URL Shortener - Overview

The Dexatel URL Shortener enables you to create, manage, and track shortened URLs — either by managing links directly via the API or by shortening URLs on the fly directly within your message content. When sending messages via the API, simply wrap any long URL in the {url=} tag and the platform automatically generates a unique shortened link for each recipient at send time, with no pre-creation step required. All shortened URLs use the gtlnk.co domain.

Key Features

• Inline URL shortening via API: Wrap any URL in your message body using {url=https://your-long-url.com}syntax. The platform shortens it automatically when the message is sent — no separate API call needed.
• Per-recipient unique links: Each recipient receives a distinct shortened URL, enabling accurate individual-level click tracking.
• List all shortened URLs on your account: Access a complete list of all URLs shortened under your account for management and reporting.
• Retrieve details about a specific short URL: Get the original URL, creation date, and click statistics for any shortened link by its unique ID.
• Create and manage short URLs directly: Use the API to create standalone shortened URLs outside of message sends, and delete them when no longer needed.

How It Works

1. Wrap your URL inline: In the text field of your API message request, wrap any long URL using the {url=https://...} syntax. You can include up to 5 shortened URLs per message.
2. Send the message: When the message is dispatched, the platform automatically generates a unique gtlnk.co link for each recipient — shortening happens at send time, not at composition time.
3. Recipients receive clean links: Each recipient gets their own unique shortened URL. The original long URL is never delivered.
4. Track engagement: Monitor click-through performance per link, including device type, country, and timestamp of first click. Only unique clicks are counted; known bot and crawler traffic is excluded automatically.
5. Manage standalone links: Use the CRUD endpoints to list, retrieve, and delete shortened URLs created outside of message sends.

Benefits

• Simplified workflow: No need to pre-create short URLs before sending. Inline tagging handles the full shortening process automatically within your existing message API calls.
• Individual-level tracking: Per-recipient unique links give you precise attribution data rather than aggregate counts, enabling deeper campaign analysis.
• Efficient use of character space: Shortened gtlnk.co links replace long URLs in character-limited channels like SMS, freeing space for message content.
• Enhanced engagement analytics: Click data includes recipient phone number, device type, country, and first-click timestamp — actionable data for campaign optimization.
• Better user experience: Clean, short links are more visually appealing and reinforce a professional brand presentation.

Example Use Cases

• Marketing campaigns: Include {url=}-wrapped links in SMS campaigns to track per-recipient engagement and conversion without any additional integration work.
• Transactional notifications: Add trackable links to order confirmations, appointment reminders, or account alerts sent via API — inline shortening requires no changes to your send logic beyond wrapping the URL.
• Customer surveys: Send satisfaction surveys with a shortened link, and use click data to measure open rates before analyzing responses.
• Product launches: Drive traffic to a product page via API-triggered messages, with per-recipient click attribution to measure campaign reach precisely.

Maximizing the impact of your messaging campaigns starts with effective link management. The Dexatel URL Shortener API provides the tools you need to create, manage, and track shortened URLs effortlessly. If you have any questions or need assistance with the URL Shortener API, our support team is here to help. Please reach out to us at [email protected] for any inquiries or support needs. Let's enhance your communication strategies with efficient and trackable shortened URLs.