How to Create a Custom Short Link With Your Own Name (Free)

Quick answer: Sign up for a free Url Jetz account, paste your long URL, open Custom alias and type the words you want (for example summer-sale), then click Shorten. Your link becomes urljetz.com/summer-sale. Aliases can be 3 to 60 letters, numbers, hyphens or underscores.

A custom short link is a short URL where you choose the words after the slash. That part is also called an alias, slug or back-half. It's the difference between a link people ignore and one they tap.

How to create a custom short link (step by step)

1. Sign up for a free Url Jetz account. Custom names need an account so nobody else can edit your links.
2. Paste your long URL into the shortener.
3. Choose a domain from the dropdown. Url Jetz offers more than one short domain, so pick the one that fits.
4. Open "Custom alias" and type your words, for example summer-sale.
5. Click Shorten. Your link is live immediately: urljetz.com/summer-sale.
6. Copy and share it, or download the free QR code.

If someone already uses that name on the same domain, you'll be asked to pick another. Try adding a year (sale-2026), your brand (acme-sale) or a version (sale-v2).

The rules for aliases

• 3 to 60 characters
• letters, numbers, hyphens (-) and underscores (_)
• no spaces or special characters
• a few words are reserved for the site itself, such as login or admin

Why custom short links get more clicks

People trust what they can read. A random string gives no hint about the destination, which is exactly what scam links look like. A readable name sets expectations and makes people more willing to tap.

They're easy to remember and type. You can say urljetz.com/podcast on a podcast or in a video, and people can type it from a poster or a slide.

They keep your dashboard organised. Three months from now you'll find webinar-march in a second; k3Jd9 you won't.

Naming tips that work

• Describe the destination: menu, apply, book-now, free-guide.
• Keep it short: one to three words. Every extra word is one more thing to mistype.
• Use hyphens between words: spring-launch reads better than springlaunch.
• Use lowercase. Short links on Url Jetz aren't case-sensitive, so Sale and sale are the same link, but lowercase looks cleaner.
• Avoid look-alike characters like l, 1, O and 0 if people will type the link.
• Say it out loud. If it's going on a podcast or radio, make sure it can't be misheard.

Ideas for custom short links

Making one for a form? See how to shorten a Google Form link. For a WhatsApp chat link, see how to shorten a link for WhatsApp.

Change the destination without changing the link

A custom short link is worth even more when you can edit it. If the page moves, the sale ends or you want to point the link somewhere new, open it in your dashboard and update the destination. Everything you've already printed or posted keeps working.

You can also:

• set an expiry date for time-limited offers
• cap the number of clicks for limited spots
• send visitors from selected countries only, with a fallback page for everyone else
• pause a link and turn it back on later

Track how your custom link performs

Every custom link has its own analytics: clicks, unique visitors, countries, devices and referrers, updated in real time. Create a separate link for each place you share (sale-ig, sale-email) and you'll know exactly which channel brings the clicks. Here's how to track clicks on a link for free.

Frequently asked questions

Can I customize a short link for free?

Yes. On Url Jetz, custom aliases are included on the free plan, along with QR codes and click analytics, with no monthly cap on custom names.

Can I change a custom short link after creating it?

You can change where it points at any time. If you want different words, create a new short link with the new name.

Can I use my own domain?

Url Jetz gives you a choice of short domains for every link. If you need a dedicated branded domain for your business, contact us.

Do custom short links expire?

No. Links keep working until you delete them, unless you set an expiry date yourself.