather than the URL itself.
Coca-Cola – cokeurl.com
Coca-Cola, a global beverage icon, maintains brand consistency by using branded links, such as cokeurl.com. This approach guarantees that every link shared aligns with their brand image.
Starbucks – sbux.co
Starbucks is a renowned global coffee chain that utilizes branded links with the domain sbux.co to simplify the sharing of promotional content. This reinforces their brand identity and keeps their links looking clean and professional.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, the choice between branded links and generic short links comes down to your goals.
Short links are ideal when you need something quick, simple, and space-saving. But if you want to strengthen brand identity, build trust, and boost engagement, branded links clearly stand out. That’s why brands like Nike, Amazon, and Starbucks rely on them.
It’s not just about shortening a URL, it’s about making every click count.
With tools like Replug, you don’t have to choose between convenience and branding; you can get both. Whether you’re sharing on social media, in emails, or even offline, branded links let you stay consistent, professional, and memorable.
So instead of sending traffic through someone else’s domain, take control of your links and make them work harder for your brand.
Frequently asked questions
Why should I consider using branded links for my brand or business?
Branded links, which use your custom domain (e.g., yourbrand.ly/link), enhance brand visibility and recognition with every share, fostering customer loyalty. They improve click-through rates by up to 34% compared to generic links, as they appear more professional and trustworthy. Additionally, they protect against link hijacking and provide valuable analytics to refine marketing strategies.
Are branded links more trustworthy than short links?
Yes, branded links are generally more trustworthy because they incorporate your recognizable domain, signaling legitimacy and reducing user hesitation from unknown shorteners. Studies show they can boost trust by 25-30%, minimizing phishing concerns. In contrast, generic short links often hide the destination, potentially alarming users in an era of heightened cybersecurity awareness.
Can I track the performance of branded links?
Absolutely, most branded link services, such as Replug or Rebrandly, offer rich analytics, including click counts, geographic data, referral sources, and device types. This enables real-time monitoring and A/B testing to optimize campaigns for maximum effectiveness. Integration with tools like Google Analytics further enhances tracking, providing insights into user behavior and ROI.
Why should short links be a part of every marketer’s strategy?
Short links condense lengthy URLs, making them ideal for character-limited platforms like X (Twitter) and improving shareability across social media. They enable precise tracking of engagement metrics, helping marketers measure campaign effectiveness and audience preferences. Moreover, they enhance aesthetics in emails and ads, potentially increasing click rates by 20-40% while supporting retargeting efforts.
When to use short links and branded links?
Use generic short links for quick, internal, or low-stakes sharing where branding isn’t crucial, such as casual social posts or temporary redirects. Opt for branded links in marketing campaigns, email newsletters, or affiliate programs to reinforce brand identity and build trust. Branded links excel in professional contexts, such as ads or content syndication, while short links are sufficient for everyday use.
Provide some valuable tips when using short links?
When using short links:
– Make sure they’re concise yet recognizable to build trust, avoiding overly cryptic formats. – Maintain consistency across your organization by using a unified link structure or platform to reinforce branding and simplify tracking. – Incorporate UTM parameters in destination URLs to effectively monitor traffic sources and campaign performance in analytics tools.
Instagram has made it easier than ever to share valuable resources and information with your followers. You can now add links to your Instagram Stories, regardless of your account size. Whether you’re a business, creator, or an individual, this feature empowers you to connect with your audience in new ways.
In this guide, we’ll show you how to add a link to your Instagram story, enabling you to share what matters most to you. Let’s get started.
Why do you need to add a link to your Instagram story?
Adding a link to your Instagram story serves several important purposes:
Share resources: You can direct your followers to external websites, articles, or resources related to the content of your story. This is valuable for sharing information, promoting products or services, or providing additional context.
Drive traffic: If you have a website, blog, or online store, adding a link to your story can help drive traffic to your site. This is essential for businesses and content creators looking to expand their online presence.
Enhance engagement: Links in stories can prompt user interaction. When viewers tap on the link, it provides a way for them to engage further with your content, whether it’s to learn more, shop, or explore related content.
Promote events: If you’re hosting an event, webinar, or live stream, you can use links in stories to invite your audience and provide event details or registration links.
Support causes: Advocates and change-makers can use links to share information about social causes, fundraisers, or petitions, helping raise awareness and drive action.
Connect with your audience: Adding links enables you to offer your followers valuable resources, making your content more relevant and engaging.
Ensure you have the Instagram app installed on your mobile device. Log in to your Instagram account if you’re not already logged in.
Step 2: Access your story creator
Tap your profile picture or swipe right from your home feed to access the story creator.
Step 3: Capture or upload content
At the bottom of the screen, you’ll see options to capture a photo or record a video using your device’s camera. Alternatively, you can swipe up or tap on the gallery icon to upload existing content from your camera roll. Choose the content you want to add to your story.
Step 4: Access the sticker tool
After capturing or uploading your content, you can enhance your story with various stickers and features. To add a link to your story, tap the “Sticker” icon from the top navigation bar.
In the sticker options, locate and tap on the “Link” sticker. This sticker is used to add the link you want to share with your followers.
Step 6: Enter your desired link
A pop-up window will appear, allowing you to enter the web link you want to share. Type or paste the URL into the provided space.
Step 7: Confirm and customize
After entering the link, tap “Done” to confirm. You can also customize the appearance of the Link sticker by tapping on it, which may allow you to choose from different color variations or styles, depending on Instagram’s features at the time.
Step 8: Place the sticker on your story
Now, you can place the Link sticker on your story. Simply drag and drop it onto your image or video, just like you would with other stickers.
Once you’re satisfied with how your story looks with the added link, you can proceed to share it with your followers. Tap the “Your Story” button at the bottom of the screen to post your story.
