Are you an avid gamer or just a casual viewer of gaming streams? Then you’ve likely come across Twitch, the popular live-streaming platform that has taken the gaming world by storm.
Whether you’re watching your favorite gamer or streaming your own gameplay, sharing your Twitch URL link is essential to getting more viewers and building your online presence.
But with all the different types of links available, from stream links to PDF links to channel URL links, it can be confusing to know which one to share and how to do it.
In this article, we’ll walk you through the process of sharing your Twitch URL link and give you some tips on how to make the most of it. So, let’s get started and make sure your Twitch channel gets the recognition it deserves!
How to find and share your Twitch channel URL?
Your Twitch Channel URL is the link to your Twitch profile, which viewers can use to find and follow your channel. Here’s how to find and share your Twitch Channel URL:
Step 1: Follow the above steps and copy the URL by selecting it and pressing Ctrl+C.
Step 2: Open the platform or social media where you want to share the link (e.g., Twitter, Discord, or Facebook).
Step 3: Create a new post or message and paste the copied URL into the text field.
Noteworthy Tip: Promoting your Twitch Channel URL on social media and other platforms is a great way to attract new viewers and build your audience. Consider joining Twitch communities and groups to connect with other gamers and potential viewers.
How to share a Twitch Link of a stream you’re watching?
Sharing a Twitch link of a stream you’re watching is a great way to introduce your friends and followers to new content and support your favorite streamers. Here’s how to do it:
Step 1: Open the Twitch stream you want to share on your preferred device.
Step 2: Click on the “Share” button located below the video player.
Step 3: Choose how you want to share the link – you can copy the link to share it on other platforms or share it directly to social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, or Reddit.
Step 4: Add a message or comment to your post to provide context for your followers and encourage them to check out the stream.
Step 5: Publish your post and wait for your followers to start watching the stream!
Sharing Twitch links is an essential part of building an audience and connecting with other gamers on the platform. Whether you’re sharing your own stream link, your Twitch Channel URL, or a link to a stream you’re watching, it’s important to provide context and encourage viewers to tune in. By promoting your Twitch content on social media and other platforms, and by supporting other streamers in the community, you can build your audience and create a thriving Twitch channel.
So don’t be afraid to share your links and get involved in the Twitch community – the more you engage with other gamers and viewers, the more successful your channel will be!
FAQs
How to change your Twitch URL link?
Yes, Twitch allows you to change your Twitch URL (also known as your Twitch Channel URL) once every 60 days. Here’s how to do it:
Log in to your Twitch account and click on your profile picture in the top right corner.
Select “Settings” from the dropdown menu.
Scroll down to the “Profile” section and locate the “Profile URL” field.
Click on the “Edit” button next to the field.
Type in your desired username, making sure to follow Twitch’s guidelines for usernames.
Click on the “Check Availability” button to make sure the username is available.
If the username is available, click on the “Update” button to change your Twitch URL.
How do I share my Twitch stream link?
To share your Twitch stream link, navigate to your stream page and copy the URL from the address bar. Then, paste it into a post on your preferred social media platform or messaging app, along with a message encouraging viewers to tune in.
What is the best way to promote my Twitch channel?
The best way to promote your Twitch channel is to engage with your audience on social media and other platforms and to collaborate with other streamers in the community. You can also consider creating content for other platforms like YouTube or Instagram to attract new viewers.
How often should I share my Twitch links?
There’s no set rule for how often you should share your Twitch links, but it’s important to strike a balance between promoting your content and not overwhelming your followers. Aim to share your links a few times a week, and make sure to provide context and encourage viewers to tune in.
URL hijacking is when hackers redirect users to fake websites to trick them into sharing sensitive information. Once you land on the bogus site, you might be asked to provide your login credentials, financial information, or other sensitive data. This could lead to identity theft, financial losses, and other severe consequences.
It’s no surprise that digital marketers, bloggers, and website owners face a wide array of challenges, especially when their sites or brands start to take off on social media or search engines.
Most of us already know about hacking attempts on websites. However, most people don’t know about URL hijacking and how to prevent your website from it.
We’ll try to go deep down into this topic and educate you on URL hijacking, its impact on brand positioning, and how to avoid it.
