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Links is Umami’s built-in link shortening and tracking feature. Create custom short URLs that track clicks, sources, and engagement while providing a clean, branded experience. Links provide URL shortening with analytics tracking:

URL Shortening

Create short, memorable URLs:
  • Custom slug generation
  • Clean, professional links
  • Easy to share
  • QR code compatible

Click Tracking

Track every click:
  • Click counts
  • Geographic location
  • Device and browser
  • Referrer sources
  • Time-based analysis

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Use Cases

Social Media

Share trackable links:
  • Twitter/X posts
  • Facebook updates
  • LinkedIn articles
  • Instagram bio links

Marketing Campaigns

Track campaign performance:
  • Email campaigns
  • Print materials
  • QR codes
  • Offline advertising

Content Distribution

Monitor content sharing:
  • Blog post links
  • Resource downloads
  • Partner links
  • Affiliate tracking

Event Promotion

Track event marketing:
  • Registration links
  • Event announcements
  • Speaker promotions
  • Sponsor tracking
Generate a new tracking link:
1

Navigate to Links

Click Links in the main navigation.
2

Add Link

Click the Add Link button.
3

Enter Details

Provide the following information:Name: Internal identifier for the link (e.g., “Summer Sale Campaign”)Destination URL: The full URL where users will be redirected
https://example.com/products/summer-sale
Short Link: Your shortened URL is automatically generated
https://links.umami.is/abc123xyz
The slug (random characters) is auto-generated but can be regenerated if desired.
4

Save Link

Click Save to create your tracking link.
5

Copy and Share

Copy the short link and use it in your campaigns.

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Name

Internal reference name:
  • Descriptive and meaningful
  • Only visible to you
  • Helps organize links
  • Used for searching and filtering
Examples:
  • “Blog Post - Getting Started”
  • “Twitter Campaign - Q1 2024”
  • “Email Newsletter - Week 12”
  • “Print Ad - Magazine Insert”

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Destination URL

The target URL where users are redirected:
Must be a valid, complete URL including https:// or http://
Examples: 
https://example.com/products
https://blog.example.com/article
https://example.com/signup?ref=campaign
The shortened URL:
  • Randomly generated by default
  • 9-character alphanumeric code
  • Can be regenerated before saving
  • Permanent once created
Format: 
https://[your-domain]/[slug]
Once a link is created, the slug cannot be changed. You must create a new link if you want a different slug.
Track performance of your shortened links:
1

Open Link Details

Click on any link from your links list.
2

View Analytics

See comprehensive click analytics.
3

Analyze Data

Explore metrics by various dimensions.

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Click Metrics

Total Clicks

Total number of times your link was clicked.

Unique Visitors

Number of unique individuals who clicked.

Click Rate

Clicks over time showing engagement trends.

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Click Analytics Dashboard

Each link has its own analytics dashboard showing: Traffic Chart
  • Click volume over time
  • Hourly, daily, or monthly views
  • Trend visualization
  • Peak activity times
Geographic Data
  • Countries clicking your link
  • Regional distribution
  • City-level tracking
  • Interactive map view
Device Information
  • Desktop vs mobile clicks
  • Browser distribution
  • Operating systems
  • Screen sizes
Referrer Sources
  • Where clicks originated
  • Social media platforms
  • Websites linking to you
  • Direct vs referred traffic
Link analytics use the same powerful analytics engine as website tracking, providing detailed insights.
Update link details:
1

Find Link

Locate the link in your links list.
2

Click Edit

Click the edit icon next to the link name.
3

Update Information

Modify the name or destination URL.
The short link slug cannot be changed after creation.
4

Save Changes

Click Save to update the link.

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What Can Be Changed

  • Name: Update the internal reference name
  • Destination URL: Change where the link redirects

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What Cannot Be Changed

  • Slug: The short URL code is permanent
  • Creation Date: Historical timestamp
  • Click History: Analytics data is preserved
If you need a different slug, create a new link and optionally delete the old one.
Remove links you no longer need:
Deleting a link is permanent. The short URL will stop working immediately, and all click data will be lost.
1

Select Link

Find the link you want to delete.
2

Click Delete

Click the delete icon.
3

Confirm Deletion

Confirm that you want to permanently delete the link.
Considerations before deleting:
  • Is the link still being used?
  • Do you need the analytics data?
  • Are there external references to this link?
  • Consider archiving the data first
Links can be created under teams for shared access:
1

Select Team Context

When creating a link, select the team from the dropdown (if available).
2

Create Link

Follow the normal link creation process.
3

Team Access

All team members can view and manage the link based on their role.

