Congratulations on installing the Pretty Links Alternative plugin! This powerful tool gives you complete control over your links. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to become a link management expert.
Part 1: Installation & Setup
The plugin comes as a single .zip file. To install it:
Choose the plugin’s .zip file from your computer and click “Install Now”.
Log in to your WordPress admin dashboard.
Navigate to Plugins -> Add New.
Click the “Upload Plugin” button at the top of the page.
If you have followed the final instructions, the plugin is already installed. The most critical step after activating the plugin for the first time is to set your permalinks.
- Navigate to Settings -> Permalinks in your WordPress dashboard.
- You do not need to change any settings.
- Simply scroll to the bottom and click the “Save Changes” button.
This forces WordPress to recognize your new custom link structure (e.g., yourwebsite.com/go/my-link) and prevents “404 Not Found” errors.
Download PluginPart 2: Creating Your First Pretty Link
This is the core function of the plugin. Let’s create a custom branded link.
- In your WordPress dashboard, navigate to Pretty Links Alt -> Add Link.
- You will see the “Add New Link” screen. Let’s break down the fields in the “Basic” tab:
- Title: This is for your internal reference only. Give it a descriptive name like “Amazon Summer Sale Affiliate Link”.
- Target URL: This is the most important field. Paste the full, original, long URL that you want your new pretty link to redirect to (e.g., https://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/…?_encoding=UTF8&tag=your-affiliate-id-20…).
- Pretty Link Slug: This is your custom link! Type a short, memorable slug here. For example, if you type summer-sale, your new link will be yourwebsite.com/go/summer-sale.
- Redirection: This tells browsers how to handle the redirect.
- 307 (Temporary): The best choice for affiliate links or links that might change in the future. It tells search engines the redirect is not permanent.
- 302 (Temporary): Very similar to 307. A safe default.
- 301 (Permanent): Use this ONLY if you are permanently moving a page and want to pass all its SEO value to the new URL. Do not use this for most affiliate links.
- Click the “Publish” button on the right. Your link is now live!
Part 3: Using the Advanced Options
Click on the “Advanced” tab to unlock more powerful features. These settings are fully functional and will save correctly.
- No Follow: Checking this box tells search engines like Google, “Don’t follow this link or pass any of your website’s SEO authority to the destination.” It is highly recommended to check this for all affiliate and sponsored links.
- Sponsored: This is a more specific signal for Google, indicating that the link is part of an advertisement or sponsored placement. It’s good practice to check this along with “No Follow” for paid links.
- Parameter Forwarding: Imagine your pretty link is yourwebsite.com/go/search and someone visits it like this: …/go/search?query=blue+widgets. If parameter forwarding is enabled, the final target URL will become https://targetsite.com/search?query=blue+widgets. This is incredibly useful for passing tracking data or search queries.
- Enable Click Tracking: By default, the plugin will count every click on your link. If you ever want to disable tracking for a specific link, you can uncheck this box.
Part 4: Managing Your Links & Tracking Clicks
- Navigate to Pretty Links Alt -> All Links to see a list of all the custom links you’ve created.
- The “Clicks” column shows you the total number of times each link has been clicked.
- Resetting Clicks: Sometimes you’ll click your own link for testing, which inflates the count. To reset it:
- Find the link in the “All Links” list.
- To the right of the click count, you will see a “Reset” link.
- Click “Reset”. A confirmation box will appear.
- Click “OK”, and the count will instantly be set back to 0.
Benefits of Using This Plugin
- Boost Trust and CTR: yourwebsite.com/go/recommends looks far more professional and trustworthy than a long, messy affiliate link, leading to more clicks.
- Simplify Management: If an affiliate link changes, you don’t need to hunt down dozens of old posts. Simply edit the one pretty link, and every instance is updated instantly.
- Gain Valuable Insights: By tracking clicks, you know exactly which links are performing well and which are not, allowing you to optimize your strategy.
- Full Control: Your links are on your domain. You are not dependent on a third-party service like Bitly, which could change its terms or shut down.
