Link Management
How to Track Short Link Clicks in URL Shortify
Want to know how many people click your short links and where they come from? URL Shortify tracks every click for free — recording total clicks, unique clicks, referrer, device, operating system, browser, country and IP. Turn tracking on with the per-link Tracking toggle (or the global default under Settings → Links), then open a link's stats to see the numbers. The free version keeps roughly the last 7 days of click history; unlimited history and the visual geo/device/browser breakdowns are PRO.
What is link tracking?
Link tracking is the recording of each visit to a short link so you can measure how a link performs — how many times it was clicked, by how many distinct people, and from where. URL Shortify stores this data against each link, turning a plain redirect into a measurable campaign asset.
For every click on a tracked link, URL Shortify records:
| Data point | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Clicks | Total number of times the link was opened. |
| Unique clicks | Clicks counted once per visitor, so repeat opens don't inflate the number. |
| Referrer | The page or source that sent the visitor (social, email, another site). |
| Device | Whether the visitor was on desktop, mobile or tablet. |
| OS | The operating system used (Windows, macOS, iOS, Android). |
| Browser | The browser and version used. |
| Country | The visitor's country, resolved from their IP address. |
| IP address | The visitor's IP (can be anonymised — see below). |
Why track your links?
- Measure campaign performance. Compare click counts across channels to see which posts, emails or ads actually drive traffic.
- Understand your audience. Device, OS, browser and country data show who is clicking and on what.
- Attribute traffic. Referrer data reveals where clicks originate, so you know which sources are worth repeating.
- Make evidence-based decisions. Real click data replaces guesswork when you plan where to spend effort.
How to enable tracking for a link
Tracking is controlled per link with the Tracking toggle on the link form.
- In the WordPress admin, go to URL Shortify → Links.
- Click Add New (or edit an existing link).
- Turn on the Tracking toggle.
- Click Save.
Set tracking on by default for all new links
To track every new link automatically, set the global default:
- Go to URL Shortify → Settings.
- Open the Links tab.
- Under Default Link Options, enable Tracking and save.
New links then inherit the setting; you can still override it per link with the Tracking toggle. Tracking is on by default out of the box.
Keep click data anonymous (GDPR)
If you need to avoid storing visitor IPs, go to URL Shortify → Settings → General → Settings and set Anonymise Clicks Data to IP (mask the IP) or All. This free option helps you stay GDPR-friendly while still counting clicks.
How to view a link's tracking report
- Go to URL Shortify → Links.
- On the link's row, click Clicks or Statistics to open its stats page.
The stats page shows the link's total and unique clicks along with a click chart. In the free version the report covers roughly the last 7 days of activity.
PRO analytics
Full click history (all-time and custom date ranges) and the visual breakdowns by country/geo, device, browser, OS and referrer are available in URL Shortify PRO. PRO also adds exporting clicks to CSV, trimming old click data, and Smart Reports for comparing links, groups or tags side by side.
Free vs PRO tracking
| Capability | Free | PRO |
|---|---|---|
| Record clicks, unique clicks, referrer, device, OS, browser, country, IP | Yes | Yes |
| Per-link Tracking toggle + global default | Yes | Yes |
| Anonymise clicks data (IP / all) | Yes | Yes |
| Click history window | ~7 days | Unlimited (all-time + custom ranges) |
| Visual geo / device / browser / OS breakdowns | — | Yes |
| Export clicks, trim historical clicks | — | Yes |
| Smart Reports (compare links/groups/tags) | — | Yes |
Conclusion
URL Shortify tracks clicks, unique clicks, referrers, devices, operating systems, browsers and countries for free — just enable the Tracking toggle on the link (or the global default under Settings → Links) and open the link's stats page. To read the numbers correctly, see understanding clicks and clean reports, and when you need unlimited history and visual breakdowns, upgrade to URL Shortify PRO.
FAQs
How do I enable click tracking on a short link?
Open URL Shortify → Links, add or edit a link, and turn on the Tracking toggle, then save. To track every new link automatically, enable Tracking under URL Shortify → Settings → Links → Default Link Options. Tracking is on by default, and you can override it per link at any time.
What does URL Shortify record for each click?
For every click on a tracked link, URL Shortify records total clicks, unique clicks, the referrer, the device type, operating system, browser, country and IP address. Total and unique click counts are stored on the link itself, and the detailed data appears on the link's statistics page.
How long is click history kept in the free version?
The free version keeps roughly the last 7 days of click history. To view all-time data or custom date ranges, and to see visual breakdowns by country, device, browser and OS, you need URL Shortify PRO, which stores unlimited click history.
What is the difference between clicks and unique clicks?
Clicks count every time the link is opened, including repeat visits by the same person. Unique clicks count each visitor only once, using a visitor identifier, so repeated opens by one person don't inflate the total. Comparing the two shows how much of your traffic is new versus returning visitors.
Can I track clicks without storing visitors' IP addresses?
Yes. Go to URL Shortify → Settings → General → Settings and set Anonymise Clicks Data to IP to mask the address, or All to strip identifying data. Clicks are still counted, which helps you stay GDPR-friendly. This option is available in the free version.