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AnyTrack AnyTrack Knowledge Base

Short Link

A short link is a shortened URL that redirects through an intermediary server to a longer destination, often used to cloak or tidy affiliate links — for example links produced by Pretty Links, ThirstyAffiliates, or a URL shortener. Because the visitor passes through a redirect, a short link is a redirect mechanism, not a tracking system in itself.

Section titled “How AnyTrack handles short links”

AnyTrack works with link-shortener and redirect plugins: AutoScan resolves a redirected link to its final destination and AutoTag appends the correct SubID and Click ID, so attribution still flows. For paid traffic, however, AnyTrack recommends redirectless tracking over short links, because short links share the redirect’s exposure to ad-platform cloaking checks and browser blocking.

Section titled “Short Link vs Redirect-Based Tracking”
  • Redirect-Based Tracking — a short link is a single redirecting URL; redirect-based tracking is the whole attribution method built on redirects.

Related terms

Click Loss Short links redirect through a server, so they are exposed to the same browser blocking that causes click loss