Shortening Links in SMS for Salesforce Marketing Cloud Engagement – From Long URLs to Branded, Trackable Links

Executive Summary

SMS remains one of the most direct and personal channels in Salesforce Marketing Cloud Engagement (formerly ExactTarget). However, the character limit of 160 per message and the need for clean, trustworthy links make URL shortening essential. This blog post explores strategies for shortening links in SMS while preserving tracking and brand trust, comparing out-of-the-box options with custom and third-party integrations.

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The Challenge: Long Links in SMS

• SMS allows only 160 characters; a long URL can consume half the space.
• Links often appear messy, lowering click-through and trust.
• Marketers want both: short, branded links and accurate engagement tracking.

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Option 1: Default Marketing Cloud Link Tracking

• Works well in email, but SMS doesn’t support automatic rewriting into tracking links.
• Full URLs can still be tracked if they point to a CloudPage or a domain with click tracking enabled.
• Downside: links remain long, hurting both user experience and character count.

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Option 2: Third-Party Shorteners (Bitly, Rebrandly, Firebase Dynamic Links)

• Generate short URLs before sending SMS.
• Can be automated via API, AMPscript, or SSJS in Marketing Cloud.
• Upside: instantly shorter links, with flexibility to use branded short domains.
• Downside: you lose native Marketing Cloud click tracking unless you redirect through a CloudPage first.

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Option 3: Branded Short Domain via CloudPages Redirect

• Use a branded short domain (e.g., go.company.com) available through your SAP package.
• Each SMS link points to a CloudPage redirect that logs the click, then forwards to the final destination.
• Upside: keeps tracking inside Marketing Cloud, while offering a professional short link.
• Downside: requires creating a CloudPage redirect setup and managing link logic.

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Best Practices

1. Use branded short domains – boost trust and CTR vs. generic “bit.ly” links.
2. Preserve tracking – always run through a CloudPage or Marketing Cloud domain if engagement metrics are critical.
3. Automate shortening – avoid manual generation; use API or AMPscript functions to streamline.
4. Balance length vs. personalization – don’t sacrifice dynamic parameters for brevity if segmentation depends on them.

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Conclusion

Shortening SMS links in Salesforce Marketing Cloud Engagement is not just about saving characters – it’s about trust, brand identity, and measurable ROI. By combining branded short domains with CloudPages redirect tracking – or integrating trusted third-party services – marketers can send clean, click-worthy SMS that both engage customers and deliver the analytics needed to optimize future campaigns.