Quick Tip: Click data on any bit.ly link

Last night at the Social Media Club Phoenix meeting one quick tip that came up was how you can view statistics on any link created with the URL shortner bit.ly.  In the event you’re thinking “Why would I do that?,” go try it on a bit.ly link one of your competitors made with bit.ly, not your own.  Got it?  Here’s the (incredibly simple) way to do it:

1. Copy the entire bit.ly link
2. Paste it into the address bar in any web browser
3. Add a ‘+’ after the bit.ly link
4. Hit return

You’ll be directed to a bit.ly page that shows the statistics for that link.  Nice.

One word of caution: bit.ly does occasionally start offering up the same shortened bit.ly URL when a strong demand for the exact same link comes up.  Do click on the “Referrers” link on the bit.ly statistics page and you’ll get a better idea if this is the link you created or one that bit.ly is giving to a lot of others also.

Credit goes to Jeff Widman for the tip (@JeffWidman, BrandGlue).  Thanks Jeff!

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