How to insert shortlinks in email blasts

By default, Switchboard automatically converts links in email blasts to shortlinks. This allows you to track clicks and donations without setting up all the shortlinks yourself.

Inserting an existing shortlink

If you’d rather use a specific shortlink you’ve already created:

Visual editor:

1. Highlight the text you want to hyperlink

2. Click the hyperlink icon in the editor toolbar

3. When the modal appears, click "existing shortlink"

4. Choose the shortlink you want to use

HTML editor:

1. Click "Tracked Link" in the bottom menu

2. Select the shortlink you want to use or "Insert your own" to create a new one

Disabling Automatic Link Tracking

You can disable Automatic link tracking for an individual email blast or automated blast. When it’s off, links are sent exactly as written, without converting to a shortlink and no tracking parameters added.

Where to find it
In the visual or HTML email editor, click the gear icon (Link tracking settings) in the top toolbar, next to Save, and uncheck Automatically add tracking to links.

When to turn it off

• You want recipients to see the original URL rather than a shortlink.

• In very rare cases, if the destination site doesn’t work with tracking URL parameters.

What you give up

• Click and donation tracking. Links won’t report clicks, donations, or amount raised. The exception is any link where you’ve manually inserted a specific shortlink you created (see "Inserting an existing shortlink" above), which is still tracked.

• Data for deliverability. Click data feeds into the email reputation score which protects your deliverability and IP pool status. Blasts without it give us less signal about how your audience engages.

We recommend leaving tracking on unless one of the cases above applies.