Shortening Your Booking Link
Sometimes, links are simply too long, and just need to be a little bit shorter. Fortunately, a tool exists that can not only shorten your Swift link, but also give you multiple ways of displaying it.
That tool is Bit.ly (opens in a new tab). To follow the steps in this guide, please ensure that you have created a Bit.ly account, which can be done here (opens in a new tab).
Shortening Your Booking Link:
To shorten your booking link for your facility or for individual services, follow the guide below.
On a free plan, Bit.ly will allow you to create 12 shortened links per month.
Click the "Create new" Button
Click the blue "Create new" button in the top left corner, and select "Link" from the resulting drop down menu.
Copy and Paste Your URL
Copy the URL that you wish to shorten into the "Destination" box at the top of the screen.
Add a Title (Optional)
Give your link a title with the "Title" box just below the "Destination" box.
Add A Back-Half (Optional)
If you wish, you can add a custom back-half to your shortened link. We recommend that if you choose to use it, you use it for service descriptions or something similar.
However, be careful about how frequently you use the back-half feature, as the free version of Bit.ly only allows you to create 5 back-halves per month.
Click the "Create" button
Click the blue "Create" button in the bottom right corner of your screen. This will send you to a different page, where you will be able to view the link that you just created.
Double-Check Your Link
Test out your link by copy and pasting it into your browser to ensure that it redirects to the correct place. Now you've managed to successfully shorten your Swift links!
Creating a QR Code With Your Booking Link:
On a free plan, Bit.ly will allow you to create 2 QR Codes per month, so use them wisely!
Click on the "QR Codes" Button
From the home screen, navigate to the left of your screen and click on "QR Codes."
Click "Create a code"
Click the blue "Create a code" button in the center of the screen.
Copy and Paste Your URL
Copy the URL that you wish to shorten into the "Destination URL" box at the top of the screen.
Add a Title (Optional)
Give your QR code a title with the "Title" box just below the "Destination URL" box.
Add A Back-Half (Optional)
If you wish, you can add a custom back-half to your shortened link. We recommend that if you choose to use it, you use it for service descriptions or something similar.
However, be careful about how frequently you use the back-half feature, as the free version of Bit.ly only allows you to create 5 back-halves per month.
Customize Your Code Design
After clicking the blue "Design your code" button, you'll be sent to a second page with numerous design options.
On the free plan, you can customize patterns, corners, colours, and frames. Once you're happy with your code, click the blue "Create your code" button in the bottom right corner.
Test Your QR Code
Navigate back to the "Links" page, and select the link with the QR Code attached. Then, scan it with your phone.
If it redirects you to the appropriate site, you're good to go!
