Short Link Editor

What This Feature Does

The Short Link Editor is the place where you manage a short link after it is created. If you have used tools like Bitly: this is the equivalent of editing a link to change the destination, add campaign tracking, control access, and configure how different visitors should be routed.

This page is the same editor used for:

Dynamic Link
QR Links
Short Link
Marketing Links

In the current yLnk web app, the editor supports these modules (tabs). Each tab is saved independently:

Basic: destination URL, title, category, notes, and read-only short code display
Domain: move the short code between ylnk.cc and a custom domain (if available)
Restrictions: password protection, expiration date, expiration redirect URL
SEO: social preview image and metadata (title/description)
UTM: standard UTM fields plus custom query parameters
Retargeting: identifiers for major ad and analytics platforms
Routing: platform targeting and traffic rotation (A/B or sequential)
QR Code: QR styling (shapes/colors/logo) for branded QR sharing

Most edits take effect immediately after you save. The short code itself is not editable from this screen (read-only).

Who It Is For

Creators updating a link destination without changing the public short code.
Marketers adding UTM tags, routing rules, and retargeting identifiers per campaign.
Support/ops teams fixing broken destinations or disabling links temporarily.
Teams managing branded domains and short link organization (category/notes).

Before You Start

Vocabulary

Short code: the path part of the short link, like abc123 in https://ylnk.cc/abc123.
Destination URL: the final URL users should land on.
Custom domain: a domain you control that can host the same short code, like https://go.yourbrand.com/abc123.
Expiration redirect URL: where to send users after the expiration date is reached.
Routing: rules that override the destination for certain platforms or split traffic.

Where To Find It

You can open the editor in two common ways:

Navigate: App > Links then click the edit action on a link (opens /app/advance-short-link?id=...).
Navigate: App > Advance Short Link and search by short code when you do not have the internal link ID.

Plan Gating (Important)

In the current UI, Basic and Domain are available by default, while advanced tabs may be restricted and show an upgrade prompt. Expect restrictions on:

Password and expiration controls
SEO
UTM
Retargeting
Routing
QR customization

What Does Not Change

Editing the Destination URL does not reset existing visit counts. Historical analytics remains intact.

Domain Behavior Gotcha

⚠️ When a custom domain is ACTIVE for a short code, the same code on ylnk.cc may return 404 until the custom domain is removed or becomes inactive. Plan your sharing and verification accordingly.

Step-by-Step

Open The Editor

🖼️ Image placeholder:

Paste image URL here: (editor entrypoint from App > Links and edit icon)
Suggested alt text: "App Links list showing the Edit action leading to the Short Link Editor"

🧭 1. Navigate: App > Links. 2. Find the link you want to edit. 3. Click Edit.

If you only have a short code (example: abc123) and not the internal link id:

Navigate: App > Advance Short Link.
Search using the short code to load the editor.

Understand How Saving Works

🖼️ Image placeholder:

Paste image URL here: (tabs row + save button for a tab)
Suggested alt text: "Short Link Editor tabs with a Save button for the active module"

Each tab has its own Save action (example: Save Basic Info, Save SEO Settings).
Saving a tab updates only that module’s fields.
✅ After saving, verify the short link in a new tab or incognito, especially when changing domains, password, expiration, or routing.

Basic Tab (Destination, Title, Category, Notes)

🖼️ Image placeholder:

Paste image URL here: (Basic tab overview)
Suggested alt text: "Basic tab showing Destination URL, Title, Category, and Notes fields"

Set Destination URL to the final URL you want people to reach (must be a valid URL).
Update Title for internal organization.
Confirm the short code (read-only):
- Auto-generated codes remain auto-generated.
- Custom codes remain custom.
Select a Category to group links.
Add Notes for internal context (optional).
Click Save Basic Info.

Example use case (quick fix):

Problem: your campaign landing page moved.
Action: update Destination URL to the new page.
Result: the same short link now forwards to the new location without changing the public URL.

