Take control of your McGill short links

Are you a McGill communicator? Get in the driver's seat. Become a Short Link Creator and manage your own McGill short links.

McGill communicators want more control over their McGill short links

Since the introduction of McGill short links, there's been a high level of interest from the McGill community for the URL shortener. This is not surprising since McGill short links are secure and ideal for digital platforms. They can be used for, among others:

  • social media services (e.g., Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, etc.)
  • text messages (SMS)
  • Instant Messaging (IM)
  • newsletters
  • emails
  • promotional material
  • staff business cards

For occasional needs, users can easily request that a randomly-generated short link be created for them. However, early feedback has shown that a significant segment of the community has a common desire for more control over the creation and tracking of these types of randomly-generated short links. This is especially true for those in communicator roles who would otherwise opt for third-party services to generate and monitor such links on their own.

McGill communicators can have more control over their McGill short links

The Web Services Group — developers of the URL shortener — have heeded the call from the community. Updates to the URL shortener have been released, giving self-service access to the tool that allows users to create, edit, delete, annotate — and best of all — track the number of clicks on McGill short links in order to guage their level of activity and effectiveness. 

Start your engines! How to become a McGill Short Link Creator

If your responsibilities within any organization of McGill University involves overseeing communications on a regular basis — whether it be for your faculty, department, unit, club, or association — you may be eligible in your role as a communicator to register as a Short Link Creator for self-service access to the URL shortener.

Examples of communicators are: 

  • social media managers
  • communications professionals
  • staff in any position where communication with a broad audience is required

Other criteria for McGill Short Link Creators

No training is required to use the URL shortener. However, registered Short Link Creators must be members of the McGill community in any of the following capacity:

  • staff
  • student
  • faculty

With great power comes great responsibility

Use of the URL shortener is strictly intended for McGill-related business purposes.

McGill Short Link Creators are expected to abide by McGill University's policy for Responsible Use of McGill IT Resources. *Ahem* That means no spamming people into following your cat's Instagram account.

Are you ready to take control of your McGill short links?

The tool is easy to use! See the IT Support Knowledge Base for more information and detailed instructions.

animated gif demonstration of creating a McGill short link with the URL Shortener

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