URL hijacking is a malicious technique utilized by cybercriminals to redirect users to fraudulent websites, where they might be prompted to disclose sensitive information. It is a cybersecurity threat where attackers manipulate website URLs to redirect users to a fake website that looks almost identical to the original one— making NIST cybersecurity compliance essential. The fake website aims to deceive users into providing sensitive information such as login credentials, personal details, or financial information. Therefore, it is imperative to exercise vigilance and implement protective measures such as verifying URLs, Employing anti-phishing software, implementing robust firewall solutions, and maintaining updated security protocols on all devices..
Types of URL Hijacking
1. Paid search hijacking
Paid search hijacking is a type of hijacking that involves putting an identical copy of a company’s ad in the paid search results, targeting the same target audience and reaching out to them by outbidding the ad of the actual brand with a few cents.
Mostly affiliate marketers who don’t abide by the rules and terms of the affiliate programs/networks are involved in playing such tricks on companies.
2. Browser hijacking
Browser hijacking is an activity of installing unwanted softwares to the web browser without the user’s consent for various reasons, such as spying on users, stealing their sensitive information, or bombarding them with adverts.
We all have had experiences, especially in the past, when clicking a link on a website opens a dozen more websites. Though most website builders use such strategies to gain more clicks and impressions on their display ads, it’s still a frowned-up tactic in the website-building community.
3. Typo-squatting
URL hijacking has a wide spectrum in the search engine marketing world, meaning it has different shapes and forms. Typo-squatting is a form of URL hijacking in which a person or company uses a misspelled version of the domain name to steal website visitors from the original website.
For instance, if a person tries to steal the traffic/users of netflix.com by registering a domain like neftlix.com, then it’s called typo-squatting – it’s just an example.
Anyway, some hackers or stinky website builders play such tricks on their competitors or top-notch companies by registering similar domain names and building websites to impersonate real brands or websites. Related:How to Block a URL in Chrome?
What are hijacked domains used for?
It’s crystal clear that URL or domain hijacking has different levels, shapes and forms. I’ll shed some light on different patterns to look out for when identifying URL hijacking.
However, it’s important to learn why hackers hijack domains or URLs. When you know the evil purpose behind domain hijacking, you’ll be well-equipped to stop them and protect your online properties better.
Here are several reasons why domains are hijacked:
1. Stealing traffic
Website security is a serious concern for bloggers, website owners, and digital marketers. Hijacked domains can be used to steal traffic from legitimate websites. Attackers can create a website with a similar name to a legitimate website and use the hijacked domain to redirect traffic to their fake site.
This can result in legitimate traffic being redirected to the attacker’s site, potentially leading to financial loss for the legitimate site owner. Related: Boost Your Website Traffic Through Social Media
2. SEO spam
SEO spam is a process in which an SEO desperately or intentionally tries to create backlinks to a website through blog commenting, link insertion, cold reach out, or other ways. The purpose of SEO spam is to generate backlinks so that they could benefit their website. However, it’s a negative SEO practice that is illegal and unethical.
In some cases, hijacked domains are used for SEO spam, which involves creating websites that are designed to manipulate search engine rankings. Some experts try to manipulate the SERP using their websites or hijacked domains.
The way it works is that they create multiple low-quality websites that link back to their main site, in an attempt to improve their website’s search engine ranking. Related: How to Create an SEO Friendly URL: Ultimate Tips
3. Phishing attacks
Phishing is a type of cyberattack in which an attacker sends fraudulent communications (usually via email or social media DM) that appear to come from a legitimate source in order to trick the recipient into disclosing sensitive information or taking a certain action.
Hijacked domains can be used in phishing attacks as attackers can create URLs/links of legitimate websites to trick users into submitting their sensitive information or login credentials.
4. Email spam campaigns
Email marketing is an excellent digital marketing strategy. Brands and experts build email lists so that they don’t always rely on third-party platforms to interact with their followers. Hijacked domains can also be used in spam campaigns to distribute unsolicited emails.
Domain hijackers can use a hijacked domain to send spam emails that appear to come from a legitimate source, increasing the likelihood that the recipient will open the email and click on any links contained within it.
5. C2 Servers
Since there are various uses of hijacked domains, it’s hard to pin them down to just a few uses. Sometimes, hijackers steal domains to use for command and control (C2) servers for botnets or other types of malware. By using a hijacked domain as a C2 server, attackers can maintain control over infected devices and issue commands to them without being detected.
6. Malware distribution
Attackers could have different reasons for spreading the virus and malicious files, for instance, stealing passwords or credit card info, or code insertion. The problem is that they could use hijacked domains to distribute malware to the users.