Domain Tab (Choose Where The Short Code Lives)

🖼️ Image placeholder:

Paste image URL here: (Domain dropdown + helper note)
Suggested alt text: "Domain tab showing a domain selector with ylnk.cc and custom domains"

Open Domain.
Select:
- ylnk.cc (default) or
- An active custom domain from the list.
Read the rule shown in the UI about how the code behaves on ylnk.cc when a custom domain is active.
Click Save Domain.

✅ Verification checklist:

Open the short link on the selected domain.
If you switched to a custom domain, confirm whether ylnk.cc/<code> is expected to 404 (it often will while the custom domain is active).
Confirm the destination is correct after redirect.

Restrictions Tab (Password And Expiration)

🖼️ Image placeholder:

Paste image URL here: (Restrictions tab showing password + expiration)
Suggested alt text: "Restrictions tab showing password protection, expiration date, and expiration redirect URL"

Set Password Protection (optional):
- Minimum length is 8 characters.
Set Expiration Date (optional):
- Cannot be in the past.
Set Expiration Redirect URL (optional):
- Must be a valid URL.
- Cannot be the same as the Destination URL.
Click Save Restrictions.

How restrictions are evaluated (practical rule):

Expiration is checked first.
Password is checked after expiration.
If expired, users may be redirected to the expiration redirect URL (if set) or see an expired/unavailable state.

Example use case (limited-time promo):

Set Expiration Date to the end of the promotion day.
Set Expiration Redirect URL to a “promo ended” page.
Share the short link normally; after expiration, visitors are guided to the ended page.

SEO Tab (Social Preview Image, Title, Description)

🖼️ Image placeholder:

Paste image URL here: (SEO tab showing image upload and title/description)
Suggested alt text: "SEO tab showing SEO image upload (16:9) and SEO title/description fields"

Upload an SEO image (16:9 recommended).
(Optional) Crop the uploaded image in the editor.
Set SEO Title:
- Keep it under 60 characters (the UI enforces a max).
Set SEO Description:
- Keep it under 160 characters (the UI enforces a max).
Click Save SEO Settings.

When SEO settings matter:

They mainly affect how your link looks when shared (preview cards) and how it appears in some crawlers.
Many platforms cache previews. If you update an image/title, you may need to use the platform’s “debugger”/“validator” tool to refresh the preview cache.

UTM Tab (UTM Fields And Custom Parameters)

🖼️ Image placeholder:

Paste image URL here: (UTM tab showing fields + custom params list)
Suggested alt text: "UTM tab showing utm_source/utm_medium/utm_campaign fields and custom parameters"

Fill standard UTM fields (optional):
- Source, Medium, Campaign, Term, Content
Add Custom Parameters & Deep Link Parameters (optional):
- Add key/value pairs that will be appended as query parameters.
Click Save UTM Parameters.

Example (email newsletter tracking):

utm_source=newsletter
utm_medium=email
utm_campaign=product_launch_march

Custom parameter example:

Key: ref
Value: partner_a

Retargeting Tab (Tracking IDs Per Platform)

🖼️ Image placeholder:

Paste image URL here: (Retargeting tab showing platform ID inputs)
Suggested alt text: "Retargeting tab showing Meta Pixel ID and Google Analytics/Ads ID inputs"

Add identifiers as needed (optional):
- Meta Pixel ID (numeric)
- Google Analytics ID (GA4 format)
- Google Ads ID (AW-...)
- Criteo / AdRoll / The Trade Desk IDs
Follow validation hints shown under each field.
Click Save Retargeting.

Practical guidance:

Only add IDs you actually control. Do not paste IDs from unknown sources.
If a value is rejected, copy the exact format hint shown under the field and re-check the ID in the vendor dashboard.

Routing Tab (Platform Targeting And A/B Rotation)

🖼️ Image placeholder:

Paste image URL here: (Routing tab showing platform rules + rotation settings)
Suggested alt text: "Routing tab showing platform targeting rules and weighted rotation destinations"

Platform Targeting (highest priority):
- Add a rule for a platform (iOS, Android, Windows, etc).
- Set the destination URL for that platform.
A/B Testing and Rotation (used when no platform rule matches):
- Enable rotation.
- Choose mode:
  - Weighted Random (A/B test), ensure the total weight is 100%.
  - Sequential (round robin).
- Add one or more destination URLs.
Click Save Routing.

