Blog
Guides, comparisons, and how-tos on link management, click analytics, QR codes, and EU-first privacy - from the people who build Elido.
EngineeringHow to Build a URL Shortener: Architecture and Code
How to build a URL shortener that survives production: short-code generation, the redirect path, caching, click tracking, abuse defense, and what to maintain.
Readbuild a url shortener · url shortener system design · short code generation
TutorialsHow to Add More Than One Link to Your Instagram Bio
Instagram allows up to five native bio links. Add them in a minute, see why they cap out, and get unlimited links plus click tracking with a bio page.
Readlink in bio · instagram bio link · add link instagram
FeaturesVanity URLs Explained: Branded Links People Remember
A vanity URL is a short, branded link - like brand.com/careers - that redirects to a longer destination. How vanity URLs work and how to set one up.
Readvanity url · branded link · vanity domain
EngineeringTypes of URL Redirects: 301, 302, 307, 308, and More
Every URL redirect type explained - 301, 302, 303, 307, 308, meta refresh, and JavaScript - what each does, how it affects SEO, and which one to use.
Readtypes of redirects · url redirect types · 301 redirect
FeaturesLink Cloaking and URL Masking: What's Safe for SEO
Link cloaking and URL masking cover three very different techniques - one safe, two risky. Which one protects your links and which one earns a Google penalty.
Readlink cloaking · url masking · affiliate link cloaking
TutorialsHow to Track Link Clicks: What You Can and Can't See
Track link clicks by sharing a tracking link that logs each visit. What data you get - counts, geo, device - what you can't see, and how to set it up.
Readhow to track link clicks · track link clicks · link click tracking
TutorialsHow to Shorten a URL: Free, Branded, and Bulk Links
Shorten a URL in three steps - paste, customize, copy. Plus how to make a branded short link on your own domain and what to check before you share it.
Readhow to shorten a url · shorten a link · make a short url
TutorialsHow to Create a QR Code: Static, Dynamic, Trackable
Create a QR code in three steps - pick the content, choose static or dynamic, download. The one decision that decides if you can edit and track it later.
Readhow to create a qr code · qr code generator · make a qr code
ComparisonsGoogle URL Shortener Alternative After goo.gl Shut Down
Google retired goo.gl - creation ended in 2019, redirects in 2025. What happens to your old links, how to migrate them, and which alternative to pick.
Readgoogle url shortener alternative · goo.gl alternative · goo.gl shut down
TutorialsLink Preview Not Showing? Causes and How to Fix It
A link preview is built from Open Graph tags on the destination. Why previews break on WhatsApp, Facebook, X, and Slack - and the exact steps to fix each.
Readlink preview not showing · fix link preview · open graph tags
ComparisonsBitly vs TinyURL: Features, Pricing, and Which to Pick
Bitly vs TinyURL compared on speed, analytics, branded domains, QR codes, and price - where each wins, and the EU-residency gap neither one closes.
Readbitly vs tinyurl · tinyurl vs bitly · url shortener comparison
ComparisonsBitly vs Rebrandly: Branded Links, Pricing, and Fit
Bitly vs Rebrandly compared on branded domains, analytics, QR codes, and price - where each one wins, and the EU data-residency gap neither closes.
Readbitly vs rebrandly · rebrandly vs bitly · branded link platform
Engineering301 vs 302 Redirects: Which One Should Short Links Use
A 301 is a permanent redirect that passes ranking signals; a 302 is temporary and usually does not. What that means for short links, SEO, and caching.
Read301 vs 302 redirect · 301 redirect · 302 redirect
TutorialsUTM Parameters Explained: The 5 Tags and How They Work
UTM parameters are five tags you add to a link so analytics can attribute traffic. What each tag does, which are required, and how to avoid messy reports.
Readutm parameters · what are utm parameters · utm parameters explained
TutorialsURL Shortener for SMS Marketing That Carriers Trust
An SMS marketing URL shortener must clear carrier filters and fit the 160-character limit. Branded short links keep texts deliverable, tracked, and compliant.
Readurl shortener for sms marketing · sms link shortener · text message link tracking
FeaturesLink Retargeting Explained: Pixels on Your Short Links
Link retargeting puts an ad pixel on your short links, so anyone who clicks - even on content you don't own - joins your remarketing audience. How it works.
Readlink retargeting · retargeting pixel short link · add pixel to short link
EngineeringURL Shortener API: Rate Limits, Retries, Idempotency
How to call a URL shortener API in production: token-bucket rate limits, which status codes to retry with backoff, and idempotency keys that stop duplicates.
Readurl shortener api rate limits · api idempotency key · retry with exponential backoff
EngineeringDo URL Shorteners Hurt SEO? The Mechanics That Matter
Do URL shorteners hurt SEO? Reputable ones do not - Google passes ranking signals through redirects. The four cases that cost you rank, and how to avoid them.
Readdo url shorteners hurt seo · are short links bad for seo · 301 vs 302 redirect seo
ComparisonsThe best EU URL shorteners in 2026 (and why it matters)
Which URL shorteners actually host in the EU, what their sub-processor lists look like, and how to read a residency claim against the underlying infrastructure
Readeu url shortener · gdpr url shortener · european url shortener
IntegrationsSlack URL shortener bot: shorten links and route alerts
Install the Elido Slack app, use the /shorten slash command, and route threshold alerts to any channel without writing webhook handlers.
Readslack url shortener · slack link shortening bot · slack short links