Short URL Terminology

Short URL Terminology Guide • Vivoldi Key Terms

A clear guide to understanding short URLs and essential terminology at a glance.
Learn key concepts like clicks, traffic sources, and redirects
and get more out of Vivoldi’s powerful features.

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Short URL Terminology Guide • Vivoldi <span class="highlight">Key Terms</span>

Complete Guide to Short URL Terms · From Clicks to UTM

Explore all 10 essential terms in one place.

When you shorten a long URL with Vivoldi, a short link is generated.
“Clicks” represent the total number of times this short link has been clicked, and direct clicks on the original URL are not included.

Each time a user clicks the short link, the click count increases by +1.
However, if the same user repeatedly clicks the same link within 5 seconds, it is treated as a duplicate and is not counted.

FAQ

Can I exclude test clicks from the dashboard?

After creating a short link, you may click it directly from the dashboard to verify that it works correctly.
These test clicks are useful because they allow you to quickly detect any issues with the link.

However, if these test clicks are included in your analytics, they may distort your actual data.
To prevent this, Vivoldi provides a feature to exclude dashboard clicks from statistics.

How to set
In the left menu of the dashboard, click Settings → Preferences, then select the Link Settings tab at the top.
Change the option “Count clicks from dashboard short link clicks” to “Do not count clicks or include in analytics”, then save.
After this, clicks made within the dashboard will no longer be included in your statistics.
Can clicks increase without user interaction?

When you share a short link in messengers or blogs, clicks may increase even if no user actually clicks the link.

This happens because systems or apps may check whether the URL is accessible or
generate preview images and titles by automatically accessing the link.

For example, when a URL is entered in a blog platform or messenger, a preview is generated and the system internally accesses the link.
This process can be counted as a click, increasing the total by +1.

How does Vivoldi handle automated clicks?

Vivoldi continuously improves its system to prioritize real user clicks and reduce abnormal activity.
Automated access and bot traffic are excluded from analytics using AI-based filtering.

This filtering system is continuously enhanced to provide more accurate click data.

“People” refers to the number of unique users who clicked the short link.
Even if a single user clicks the same link multiple times, they are counted as 1.

For example, if the same user clicks vvd.bz/cxMr multiple times:
- The click count increases with each click.
- However, the people count remains 1.

FAQ about Unique Users

How are unique users calculated?

Vivoldi calculates unique users based on click data from the past 30 days.
Therefore, even if the same user clicks multiple times within 30 days, they are counted as 1.

If the same user clicks again after 30 days, they are recognized as a new user and the count increases by +1.

For example, even if the click count is 100, the actual number of users may be lower depending on repeated clicks.

Is the people count based on IP addresses?

The people count is not based on IP addresses, but on a unique user identification method.
Vivoldi uses browser-based identification technology to provide more accurate user tracking.

If the same user accesses the link using different browsers (Chrome, Safari, Edge, etc.), they may be counted as separate users.

This approach is designed to improve accuracy even in environments such as VPNs, shared IPs, and public networks.

“Referrer” shows which website or page users came from before accessing your short link.
In simple terms, it’s a key marketing metric that answers “where did this click come from?”

FAQ about Referrer

Why is referrer data important?

If you share your link across multiple channels such as blogs, communities, social media, or YouTube,
it’s important to understand not just the number of clicks, but also which channels are generating those clicks.

By analyzing referrer data, you can build strategies such as:
- Increase marketing efforts on high-performing channels
- Improve content or switch channels for low-performing ones

Are there any limitations to referrer data?

Some websites (e.g. YouTube) do not provide full URL information due to security policies.
In such cases, only the domain can be identified, and it is difficult to determine the exact page, post, or video.

Additionally, when there is no referrer information—such as from email, SMS, messenger apps, or direct URL entry—
the traffic source will be shown as ‘Direct, E-mail, SMS’.

Where can I view referrer data?

In the Vivoldi dashboard, you can check the following statistics:
- By Referrer: domain-level statistics
- By Referrer (Detailed): full URL-level statistics

In general, detailed statistics provide more accurate referrer insights.

Want more precise referrer analysis?

The free plan provides only limited referrer data.
Upgrade your plan to access more detailed data and advanced analytics features.

“Redirect” is a technology that automatically sends users to another URL.
Vivoldi short links use this feature to connect short URLs → original destination URLs.

FAQ about Redirect

What types of redirects are available?

Vivoldi provides three types of redirects that you can choose based on your purpose.

301 Redirect (Permanent)
  • Description:Indicates that the URL has been permanently moved.
  • Browser Behavior:The browser caches the destination and automatically redirects to the same location on future visits.
  • Analytics:Repeated clicks from the same user may be counted in a limited way.
  • Use Case:Ideal for unique visitor (UV) tracking or when changing URL structures.
  • Note:Once accessed, users may continue to be redirected to the previous destination due to caching.
302 Redirect (Temporary) – Default
  • Description:Temporarily redirects users to another URL.
  • Browser Behavior:No caching; the destination is checked on every request.
  • Analytics:Each click is counted accurately.
  • Use Case:Best for click tracking, A/B testing, and general marketing use.
  • Note:Search engines treat this as a temporary redirect.
200 Redirect (Preview Control)
  • Description:Displays a preview page before redirecting using an HTML page.
  • Features:
    • You can customize title, description, and image for SNS and messenger previews.
    • The original URL is hidden, and only the configured preview information is shown.
  • Analytics:Handled the same way as 302 redirect.
  • Use Case:Ideal for social sharing, branding, and preview control.
  • Note:More suitable for content presentation control than precise analytics.
How do I choose the right redirect type?

