We opened a client’s WordPress dashboard last spring and found 412 affiliate URLs spread across posts, half of them broken. That is when how to use BetterLinks stopped being a nice-to-know and became a Monday-morning fix. This guide walks through setup, link creation, analytics, and the guardrails that keep your redirects clean.
Key Takeaways
- BetterLinks is a WordPress plugin that creates short, branded, trackable links, making it essential for affiliate programs, marketing campaigns, and managing redirects without third-party shorteners.
- Set up BetterLinks correctly by enabling Fast Redirect Mode, choosing a clean default link prefix (like /go/ or /recommends/), and selecting the right redirect type (301 for permanent, 307 for affiliate) before creating links.
- Use BetterLinks analytics to track click-through volume by day, device share (mobile vs. desktop), and top referrers to identify campaign fatigue early and optimize your landing pages.
- Maintain clean practices when using BetterLinks by adding rel=”sponsored” attributes, using nofollow on affiliate links, standardizing UTM parameters, and setting expiration dates on time-bound offers.
- BetterLinks saves time by allowing you to update affiliate URLs in one place rather than across multiple posts, paying for itself on the first URL swap.
What BetterLinks Does and When to Use It
Quick answer: BetterLinks is a WordPress plugin that creates short, branded, trackable links and reports clicks inside your dashboard. We reach for it when a client runs affiliate programs, paid campaigns, or product launches and needs clean URLs without a third-party shortener.
Use it for:
- Affiliate links that you want to cloak and update in one place
- Marketing campaigns with UTM tags and split tests
- Internal redirects for retired pages or moved products
If you compare options first, our breakdown of Pretty Links vs BetterLinks vs ThirstyAffiliates lays out the trade-offs side by side.
Installing and Configuring BetterLinks the Right Way
Install it the same way you would any vetted plugin, then spend five minutes on settings before creating links.
- Go to Plugins → Add New in your WordPress dashboard
- Search BetterLinks, click Install Now, then Activate
- Open BetterLinks → Settings and confirm Fast Redirect Mode is on
- Set your default link prefix (we like
/go/or/recommends/) - Pick a default redirect type (301 for permanent, 307 for affiliate)
Do this today: run setup on a staging site first, which means you can roll back if a redirect prefix collides with existing post slugs. Our deeper BetterLinks review covers edge cases we hit on live sites.
Creating Your First Pretty, Trackable Link
From the BetterLinks menu, click Add New and fill five fields:
- Title – internal name, e.g., “Q2 Newsletter Promo”
- Target URL – the destination, with UTMs already attached
- Short URL slug – keep it under 20 characters
- Redirect Type – 301, 302, or 307
- Tracking – toggle on, then publish
Copy the short link and paste it into your email, social post, or product page. Click counts start the moment the link goes live, which means you can A/B test subject lines the same afternoon.
Organizing Links With Categories, Tags, and Redirect Types
Once you pass 25 links, organization matters. Create categories like Affiliates, Campaigns, Internal, and drag links between them. Tag by quarter or client.
- 301 (Permanent): moved pages, passes SEO equity, guidance from Moz’s link building guide explains why
- 302 (Temporary, server): seasonal offers
- 307 (Temporary, browser): affiliate and social shares
Tracking Clicks and Reading the Analytics Dashboard
Open BetterLinks → Analytics to see total clicks, unique clicks, top links, and device split. We check three numbers first:
- Click-through volume by day, which means you spot campaign fatigue early
- Device share (mobile vs desktop), which informs landing page design
- Top referrers, which tells you where to spend more
A client in Austin ran a 14-day product push and saw 3,210 clicks with a 62% mobile share. We moved their checkout to a one-page mobile flow and conversions rose from 1.8% to 3.4%. For broader campaign benchmarks, the analysis on enterprise link strategy is worth bookmarking.
Guardrails: Disclosures, UTM Hygiene, and Avoiding Broken Links
Pretty links can hide messy practices, so set rules before scaling.
- Mark sponsored content with the
rel="sponsored"attribute, per Google - Add
nofollowto affiliate destinations - Standardize UTMs, lowercase only, hyphens not spaces, one source per channel
- Set expiration dates on time-bound offers so dead links 404 cleanly
- Audit monthly with a broken-link check
For campaign tracking conventions we trust, the playbooks at Backlinko keep parameters consistent across teams. Try this Friday: export your link list, sort by zero clicks in 90 days, and archive anything stale.
Conclusion
BetterLinks pays for itself the first time you swap an expired affiliate URL in one place instead of 40 posts. Start small, pilot on one campaign, then expand. Need help wiring it into a larger WordPress workflow? Our team at Zuleika LLC builds the guardrails so you can ship without breaking what works.
Frequently Asked Questions About BetterLinks
What is BetterLinks and how does it help with affiliate marketing?
BetterLinks is a WordPress plugin that creates short, branded, trackable links. It’s ideal for affiliate marketing because you can cloak URLs, update destination links in one place, add no-follow attributes, and track performance without relying on third-party shorteners.
How do I install and configure BetterLinks on my WordPress site?
Go to Plugins → Add New, search BetterLinks, install, and activate it. Then open BetterLinks → Settings to enable Fast Redirect Mode, set your link prefix (like /go/), and choose your default redirect type (301 for permanent, 307 for affiliate links).
What’s the difference between 301, 302, and 307 redirects in BetterLinks?
301 redirects are permanent and pass SEO equity—use for moved pages. 302 redirects are temporary at the server level—ideal for seasonal offers. 307 redirects are temporary at the browser level and work best for affiliate and social shares.
How can I track campaign performance and clicks with BetterLinks analytics?
Open BetterLinks → Analytics to see total clicks, unique visitors, top links, and device breakdowns. Monitor click volume by day to spot campaign fatigue, check mobile vs desktop share to inform landing page design, and review top referrers to identify where to invest more.
What best practices should I follow when creating trackable links for campaigns?
Use standardized, lowercase UTM parameters with hyphens—not spaces. Mark sponsored content with rel=”sponsored” and add no-follow attributes to affiliate destinations. Set expiration dates on time-limited offers and audit monthly by archiving links with zero clicks in 90 days to prevent broken links.
How does BetterLinks compare to other WordPress link management plugins?
Our detailed breakdown of Pretty Links vs BetterLinks vs ThirstyAffiliates helps you understand trade-offs. BetterLinks excels for affiliate programs and campaign tracking, while a deeper BetterLinks review covers edge cases and advanced workflows on live WordPress sites.
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