Yourls consultants

Q: Why would we self-host a URL shortener instead of using Bitly?

Self-hosting gives you full ownership of your link data, no per-link pricing limits, and a branded domain for all short URLs. Your analytics data stays on your infrastructure, you avoid vendor lock-in, and you can customise functionality to match your exact requirements.

Q: What domain do the short links use?

You choose the domain. Many organisations register a short domain that matches their brand. For example, a company called Acme might use acme.co or acm.link. We handle the domain configuration, DNS setup, and SSL certificate so your short links are branded and secure.

Q: What analytics does YOURLS provide?

YOURLS tracks total clicks, unique clicks, referrer sources, geographic location of clicks, and click timestamps for every short link. We can extend these analytics by feeding click data into your marketing dashboards or analytics platforms for deeper analysis alongside your other metrics.

Q: Can short links be generated automatically for campaigns?

Yes. We build workflows that automatically create YOURLS short links when new content is published, campaigns are launched, or resources are shared. Each link can be pre-configured with UTM parameters, custom slugs, and expiration dates based on the campaign requirements.

Q: Is YOURLS secure enough for internal use?

YOURLS supports access controls, private links, and can be configured to only resolve within specific network ranges. For internal document sharing, we set up links that only work within your corporate network or VPN, adding a practical layer of access control.

Q: How many links can YOURLS handle?

YOURLS stores links in a standard MySQL database, so capacity depends on your hosting resources. A modest server can handle millions of short links and thousands of redirects per minute without performance issues. We configure the database and caching layer to handle your expected volume with room to grow.

We can help you automate your business with Yourls and hundreds of other systems to improve efficiency and productivity. Get in touch if you’d like to discuss implementing Yourls.

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About Yourls

YOURLS (Your Own URL Shortener) is a self-hosted URL shortening tool that gives organisations full control over their branded short links. Instead of using third-party services like Bitly where your link data sits on someone else’s servers, YOURLS runs on your own infrastructure with your own domain, giving you complete ownership of click analytics and link management.

Branded short links matter more than most organisations realise. They improve click-through rates in emails and social media, provide detailed analytics on who clicks what, and eliminate the risk of a third-party service changing their pricing or shutting down. For businesses running marketing campaigns, partner referral programs, or internal resource sharing, owning your URL shortener is a practical decision.

Our automated data processing team at Osher integrates YOURLS into marketing and analytics workflows. We build systems that automatically generate branded short links when new campaigns launch, track click data alongside your other marketing metrics, and route link analytics into dashboards where your team can see which content and channels are driving engagement.

We also set up YOURLS with custom rules for different use cases: vanity URLs for print materials, campaign-tagged links for attribution tracking, and internal short links that only resolve within your corporate network for secure document sharing.

Yourls FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about how Yourls consultants can help with integration and implementation

Why would we self-host a URL shortener instead of using Bitly?

What domain do the short links use?

What analytics does YOURLS provide?

Can short links be generated automatically for campaigns?

Is YOURLS secure enough for internal use?

How many links can YOURLS handle?

How it works

We work hand-in-hand with you to implement Yourls

As Yourls consultants we work with you hand in hand build more efficient and effective operations. Here’s how we will work with you to automate your business and integrate Yourls with integrate and automate 800+ tools.

Step 1

Choose Your Short Domain

We help you select and register a short, branded domain for your URLs. The domain is configured with DNS records and SSL certificates for secure, branded short links.

Step 2

Deploy YOURLS on Your Infrastructure

We install and configure YOURLS on your server or cloud hosting, set up the database, configure caching for fast redirects, and secure the admin interface with access controls.

Step 3

Configure Link Management Rules

We set up link templates, default UTM parameters, expiration policies, and custom slug formats so your team can generate consistent, well-structured short links.

Step 4

Build Automated Link Generation

Workflows are created to automatically generate short links when campaigns launch, content is published, or resources are shared. Each link is tagged for proper attribution tracking.

Step 5

Connect Analytics to Your Dashboards

Click data from YOURLS is fed into your marketing analytics platform so link performance can be viewed alongside email, social, and advertising metrics in one place.

Step 6

Train Your Team and Document Processes

We show your marketing and communications team how to create links, view analytics, and manage existing URLs. Documentation covers common tasks and troubleshooting procedures.

Transform your business with Yourls

Unlock hidden efficiencies, reduce errors, and position your business for scalable growth. Contact us to arrange a no-obligation Yourls consultation.

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