Attackers can create websites that appear legitimate or spread the links via email or social media and the users who click on those links may end up compromising their online security. Related: Easy Guide For Fixing URL Blacklist
7. Fake news websites
One of the use cases of hijacked domains is spreading fake news on the web. It’s easier to distribute disinformation and propaganda content through hijacked domains because it’s hard to track the original source. Often the domain hijacking victims have no idea how and where their certain pages or URLs are being misused for spreading fake information or data.
How to recognize URL hijacking?
If someone is new to digital marketing, they may have a hard time figuring out signs of URL hijacking. To make it easier for everyone to recognize URL hijacking, here are some common ways to recognize URL hijacking:
1. The URL looks strange: If the URL looks different from what you would expect, it may have been hijacked. Look for misspellings, added characters, or unexpected domains in the URL.
2. The website looks different: If you visit the URL and the website looks different from what you would expect, it may have been hijacked. Look for changes in the website’s layout, content, or functionality.
3. You are redirected to another website: If you click on the URL and are redirected to a different website, it may have been hijacked. Check the URL of the website you are redirected to and see if it matches the original URL.
4. Your browser warns you: Some browsers will warn you if they detect that a website may be unsafe or has been hijacked. If your browser displays a warning message, take it seriously and avoid visiting the website.
Why does URL hijacking occur?
It’s hard to pinpoint the cause of the URL hijacking to something specific because the reason may vary from case to case.
However, URL hijacking is a negative activity that doesn’t bring any good to the victim. Instead, it often damages the brand’s reputation, SEO growth, and website traffic.
Therefore, protective measures are imperative for online businesses, especially if you got competition in SEO.
No doubt that there is always an agenda behind URL hijacking, and the more you know about it, the easier it gets to figure out the problem, just in case. Here are six of the common reasons why URL hijacking occurs:
To gain unauthorized access to a user’s device
To steal sensitive information, such as login credentials or personal data
To spread malware or ransomware
To redirect users to a malicious website that looks legitimate
To carry out further attacks or gain financial gain
To exploit vulnerabilities in a website’s security
How to prevent domain hijacking?
Here are several ways to avoid domain hijacking:
1. Trademark your domain:
Trademarking your domain helps establish legal ownership of your domain or brand which protects against infringement or domain hijacking. So don’t sleep on this preventive measure for the safety of your brand.
2. Monitor for impersonation sites:
Regularly monitor websites that may be impersonating your domain or brand, and take immediate action if you come across any. No one should be stealing your website traffic, brand value, and ROI.
3. Register other versions of your domain:
Registering different country top-level domain names can prevent others from registering them and using them for malicious purposes. You don’t necessarily need a separate website for each domain. Instead, you could redirect the additional domains to your main URL.
An SSL certificate is a must these days. In fact, all major web browsers prompt safety messages to visitors who visit unsecured websites. Getting an SSL certificate for your website is an essential step in securing your website, as it encrypts data transmitted between the user and the server.
5. Educate your staff/customers:
Educate your staff and customers to be aware of phishing scams and other forms of cyber attacks, and train them on how to prevent them. You might be able to avoid some malicious attacks.
6. Report false websites immediately:
If you come across a website that is impersonating your domain, report it to the relevant authorities immediately. Also, you could track down their web hosts and provide them with all the details. They might also take appropriate action on such websites. Related: Track Your Success: How to Create a Tracking Link?
7. Disavow canonical links:
Disavowing canonical links means informing Google to ignore certain backlinks to your domain. It works as a proactive measure to be safe from search engine penalties. When search engines observe a disavowed canonical link, the chances are, it won’t be counted for or against you when ranking the specific pages in the SERP. It immensely helps against negative SEO.
8. Use URL hijacking removal tools:
Utilize software tools that can detect and remove hijacked URLs, preventing hackers from redirecting users to malicious sites. Try SEMrush, LinkResearchTools, or SISTRIX for this purpose.
6 SEO implications of URL hijacking
1. Losing search engine ranking:
Often when a website’s domain is hijacked, it may start to showcase some malicious activities that are a major red flag in the search engines’ eyes. It could result in a search engine ranking loss.
2. The decline in direct and organic traffic:
One of the setbacks for the hijacked domain is the traffic loss for the original site. The fake/manipulative URL may attract some of the original website’s traffic, leading to a decline in direct and organic traffic to the original website.
3. Massively affects brand positioning:
URL hijacking can massively impact a brand’s positioning by redirecting users to a completely different website that might not have the same brand values. Plus, some lookalike websites could steal customers and damage the brand’s reputation afterward.
