Vanity URLs
A vanity URL lets you choose the readable text after the slash, like u2l.ai/spring-sale, instead of random characters. It's the difference between a link people remember and one they ignore, and you can create one in seconds without owning a domain.
What is a vanity URL?
A vanity URL is a short link with a custom, human-readable back-half that you choose. Compare a default short link to a vanity one: u2l.ai/a1b2c3 versus u2l.ai/spring-sale. Same redirect, but the second one tells people where they're going, survives being read aloud, and looks like it belongs to your campaign. The "vanity" is simply that readable slug you picked.
Vanity slug vs. branded domain — what you control
A full custom link has two parts, and it helps to know which is which:
The vanity slug
The word after the slash, like /spring-sale. Readable, memorable, and available on u2l.ai with no setup.
The brand on the domain
Putting your name in front for trust and clicks. See branded links for that side.
The domain setup
Connecting your own domain, with DNS and SSL. See custom domains for the plumbing.
The short version: a vanity slug is the word after the slash, a branded domain replaces the u2l.ai part with your own, and you can use one or both together.
What makes a good vanity slug
Short and speakable
If you'd have to spell it out loud, it's too long. Aim for something a person can say and remember.
Lowercase, no ambiguity
Avoid characters that look alike (0 vs O, 1 vs l). Lowercase travels better across print and voice.
Match the campaign
Name it after what people are looking for (spring-sale), not an internal codename (q2-promo-v3).
Namespace by channel
Reuse a theme across channels with suffixes: spring-ig, spring-em, spring-yt for Instagram, email, YouTube.
Where vanity URLs earn their keep
Print and offline
A readable link on a flyer, business card, or billboard that people can actually type.
Spoken aloud
Podcasts, radio, stage talks, and sales calls, where the link has to survive being said out loud.
QR codes
Pair a vanity slug with a QR code so both the scan and the typed link lead to the same place.
Social bios
A clean, on-brand link in a bio or post instead of a jumble of random characters.
Create one in seconds, track it forever
Making a vanity URL is three steps: paste the destination, type the slug you want, and share. Because the destination is editable, an evergreen slug like /demo can point somewhere new next quarter without reprinting anything. And every vanity link carries full click analytics — country, device, browser, and referrer — so a memorable link is also a measurable one.
Vanity URL FAQ
What is a vanity URL?+
A vanity URL is a short link where you choose the readable text after the slash, like u2l.ai/spring-sale, instead of getting random characters. The custom, memorable part is the vanity.
How do I create a vanity URL?+
Paste your destination, type the custom slug you want, and save. It's live instantly, and you can share it right away on any channel.
Can I create a vanity URL for free?+
You can pick a custom slug on u2l.ai without owning a domain. Putting the vanity link on your own branded domain is a separate, paid step, covered by custom domains.
What's the difference between a vanity URL and a branded domain?+
The vanity slug is the readable text after the slash. A branded domain replaces the u2l.ai part with your own, like go.yourbrand.com. You can use just a vanity slug, or both a slug and your own domain together.
Can I edit the destination of a vanity URL later?+
Yes. You can change where a vanity link points anytime while keeping the same slug, which makes evergreen links like /demo or /pricing easy to maintain.
Can two links share the same vanity slug?+
No. Each slug is unique on a given domain, so if one is taken you'll pick a different one or namespace it, like spring-ig versus spring-em.
What makes a good vanity slug?+
Keep it short, lowercase, and phonetic, avoid ambiguous characters, and match how people actually describe the campaign rather than an internal name.
Do vanity URLs help SEO?+
They redirect and pass along to your destination; the real benefit is a higher click-through rate from a readable, trustworthy link, not a direct ranking boost.
Can I add a QR code and analytics to a vanity URL?+
Yes. Every link can generate a QR code and tracks clicks by country, device, browser, and referrer, so a vanity link is fully measurable.
Is a vanity URL the same as a personalized URL (PURL)?+
No. A PURL is unique to each recipient for tracking individuals; a vanity URL is one memorable link that everyone shares. They solve different problems.
Create your vanity URL
Pick a readable slug, point it wherever you like, and share a link people remember.