Custom Link Shortener

Description

Advanced URL shortener for WordPress with analytics, link rotation, location tracking, random redirects, and password protection.

Features

  • ๐Ÿš€ Create custom short URLs (e.g., yoursite.com/go/product)
  • ๐Ÿ“Š Detailed click analytics with:
    • Visitor IP addresses
    • Location data (country/city)
    • User agents
    • Timestamps
  • ๐Ÿ”„ URL rotation (randomize destinations)
  • ๐Ÿ”’ Password protection for private links
  • ๐Ÿ“ CSV export for all analytics data
  • โœ๏ธ Edit existing short URLs
  • ๐Ÿ—‘๏ธ Delete short URLs with confirmation
  • ๐ŸŽจ Clean WordPress admin interface
  • ๐Ÿ”„Create One Url that redirects to multiple posts on your website.

Usage

Creating Short Links

  1. Go to Custom Link Shortener in your admin menu
  2. Enter:
    • Your preferred alias (e.g., “product”)
    • Destination URL(s) (one per line for rotation)
  3. Optional: Enable rotation or set a password
  4. Enable random post redirects
  5. Click “Create Short Link”

Viewing Analytics

  1. Go to Custom Link Shortener Analytics
  2. View all links with click counts
  3. Click “View” on any link to see detailed stats
  4. Export data as CSV when needed

Managing Links

  • Edit: Change destinations, rotation, or password
  • Delete: Remove short links (with confirmation)
  • Test: Verify your links work before sharing

Advanced Features

URL Rotation

When enabled with multiple destinations:
– Visitors get randomly redirected to one of the URLs
– All clicks are still tracked accurately

Password Protection

  • Set a password when creating/editing links
  • Visitors must enter password before redirect
  • Works with both GET and POST requests

Random blog article in one short link

  • Query your WordPress database for all published posts
  • Randomly select one post from the available options
  • Redirect the visitor to that post’s permalink
  • Track the redirect for analytics purposes

Use Cases

  • Content Discovery: Help visitors explore your older or less-visited content
  • Newsletter Links: Add a “Random Article” link to your email newsletters
  • Social Media: Share surprise content links on social platforms
  • Website Navigation: Include a “Surprise Me” button in your site navigation
  • Content Marketing: Create engaging campaigns around random content discovery

External Services

This plugin uses ipapi.co to determine visitor location information for analytics.

What data is sent:
– Visitor’s IP address (only when a link is clicked)
– No personal data is sent

When data is sent:
– Only when a short link is clicked by a visitor

Service information:
– Terms: https://ipapi.co/terms/
– Privacy: https://ipapi.co/privacy/

Support

For support, please email support@lukastechs.com.

Pro Tip: For maximum compatibility, always test new short links before sharing them widely!

Screenshots

  • Create Short Link
    !(screenshot-creation.png)

  • Analytics Overview
    !(screenshot-analytics.png)

  • Detailed Click Data !(screenshot-details.png)

Installation

  1. Upload the plugin files to /wp-content/plugins/custom-link-shortener
  2. Activate the plugin through the ‘Plugins’ menu in WordPress
  3. Navigate to WP Shortener in your admin menu to create links

FAQ

Can I use custom slugs?

Yes! You can choose any alphanumeric slug (letters, numbers, hyphens, underscores).

How do I track more visitor data?

The plugin automatically tracks:
– IP address
– Approximate location
– Device/browser (via user agent)
– Timestamp

Can I export my analytics?

Yes! Click “Export CSV” on any analytics page to download all data.

What happens if I delete a short URL?

All associated data (destinations, click records) are permanently deleted.

Reviews

There are no reviews for this plugin.

Contributors & Developers

“Custom Link Shortener” is open source software. The following people have contributed to this plugin.

Contributors

Changelog

1.4.3 (June 2025)

  • Redirect users to random posts on the website via a shortlink
  • Total Redirects: Count of how many times the random link was used
  • Unique Visitors: Number of unique users who clicked the random link
  • Popular Destinations: Which posts are being randomly selected most often
  • Enhanced U.I

1.4.2 (May 2025)

  • Fixed redirect functionality
  • Enhanced password protection
  • Improved mobile responsiveness

1.4.0 (May 2025)

  • Complete UI redesign
  • Added CSV export
  • Fixed deletion bugs

1.3 (April 2025)

  • Initial release with core features