4. The drop occurs in backlinks:
Backlinks are an essential SEO element. The problem with URL hijacking is that it could take away some of the backlinks to a website. Backlinks that were pointing to the original website will now be pointing to the hijacked website, leading to a drop in backlinks for the original website.
5. Search engines could flag the hijacked site:
Hackers could try to remove the original site from the SERP by filing DMCA complaints against the original site or hijacking the original site and portraying it as damaging for the end users. If search engines detect that a website’s URL has been hijacked, they may flag the hijacked site as spam or malicious, leading to further SEO implications.
6. Social media users are less likely to mention the site:
Social media plays a vital role in spreading the word about a brand or offer. When something goes wrong regarding domain hijacking, social media users may be less likely to mention or share the hijacked site, leading to a decline in social media traffic and brand awareness on social media platforms.
What is the impact of URL hijacking on brands?
URL hijacking can have severe impacts on a brand’s growth, clientele, and reputation. It’s vital to keep an eye out for such activities. However, it’s also important to understand the implications that URL hijacking may cause to help create preventive measures.
Let’s take a look at some of the impacts of URL hijacking on brands:
1. Loss of revenue:
URL hijacking can lead to a loss of revenue, as cybercriminals redirect potential customers to fake websites, resulting in lost sales. In some cases, credit card info gets stolen as a result of a security breach. Eventually, it becomes difficult for customers to trust the same website, leading to a decrease in repeat business and referrals.
2. Reduced customer loyalty:
No doubt that URL hijacking gets more damaging when customers get upset over the problem it causes. The issue is that it can affect customers’ loyalty when customers may feel deceived no matter what negative experience they have had as a result of URL hijacking. This can result in a loss of trust, decreased customer satisfaction, and a decline in customer retention.
3. Shrinking brand value:
URL hijacking can diminish a brand’s value, as it can damage the brand’s reputation and result in negative publicity. It’s a nightmare for any brand because it gets difficult for the brand to attract new customers and retain existing ones, leading to a decline in market share.
4. Identity theft:
Identify theft refers to stealing personal information and impersonating someone else in person or online. URL hijacking could lead to several problems and identity theft is one of them. Since hackers can use fake websites to steal personal information such as names, addresses, and credit card details, it could lead to financial troubles for the victim. As a result, it could lead to long-term financial repercussions.
5. Data breach:
URL hijacking is also used to breach data on websites, apps, and emails. Cybercriminals can use victims’ website URLs or lookalike URLs to gain access to sensitive data such as customer information, trade secrets, and financial data. This can result in significant financial losses, legal liabilities, and reputational damage.
Last thoughts on URL hijacking
No wonder brands, digital marketers, and affiliate bloggers spend hundreds of thousands of dollars and countless hours of work into building authoritativeness, trustworthiness, and online reputation. And when people go through such a bad experience or identify a red flag regarding their website or brand’s growth, it makes them want to tear their eyes out.
The purpose of this article is to educate everyone operating websites, online brands, or blogs that URL hijacking is real and what needs to be done just in case.
The gist of this piece is that you can hire all the cybersecurity experts and website analysts you want to tighten up your website security – something could still go wrong under your nose.
The only way to protect your brand is to educate yourself on cybersecurity and take every preventive measure possible.
FAQs about URL hijacking
Where are 301 and 302 redirects used?
A 301 redirect is a permanent redirect that informs search engines and browsers that a page or URL has moved permanently to a new location. It is used when you want to redirect an old URL to a new URL permanently without affecting the SEO rankings.
A 302 redirect is a temporary redirect that informs search engines and browsers that a page or URL has moved temporarily to a new location. This redirect is used when a website is undergoing maintenance or when a page is temporarily unavailable for some reason. Unlike a 301 redirect, a 302 redirect does not transfer the SEO rankings to the new URL.
What is reverse domain hijacking?
Reverse domain hijacking refers to the attempt of a trademark owner to obtain a domain name (or a different TLD of the brand name) by making false or misleading claims of infringement, even though the domain name was registered before the trademark was established.
How to prevent potential HTTPS URL hijacking?
There are various types of domain security certificates that one can buy to protect the domain and website from potential hacking and malicious attempts.
To prevent potential HTTPS URL hijacking, you can use a Certificate Authority that issues SSL/TLS certificates for your domain name and configure your web server to use HTTPS for all connections. Additionally, you should monitor your domain name’s DNS settings and make sure that no unauthorized changes are made.