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Team Permissions

Manager

Full access:
  • Create links
  • Edit links
  • Delete links
  • View analytics

Member

Standard access:
  • Create links
  • Edit own links
  • View all analytics
  • Cannot delete team links

View Only

Read-only access:
  • View links
  • View analytics
  • Cannot create/edit
  • Cannot delete

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Naming Conventions

Use clear, consistent naming: Good Names:
  • “Twitter Post - Product Launch - 2024-03”
  • “Email Newsletter - Week 12 - CTA Button”
  • “Instagram Bio Link - Q1”
  • “Print Ad - Magazine A - Page 23”
Poor Names:
  • “Link 1”
  • “Test”
  • “asdfsdf”
  • “New link”
Include the channel, campaign, and date in your link names for easy organization.

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Destination URLs

Best practices:
  • Use full, absolute URLs
  • Include UTM parameters for additional tracking
  • Test the destination before creating the link
  • Use HTTPS when possible
  • Avoid overly long URLs in the destination
Example with UTM parameters: 
https://example.com/product?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=spring_sale
  • Use consistent naming conventions
  • Create links under appropriate teams
  • Archive or delete old campaign links
  • Document link usage internally
  • Keep a spreadsheet of active campaigns
Both track campaigns but serve different purposes:
FeatureLinksUTM Parameters
URL ShorteningYesNo
Click TrackingYesTracked on destination
Easier to ShareYesLong URLs
Deep AnalyticsLink-specificWebsite-level
Best ForSocial, Print, QRDigital campaigns
SetupCreate linkAdd parameters
Pro tip: Use both together! Create a short link with a destination URL that includes UTM parameters for comprehensive tracking.
Example combined approach: 
Short Link: https://links.umami.is/spring
Destination: https://example.com/sale?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=spring_sale

Result:
- Track clicks on the short link
- Track behavior on your website with UTM parameters
- Complete attribution from click to conversion

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Performance Analysis

Questions links help answer:
  • Which social platforms drive the most clicks?
  • What time of day gets the best engagement?
  • Which geographic regions respond to campaigns?
  • Desktop or mobile users more likely to click?
  • How long does campaign momentum last?

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Optimization

Use link data to improve:
  • Timing: Post when your audience is most active
  • Platforms: Focus on high-performing channels
  • Messaging: Test different copy with different links
  • Targeting: Focus on responsive geographic regions
  • Design: Optimize for device types clicking most
How links work:
1

User Clicks Link

Someone clicks your shortened URL.
2

Umami Records Click

Click is tracked with:
  • Timestamp
  • Referrer (if available)
  • Device information
  • Geographic location
3

Instant Redirect

User is immediately redirected to the destination URL.
4

Analytics Update

Link analytics are updated in real-time.
Redirects happen instantly with no perceivable delay to users.

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Privacy and Compliance

Link tracking respects privacy:
  • No cookies: Tracking doesn’t require cookies
  • Anonymized data: IP addresses are anonymized
  • No PII: No personally identifiable information collected
  • GDPR compliant: Meets privacy regulations
  • Transparent: Users can see destination before clicking
Links provide analytics while respecting user privacy, unlike many third-party link shorteners.

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Troubleshooting

Possible causes:
  • Link just created (data not yet populated)
  • No actual clicks yet
  • Clicks blocked by ad blockers
  • Browser privacy settings
Solutions:
  • Wait a few minutes for data to appear
  • Test the link yourself
  • Note that some clicks may not be tracked due to privacy tools
  • Check network tab for tracking requests
Advantages of Umami Links:
  • Privacy-focused (no data selling)
  • Integrated with your analytics
  • No external dependencies
  • Full data ownership
  • No third-party tracking
  • Included in Umami (no extra cost)
When to use external services:
  • Need advanced features (A/B testing, link retargeting)
  • Require branded short domains on cloud version
  • Want social media integration features

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Next Steps

Pixels

Learn about tracking pixels for campaigns

UTM Tracking

Combine links with UTM parameters

Teams

Create shared links for your team

Reports

Analyze campaign performance with reports

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