Notice of link shortener removal

Due to industry changes, the URL shortener for the Keap Marketing Number has been removed. If you haven’t used Keap’s URL shortener, no action is needed. If you have, read this article to learn how you are impacted and what actions need to be taken.

Why the change? 

The latest CTIA Best Practices and Principles, coupled with new US Mobile Carrier Terms of Content have recommended eliminating URL shorteners due to heavy increases in SPAM and FRAUD associated with shorteners

Public URL shorteners such as bit.ly, tiny url, goo.gl, etc have already been banned for Business SMS use by mobile carriers and should not be used

The US Mobile carriers are tightening these policies in 2023 and have updated their filters to take this into account

What can I do going forward?

To improve deliverability, there are a few steps you can take to avoid accidental blocks of wanted text messages containing URLs:

Limiting the number of redirects is the first and most important thing to remember when sending messages with URLs. If you send a link that, when clicked, jumps two or three more times to a completely different landing page or domain address, this will alert users and the carriers that it could be phishing

Using a full-length URL is the best suggestion carriers give. If you have critical links, it is best to use full-length URLs

The other option is to use a branded shortened URL that’s identifiable to your domain. Here are some 3rd party recommendations:

• Rebrand.ly
• Short.io
• Sniply.io

What do I do with existing URL shorteners, including any with Keap.li?

Any text messages set up using Keap.li links should be removed and either: 

• Use the full URL, or
• Replace with your custom-branded shortener

If you are a Pro or Max user, please review any Easy Automations, Advanced Automations, and pending Text Broadcasts. If you're a Max Classic user, check your Campaigns and any pending Text Broadcasts to ensure all existing shorteners are replaced.