What is the difference between URL hijacking and URL phishing, spoofing, or typo-squatting?
URL hijacking is the act of taking control of a domain name to redirect traffic to another website, while URL phishing, spoofing, or typo-squatting are different types of attacks that use deceptive tactics to trick users into visiting a fraudulent website.
Are redirects harmful? What is the risk of URL redirection?
Unwanted redirects could be damaging to the website’s SEO growth. Hackers could redirect website visitors to a malicious website or to a website that is not relevant to their search query.
The risk of URL redirection also includes the loss of link equity and potential impact on website ranking, especially if the redirection is not done correctly or the redirect target is not trustworthy.
A URL blacklist is a list of website addresses (URLs) that are identified as potentially harmful or malicious by security organizations, internet service providers, or other entities. When a website is blacklisted, it is often blocked or flagged by web filters and security software to prevent users from accessing it.
The URLs listed on these blacklists are often identified through automated scans or reports from users who have encountered suspicious websites. URL blacklisting is done to protect the end-user’s privacy, sensitive information, and important data against hacking attempts or malware attacks.
Website owners, bloggers, and digital marketers rely on several channels and attention sources, such as social media, email lists, blogs, online communities, and advertising.
However, most of these channels drive the audience to the website for conversion, no matter how long it takes to build a relationship between a brand and the prospective customer.
No wonder entrepreneurs, bloggers, and affiliate marketers pay close attention to setting up their websites along with sales/landing pages, blog sections, and email newsletter opt-in forms.
It’s no surprise that a well-designed and optimized website is crucial to your digital marketing campaign’s success.
Speaking of website optimization, URLs play a key role in optimizing the website pages. Therefore, it’s essential to discuss URL blacklisting, and more importantly, how to fix the URL blacklisting issue.
If you have no idea about URL or website blacklisting and you’re confused right now, don’t worry about it, because we’ve got this covered.
Pay attention to every section of this very article.
1.0 Is URL blacklist dangerous?
Are you curious whether or not URL blacklisting is bad for your business? Always remember that businesses grow on relationships and reputation. A brand needs to establish strong brand positioning in the audience’s mind.
Since URL blacklisting destroys a brand’s reputation, online reach, and business development ability to the core, it’s surely not something any brand or business owner would want to be associated with.
More importantly, if a brand or entrepreneur somehow ends up getting their URLs blacklisted on search engines or social media platforms, it affects their communication, reach, and marketing. I do not doubt that URL blacklisting is quite dangerous for any business or personal brand. The impact of URL blacklisting has been discussed in detail further in the article. But before that
1.1 What do blacklist warning messages look like?
When websites or some of the website URLs are blacklisted, a warning message may appear in web browsers regardless of the operating system. These warning messages typically alert the user that the website is potentially dangerous, and advise them to proceed with caution or avoid the site altogether.
Here are some common URL blacklist warning messages:
This site may be harmful to your computer:
This message is often displayed by web browsers such as Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox when a website is detected as containing malware or other potentially harmful content.
1.2 How does URL blacklist affect your website and business?
Being on a URL blacklist can have serious consequences for a website and brand. Here are 9 ways in which URL blacklisting can impact your website and businness:
1. Decreased visibility in the SERP
When a website is blacklisted, it may be removed from search engine results in pages or pushed down in rankings. This can lead to a significant decrease in traffic to the website, as users are less likely to find it through search.
2. Loss of trust by users
When a website is flagged as potentially dangerous, users may lose trust in the website and its content. This can lead to a decrease in engagement, as users may be hesitant to interact with the website or share its content.
This loss of trust could result in customers seeking out alternative providers and ultimately harm the website’s long-term sustainability. Losing customers’ trust is the last thing any brand or e-commerce website would want to happen.
3. Brand reputation at stake
If your website is associated with malware or other malicious activity, it can damage your brand’s reputation and credibility. This can have a long-term impact on your business, as consumers may be less likely to do business with you in the future. As users may view the website as untrustworthy, which could harm the website’s brand image and make it challenging to establish trust with potential customers.
4. The security risk for visitors
If your website is blacklisted due to malware or other security issues, it could pose a risk to your visitors. Malicious software can infect users’ devices or steal personal information, which can lead to legal issues and also damage your brand’s reputation.
5. Revenue losses
If your website relies on advertising or e-commerce, being blacklisted can result in a significant loss of revenue. Advertisers may be hesitant to place ads on a potentially dangerous website, and customers may be less likely to make purchases if they don’t trust the website.