Example (app install routing):

Set the main Destination URL to your website.
Add platform rule:
- iOS: App Store URL
- Android: Play Store URL
Result: mobile users go to the store, desktop users go to the website (unless other rules apply).

Example (A/B landing page test):

Enable rotation and choose Weighted Random.
Add two destinations:
- https://example.com/landing-a weight 50
- https://example.com/landing-b weight 50
Result: traffic is split roughly 50/50 over time.

QR Code Tab (Shapes, Colors, Logo)

🖼️ Image placeholder:

Paste image URL here: (QR code customization UI + preview)
Suggested alt text: "QR code tab showing shape and color controls with a QR preview"

Customize shapes:
- Body shape
- Eye frame shape
- Eye ball shape
Customize colors:
- Background
- Foreground
Add a logo:
- Choose a preset logo or upload a custom logo (optional).
Click Save QR Code Config.

Practical QR guidance:

Keep enough contrast between foreground and background so scanners work.
If you add a logo, keep it small enough that it does not cover critical QR modules.
After saving, test scanning with at least two different camera apps.

Analytics and Tracking

This editor configures what information is attached to visits (UTM, routing, retargeting identifiers), but the click/visit analytics itself is viewed elsewhere (for example: App > Links > Analytics).

If you use UTM and retargeting IDs:

UTMs will be appended to the destination URL, which most analytics tools can ingest.
Retargeting IDs are meant for ad platform integrations and should be kept accurate.

Common Issues

I Cannot Access A Tab

If the editor shows an upgrade message or disables inputs, your current subscription does not include that module. Use Basic and Domain as fallback, or upgrade your plan.

My Short Link Works On A Custom Domain But Not On ylnk.cc

This is expected when the custom domain is ACTIVE for that short code. Switch the domain back to ylnk.cc (or deactivate/remove the custom domain) if you need the ylnk.cc/<code> URL to resolve again.

The Destination URL Change Did Not Apply

Check:

You clicked Save Basic Info and waited for the success message.
You are testing the same short code (and the correct domain).
You are not seeing a cached redirect in a browser tab. Use incognito or a different browser to confirm.

Password Does Not Work

Check:

Password is at least 8 characters.
You saved changes on the Restrictions tab.
You are testing the correct short link and domain.

Expiration Redirect URL Is Rejected

Check:

It is a valid URL (include https://).
It is not the same as the Destination URL.

Routing Seems Ignored

Check:

Platform targeting rules match the platform you are testing on.
Rotation is enabled and has at least one destination.
Weighted mode totals 100%.

SEO Preview Does Not Update On Social Apps

Many apps cache preview data. If you change title/description/image and do not see updates:

Wait a few minutes.
Use the platform’s preview debugger/validator tool to refresh cache.
Confirm you saved the SEO tab successfully.

FAQs

Does Changing The Destination URL Reset Analytics

No. The UI notes that destination changes do not reset existing visit counts, and historical analytics remains intact.

Can I Change The Short Code From The Editor

In the current UI, the short code field is read-only in the Basic tab. If you need a different code, create a new short link and migrate references.

Why Do Some Links Redirect Differently On Different Devices

If routing is configured, platform targeting has priority (for example iOS users go to an App Store URL), then rotation rules apply, and finally the original destination is used as fallback.

Should I Put UTM Parameters In The Destination URL Or The UTM Tab

Prefer the UTM tab because it keeps tracking parameters structured and easier to update later. If you embed UTMs directly in the destination URL, it is easier to make mistakes and harder to audit.

What If I Need To Temporarily Stop A Link

If you need to stop access temporarily, use the link status controls available in the editor UI (where supported) or disable the link from your links list/admin tools. After disabling, verify the link behavior from a new session.

dynamic-short-links

Posts

Short Link Editor