Why You Need a Custom Link Management Plugin
Before we get to the “how,” let’s cover the “why.” Using a custom link redirect manager isn’t just about making URLs shorter; it’s a professional marketing strategy with huge benefits.
- Dramatically Increase Trust & Click-Through Rate (CTR): A clean, branded link feels safer and more professional to your audience, leading to significantly more clicks.
- Effortless Affiliate Link Management: When a partner changes their link structure, do you want to manually edit hundreds of old blog posts? With a link manager, you update it in one central place, and every link is fixed instantly.
- Unlock Powerful Insights with Click Tracking: Knowledge is power. By tracking clicks, you can see which products your audience loves, which calls-to-action are working, and where to focus your efforts for maximum revenue.
- Improve SEO with Proper Redirects: Using the correct nofollow and sponsored attributes on your affiliate links is critical for signaling your site’s relationship with others to Google, which is a key part of modern, transparent SEO.
Introducing the Best Free Pretty Links Alternative for WordPress
While there are premium tools available, you can achieve all of this with a powerful, lightweight, and completely free plugin: The Pretty Links Alternative.
This plugin was built to provide all the core features of premium tools without the cost. It is an all-in-one WordPress redirect manager, link cloaker, and click tracker.
Key Features:
- Unlimited Custom Branded Links: Create as many clean, short URLs on your own domain as you need.
- Advanced Click Tracking: See a real-time count of every click your links receive.
- SEO Control (Nofollow & Sponsored): Easily add nofollow and sponsored attributes to your redirects to comply with SEO best practices.
- Flexible Redirect Types (301, 302, 307): Choose the perfect redirect type for every situation, whether it’s a permanent page move or a temporary affiliate campaign.
- Parameter Forwarding: Automatically pass tracking data (like UTM parameters) from your short link to the final destination URL.
How to Create Your First Custom Short URL in 3 Steps
Using the plugin is incredibly simple:
- Add a New Link: Navigate to Pretty Links Alt -> Add Link.
- Enter Your Destination: Paste your long, ugly URL into the “Target URL” field.
- Create Your Custom Slug: In the “Pretty Link Slug” field, type your desired branded keyword (e.g., my-favorite-tool).
Click “Publish”, and your new link (yourwebsite.com/go/my-favorite-tool) is live and ready to be shared!
Link Shortening & SEO: Best Practices
To get the most out of your new tool, follow these professional tips:
- Always Use 307 for Affiliate Links: A 307 “Temporary Redirect” tells Google that your website itself isn’t moving, you’re just pointing to another temporary location. This is the safest and most accurate option for affiliate marketing.
- Always Use “No Follow” on Paid Links: This is non-negotiable for SEO. By checking the “No Follow” box, you are telling search engines not to pass your website’s authority through that link, which keeps your site in good standing.
- Keep Slugs Short and Descriptive: Your slug should be memorable and relevant. yourwebsite.com/go/blue-running-shoes is much better than /go/link-123.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Is a link shortener plugin bad for my SEO?
A: No! When used correctly, it’s good for your SEO. It allows you to properly implement nofollow and sponsored attributes and provides a better user experience, which search engines love.
Q: Why not just use a service like bit.ly?
A: Branding and control. Using your own domain (yourwebsite.com/go/…) builds your brand, not Bitly’s. You also own your data and aren’t subject to a third party’s rules or potential service interruptions.
Q: Can I track clicks on my Amazon affiliate links?
A: Yes. This plugin tracks the click from your website to the redirect’s destination (Amazon). This tells you how many people are leaving your site through that link, which is invaluable data that Amazon’s own reports don’t always make clear.
Conclusion: Take Control of Your Links Today
Stop guessing and start measuring. Stop using clunky, untrustworthy URLs. By installing a powerful and free WordPress URL shortener and link cloaker, you are upgrading your website from a simple blog to a professional marketing platform.
Download and install the Pretty Links Alternative plugin today and see for yourself how easy it is to create, track, and manage links like a pro.