Short Trackable Links (URL shortener)
Some features are only available on particular plans or as paid add-ons and you can check inclusions on our pricing page. If you have any other questions, contact support and we can review your plan and provide you with options, including to speak to one of our Customer Success team.
Overview
The Short trackable links feature automatically shortens URLs to 22 characters within SMS messages. This saves valuable space in your text messages, helps keep messaging segments and costs down when sharing web addresses, and provides detailed click tracking reports.
Depending on where your Sinch Engage account is hosted, links are automatically shortened using the regional target domain for your instance:
| Region | Regional Shortener Domain | Example Short URL Format |
|---|---|---|
| APAC (Asia-Pacific) | nxt.to |
https://nxt.to/1234567 |
| EMEA (Europe, Middle East & Africa) | nxe.to |
https://nxe.to/1234567 |
| US (United States / North America) | stx.to |
https://stx.to/1234567 |
Configuring the Short Trackable Link Feature
Important Notes:
- Parent Account Level: This setting can only be managed at the parent account level and automatically applies across all sub-accounts.
- Pricing: Shortened trackable links may incur costs depending on your subscription agreement. Shortened links are charged per link in addition to standard SMS message charges. Please refer to your latest signed agreement or contact support to verify your pricing details.
Step 1: Check if the feature is enabled
- In the Sinch Engage navigation menu, go to Extensions > Power-Ups.
- Locate the Trackable link shortener tile:
- If you see a Manage button, the feature is active and ready on your account.
- If you see a View button, the feature is not yet active on your plan. Click View to explore upgrade options or contact support.
Step 2: Toggle the feature on or off
Once enabled on your account, you can toggle link shortening across your messaging:
- Navigate to Settings > Numbers > Settings.
- Locate the Short trackable links toggle:
- Switch the toggle to On to automatically shorten any long URLs added to outbound messages.
- Switch the toggle to Off if you prefer to send full URLs in their original format.
Using short trackable links
When the feature is turned on, any web link added to your message content that exceeds 22 characters will be automatically shortened:
- Go to Messaging > SMS messaging > New message.
- Paste or type your link into the Message content field (for example,
https://www.thisisaveryverylongurl.com). - The real-time message preview on the right will display the shortened URL format corresponding to your account region:
-
APAC accounts:
https://nxt.to/******* -
EMEA accounts:
https://nxe.to/******* -
US accounts:
https://stx.to/*******
-
APAC accounts:
Custom links
You can take trackable links one step further by replacing the standard Sinch Engage domain (nxt.to, nxe.to, or stx.to) with your company's own custom branded domain or subdomain (for example, https://sms.yourbusiness.com/1234567).
-
Standard short link examples:
- APAC:
https://nxt.to/1234567 - EMEA:
https://nxe.to/1234567 - US:
https://stx.to/1234567
- APAC:
-
Custom short link example:
https://sms.mybrand.com/1234567
Using a custom domain increases brand recognition and recipient trust. To configure a custom domain for your account, please submit a request to our support team or refer to our dedicated Custom Domain for Shortened URLs setup guide.
Reporting on link activity
-
Navigate to Messaging > SMS messaging > Campaign reports.
- Select the name of the campaign you wish to review.
-
From the campaign dashboard, open the Link clicks tab.
- You will see a detailed breakdown of link engagement, including:
- Recipient number: The phone number of the contact.
- Original URL: The long destination URL configured in the campaign.
- Page visits: The total number of times the recipient clicked the link.
- To download the report, click Export view / tab to generate a
.csvfile.