Step 10: Viewers interact with the link
When someone views your story and taps on the Link sticker, they will be redirected to the web page you’ve shared.
Important Note: Instagram has certain safety measures in place. New accounts and accounts that repeatedly share harmful content or violate community guidelines may not have access to the Link sticker feature. Be sure to follow Instagram’s guidelines and policies to maintain access to this and other features.
Replug: Simplify your social media link management
Managing links on social media platforms like Instagram can be a crucial part of your online strategy. Replug is a comprehensive link management platform and bio-link tool designed to simplify this process.
With Replug’s efficient short URL generator, you can create shortened, trackable links that are perfect for Instagram bio links or sharing in your stories. It provides valuable analytics to help you measure the performance of your links, including click-through rates and audience engagement data.
Whether you’re a marketer, business owner, or content creator, Replug can enhance your social media marketing efforts by making link management effortless and effective.
Try Replug today and take control of your links to maximize your online presence.
A complete link management solution
for marketing professionals & agencies.
Try Replug for free
FAQs on adding a link to Instagram Story
Can I add links to any type of Instagram Story, including photos and videos?
Yes, you can add links to both photos and videos in your Instagram Stories.
Is there a limit to the number of links I can add to a single Instagram Story?
You can typically add one link per Instagram Story. If you want to share multiple links, consider creating multiple stories or using the link in the bio feature.
Who can add links to their Instagram Stories?
Instagram has expanded access to this feature, so now, users of all account sizes, including businesses, creators, and individuals, can add links to their stories.
Are there any restrictions on the types of links I can share in my Instagram Story?
Instagram has guidelines in place and links that violate their Community Guidelines may be restricted. It’s important to ensure your content adheres to Instagram’s policies.
Can I track how many people clicked on the link in my Instagram Story?
Yes, Instagram provides insights on the number of clicks your link receives. You can view this data by swiping up your story.
Link tracking is essential for businesses looking to improve their marketing efforts and understand their audience’s engagement. By monitoring clicks on specific links within a marketing campaign, businesses can gather valuable data and make informed decisions that lead to increased conversions and a better return on investment.
For example, imagine a business has created a landing page, an email marketing campaign, or a newsletter to promote its product or service. These marketing efforts require links that redirect the audience to the offered product or service. To ensure the success of future marketing communications and interactions, the business needs to know which links are being clicked by the audience.
This information is valuable for businesses as it reveals engagement statistics and helps evaluate the marketing campaign’s success. By tracking clicks on specific links, businesses can gather data on the number of clicks, the location of clicks, and the time of clicks, which can then be used to improve future marketing efforts and increase conversions.
A tracking URL is a hyperlink that tracks clicks on a specific link. It usually contains additional parameters and codes used by tracking software to track the clicks’ source, location, and behavior. The information collected through tracking URLs can be used for various purposes, such as website analytics, marketing campaigns, and conversion tracking.
How do tracking links work?
Tracking links work by redirecting clicks from the original link to a tracking link that contains additional parameters. When a user clicks on the tracking link, the tracking software records the information about the click, such as the source, location, and behavior of the user.
The tracking software then sends the user to the original link while keeping a record of the information gathered through the tracking link. This information can then be analyzed to improve marketing strategies, track conversions, and gather insights into user behavior. The tracking process is typically transparent to the user and occurs in the background without affecting the user experience.
You can shorten any Youtube URL name using a URL shortener. URL shorteners are useful tools for creating shorter, more manageable versions of long URLs.
No one likes to click a URL link with random characters. But when you make your URL look more professional and authentic. Then, you will get more clicks, and it will be easier for users to recognize what the link is about.
Create customized URLs that are visually appealing and help brand your content. Therefore, creating short custom URLs can make URLs easier to share, manage, and improve the branding of your content. This can be useful if you are promoting your YouTube channel.
Here’s how to change the Youtube URL name using Replug:
Step 1: Create a Replug account or sign in.
Step 2: Find the desired campaign on the main dashboard, or create a new one.
Step 3: Paste the URL in the “URL to shorten” section below “Select your campaign.”
Step 4: Click the create button to see your new URL.
Step 5: Look at the newly shortened version of your Youtube URL.
Step 6: Customize the URL by clicking the edit icon opposite the URL.
Step 7: Type your desired URL slug and click update at the bottom, and your new Replug URL is ready to share.
Create deep links to increase Youtube views using a URL shortener
Deep links are shortened links that directly open a specific location within a mobile app. This, in return, improves the user journey experience and increases the chance of conversions.
YouTubers can create deep links using a URL shortener tool. This tool can help shorten a link in no time at all. It also assists influencers, brands, and others to get more views and clicks on their videos by delivering an unbreakable experience.
For example, sharing a deep link will allow users to directly watch the video you intended without the hassle of signing up, logging in, or even searching the video on Youtube.
Deep linking is not only limited to Youtube. These links are helpful when sharing links to specific social media content or a specific product on your online store and other platforms.
To create a deep link using the amazing link optimization platform named Replug, you’ll need to follow these steps:
Step 1:Sign in to Replug and click the drop-down icon in the top right corner.
Step 2: Choose deep links from the drop-down menu.
Step 3: Deep link categories page will open. Choose a category since, in this case, a deep link is needed for the YouTube video. So, here we choose video.
Step 4: Select Youtube from the video category page since we will create a deep link for a Youtube video.
Step 5: The next step is to select the playlist, since this video belongs to our YouTube playlist, and click create deep link.
Step 6: A new page will open where you need to select the campaign.
Step 7:Paste the URL in the “URL” section below “Select your campaign.”
Step 8: Click the save link button to create the link.
Step 9: Now click the edit button to customize your new link.
Step 10: Type your new URL slug and click save.
You can download your custom deep link as a QR code and share it on any social media platform you like.