When creating a short link, you can choose between 301 / 302 / 200 redirects, and selecting the right type based on your goal is important.

For most use cases, it is recommended to use the default 302 Redirect, and you can change it at any time if needed.

When you create a short URL in Vivoldi, it is generated by default using the vvd.bz domain and an auto-generated link ID.
Example: https://vvd.bz/cxMr

While these links are simple, it’s difficult to know where the link leads before clicking.

FAQ about Branded Links

What is a branded link?

A branded link allows you to create a custom URL using your own words instead of an automatically generated ID.
Example: https://vvd.im/notebook, https://vvd.im/노트북

Users can understand the destination before clicking, which helps increase trust and improve click-through rate (CTR).

Things to note when creating branded links:
  • Branded links are provided by default on the vvd.im domain.
    Example: https://vvd.im/macbook
  • Link IDs must be unique.
    Words that are already in use cannot be registered.
  • Short and popular keywords may be taken quickly, so it’s recommended to secure them early.
  • If you use your own domain, you can freely create the same link ID.
Can I create branded links with my own domain?

On the vvd.im domain, link IDs are shared,
but if you connect your own domain to Vivoldi, you can freely create custom URLs.

You can configure this in [Link Domain Management].

👉 Refer to How to create short URLs with your own domain and start using branded URLs.

“Web Push Subscription Link” is a short URL feature that encourages users to subscribe to browser notifications.
It operates based on Web Push technology, allowing users to receive notifications without installing an app.

When creating a short URL, if you enable the push subscription option,
users will first see a notification permission request instead of being redirected immediately.
Users can choose to allow or block notifications, and are then redirected to the original page.

If the user selects Allow,
you can send marketing messages, event updates, and announcements directly via push notifications.
This is highly effective for driving return visits and improving conversion rates (CTR).

Usage Guide
To send push messages, prepaid credits are required,
and charges are applied per message sent.

To learn more about Web Push Subscription Links, check the Web Push Feature Guide.

“Domain” is an internet address like example.com used instead of a numeric IP address.
It helps users easily remember and access websites.

When you create a short URL in Vivoldi, it looks like this:
https://vvd.bz/cxMr
Here, vvd.bz is the domain, and cxMr is the link ID.

FAQ about Short URL Domains

Can it be used with branded links?

Link IDs are generated automatically by default,
but with the branded link feature, you can customize them using your own words.
Example: https://vvd.im/노트북

Can I use my own domain?

Vivoldi provides the vvd.bz domain by default,
but you can connect your own domain to create fully customized short URLs.

For example, if you register the domain marketing.com:
https://marketing.com/4B6z can be used as your short link.

Businesses and brands actively use custom domains to increase trust and improve click-through rates (CTR).

Note
To connect a domain, you need to update your DNS (nameserver) settings based on the configuration provided by Vivoldi.

If you don’t have a domain, you can purchase one from a domain registration service on a yearly basis,
typically costing around $20–$25 per year.

Domain connection can be configured in the Vivoldi dashboard under [Link Domain Management],
and is available on premium plans and above.

“Short URL” is a feature that converts long web addresses into short, clean links.
It simplifies complex URLs, making them easier to share and manage.

Long URLs can look cluttered and less trustworthy when shared via social media, messaging apps, or email.
By using a short URL like vvd.im/abc123, you get a cleaner format that helps improve shareability and increase click-through rates (CTR).

When a user clicks a short URL, they are automatically redirected to the original page,
and you can analyze various data such as clicks, unique users, and traffic sources.

Example
Original:https://www.myshop.com/products/summer-sale-2026?utm_source=instagram
Short:vvd.im/summer26

“QR Code” is a two-dimensional barcode that instantly opens a webpage when scanned with a smartphone camera.
It allows users to access content quickly without typing a URL, providing excellent convenience.

QR codes are widely used on offline materials such as business cards, posters, menus, and flyers,
and serve as a key tool for connecting offline visitors to online experiences.

Vivoldi QR codes are dynamic QR codes linked to short URLs.
This means you can change the destination URL at any time without recreating the QR code.

Additionally, every short URL automatically generates a QR code,
and you can track analytics such as clicks, users, and traffic sources.

Use Case
Place a QR code on a table in a store → customers scan it to access menus, event pages, or social media instantly.
This creates a seamless connection from offline customers to online platforms.

“UTM Parameters” are codes added to the end of a URL to track marketing traffic sources and campaign performance.
They allow you to analyze where each click originated based on data.

When sharing the same page across multiple channels (SNS, ads, email, etc.),
using different UTM parameters helps you identify which channel generates the most clicks and conversions.

This data is used in analytics tools such as Google Analytics,
and plays a key role in marketing performance analysis and budget optimization.

Key UTM Parameters
- utm_source: Traffic source (e.g., instagram, google)
- utm_medium: Marketing medium (e.g., social, cpc, email)
- utm_campaign: Campaign name
- utm_content: Ad/content variation
- utm_term: Search keywords

Example
myshop.com/sale?utm_source=instagram&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=summer2026
→ Indicates visitors coming from the summer2026 campaign via Instagram social channel.