URL Shortener - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)


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Does the new solution allow users to edit the destination for a short URL after it’s been created?

Yes. See How to use the new URL Shortener.

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Is there a cost for this tool?

No.

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I utilize a shared login to bit.ly.  Will this continue to work?

No. Users will need to login using their UMD Directory ID and passphrase.

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What happens to short URLs created with my bit.ly super user account after June 30, 2024?

URLs with at least one utilization since 7/11/23 will be automatically transitioned to the new platform.  URLs and QR codes will continue to function as expected.  Ownership information will be retained and you will be able to access/modify them. Please note click count and engagement information will not be imported to the new platform.

Note: Link owners should download this information prior to June 30, 2024. Bit.ly offers two options for obtaining analytic data:

  1. Downloading all data from all created links since their inception - https://support.bitly.com/hc/en-us/articles/115000268051-How-do-I-export-all-data-from-the-Links-page
  2. Download data for a specific period (no more than 90 days at a time) - https://support.bitly.com/hc/en-us/articles/20372744722957-How-do-I-export-data-from-the-Analytics-page
  3. Download data for a specific link - https://support.bitly.com/hc/en-us/articles/230905028-How-do-I-view-engagement-data-for-a-specific-link

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What happens to short URLs created with my free bitly.com account after June 30, 2024?

URLs will remain active and your access to review reporting and analytics in the bit.ly platform will remain intact. Short links made after this point in bit.ly will be shortened using bit.ly’s default rather than go.umd.edu.

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What happens to QR codes for existing short URLs that are migrated to the new service?

Existing QR codes will continue to work post-migration. 

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Does the new service provide a link-in-bio feature?

No, this feature is not provided in the new service. 

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How does case sensitivity impact my short URL?

Shortened URLs created in https://go.umd.edu are not case sensitive. If you attempt to utilize a keyword that is already in use by someone else you will see an error message.  Please select a new keyword. https://go.umd.edu/Basketball and https://go.umd.edu/basketBALL will resolve the same.

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What happens to existing short URLs after I leave the University?

Short URLs are owned by the person that created them. There may be instances where a short URL is still in use, but the owner no longer works at the University. If you need to transfer ownership of a short URL, contact itsupport@umd.edu and request a transfer of ownership. We encourage individuals to transfer ownership of a short URL to another employee prior to leaving the university whenever possible. 

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Who can use the service? 

This free campus service can be used by faculty, staff and students.

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What happened to my short URL in bit.ly?

If the short URL was not used after 7/11/23, the short URL was not imported and will need to be created again. Otherwise your short URL was imported and will continue to work.

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Does this service work from mobile devices?

The service is not yet optimized for mobile devices.  It is recommended that you use the desktop view from mobile devices.

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When is the cutover date?

The cutover from bit.ly back to a campus hosted service took place on May 23, 2024.

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Will my short link expire?

Short links that have had no engagement, or clicks, in the prior 13 months will be automatically deleted by the system. To ensure that your short link is preserved click on it within the "My Links" section of go.umd.edu.

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How can I get help with this tool?

Please click here to submit a request for assistance.

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