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Links and analytics

Short links, custom endings, click analytics, and workspace visibility.

Links and analytics Updated Jul 3, 2026

Links and analytics

Part Meaning
Destination URL The original page visitors should reach.
Custom ending The readable short-link ending, such as demo or summer-sale.
Short link The full URL people open and share.
QR code A scannable image that points to a URLNow short link.
Visits The number of recorded opens for the short link.
QR scans Visits recorded for links created from the QR Code flow.
Workspace The personal or organization space where the link belongs.

Custom ending rules

Custom endings are optional. If you leave the field blank, URLNow creates one automatically.

The public short-link form keeps alias and advanced settings optional. Open Customize alias and advanced options only when you want to choose the ending yourself, pick an available domain, or add optional link settings.

When you choose your own ending, it must:

  • Be unique.
  • Use 3 to 64 characters.
  • Use only letters, numbers, hyphens, and underscores.
  • Avoid reserved words used by URLNow, such as app, api, login, register, pricing, features, organizations, and qr-code-generator.

Depending on the form or workspace you are using, a short link can include:

  • A verified branded domain.
  • A custom ending.
  • An expiration date.
  • A visitor password.
  • Tags or campaign details for reporting.

Password-protected links show an unlock screen before redirecting. Expired links stop sending visitors to the destination.

QR codes

When you generate a QR code, URLNow creates a tracked short link and encodes that short link into the QR image.

This means:

  • The QR code can use the active workspace and branded domain.
  • Every scan is recorded as link activity.
  • QR links can appear separately from regular links in analytics.
  • QR images can be downloaded, copied, printed, or regenerated from the dashboard.

Analytics available

URLNow records visits when people open short links. Depending on the visitor and request, analytics may include:

  • Total visits.
  • Visit time.
  • Device and browser.
  • Referrer, such as a website that sent the visitor.
  • Campaign details from UTM tags.
  • Country or region when available.
  • Language when available.
  • Automated traffic indicators.

Open Analytics to review activity for links you can access.

Analytics pages include date ranges, widgets, charts, and tables for:

  • Total clicks, human clicks, unique visitors, QR scans, and link growth.
  • Top links and top QR codes.
  • Devices, browsers, operating systems, countries, languages, and referrers.
  • Campaign and branded-domain performance.
  • Recent clicks and links that may need attention.

Use Customize to hide or show analytics widgets, change density, or reset your view. Export buttons download selected analytics tables as CSV files.

Why numbers can differ

Different dashboard views may separate all visits from likely human visits. This helps teams understand real engagement while still keeping a full record of total activity.

Examples:

  • A social network preview may open a link automatically.
  • A search crawler may check a link.
  • A real visitor may open the same link more than once.

Workspace visibility

The active workspace affects what you can see.

Workspace Visible links
Personal Your own personal links.
Organization owner/admin Organization links and activity.
Organization member Your own links inside the organization.

Switch workspaces from Organizations or from an organization dashboard.