6. Difficult to get rid of
Getting off a URL blacklist can be a long and difficult process. You may need to identify and remove all malicious content from your website, and then submit a request to the entity that added you to the list. This process can take time, and during that time your website may continue to experience negative consequences.
7. Decrease website traffic
One of the most painful things that happen to a website is when the traffic graph goes down for whatever reason. Once a website is blacklisted, it is likely to be excluded from search results and flagged as potentially harmful by web browsers, leading to a decrease in website traffic. Users may be warned about accessing the site or redirected to a warning page, which could deter them from visiting the site altogether.
8. Reduced conversion rate
If a website’s traffic and credibility are affected, its conversion rate, i.e., the number of visitors who take a desired action, such as making a purchase or filling out a form, is likely to decrease. This could harm the website’s revenue and profitability.
9. Affect organic visitors
Organic website traffic is an essential source of visitors for millions of websites around the web. Organic visitors are users who find a website through search engine results, and when a website is blacklisted, it is likely to be removed from search engine results pages. This could significantly affect the website’s visibility and reduce the number of organic visitors.
1.3 How blacklisted URL affects website SEO performance?
URL blacklisting comes with loads of problems for a brand or organization. It could be fatal for brand reputation and SEO performance if not fixed immediately.
Search engine optimization has become extremely competitive. When a website gets expelled from the good books of search engines, it’s not easy to crawl back to the same position.
Once something goes wrong, it takes sheer hard work and a lot of time to win the same position back in the SERP.
Here’s how blacklisted URLs affect a website’s SEO performance:
1. Triggers traffic loss
One of the most devastating issues webmasters and companies face when their URLs get blacklisted is that their website traffic takes a hit. It results in a revenue decrease, no matter the size or scale of the organization. More website visitors mean more revenue, it’s that simple.
2. Rankings start to drop
Since website page rankings are a crucial part of the SEO process, URL blacklisting causes the ranking to drop in search engines. The reason behind this issue is that search engines want to provide their users with the best experience when they’re using them. Any turbulence during the search process that causes the end-user to get frustrated is a serious matter for search engines.
3. Decrease in inbound links
People want to link to authoritative and trustworthy websites. When a website’s URL gets blacklisted by Google, it eventually sends out a negative message to others in the industry. Nobody wants to link out to a spammy and blacklisted website, because every company or website wants their users to have a great experience when they browse their website or reading their content.
4. Bad user experience for visitors
When a website’s URL is blacklisted by Google or any other search engine, it directly affects the user experience. The web browsers may block those websites with blacklisted URLs and anti-virus softwares to start notifying the visitors with cautionary messages forcing users to exit the websites for safety purposes. Therefore, it results in a bad user experience for the end-user.
5. Dip in the website conversions
Nobody wants to spend money using their credit card or PayPal account if there is a hint of malware or malicious activities on the website. While URL blacklisting affects the SEO performance of the website, it also decreases the website conversion rate very quickly.
URL blacklisting is the process of adding a website’s URL to a blacklist filter, usually maintained by search engines, web browsers, or anti-virus softwares, due to various reasons such as spamming, malware distribution, or other malicious activities.
It’s vital to understand a website ends up getting flagged by search engines, web browsers, or anti-virus softwares. So I came up with a list of reasons why a website’s URLs get blacklisted:
1. Phishing Attacks
Phishing attacks involve tricking users into providing sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, or credit card details through fraudulent websites or emails. If a website is found to be hosting a phishing attack, its URL may be blacklisted to protect users from falling victim to the scam.
2. SEO Spamming
SEO spamming involves manipulating search engine rankings through various unethical practices such as keyword stuffing, cloaking, and link spamming. If a website is found to be engaging in such practices, search engines may blacklist its URL to maintain the quality and relevance of search results.
Website owners often use third-party plugins or libraries to add functionality to their websites. However, if these plugins or libraries are found to have security vulnerabilities, they can be exploited by hackers to gain access to the website’s server. In such cases, the website’s URL may be blacklisted until the vulnerabilities are fixed.
4. Website Defacement
Website defacement refers to the unauthorized modification of a website’s content or appearance. This could be done for political, ideological, or malicious reasons. If a website is defaced, its URL may be blacklisted until the website owner restores it to its original state.
5. Trojan Horses
A Trojan horse is a type of malware that disguises itself as a legitimate program or software. Once installed on a computer, it can perform various malicious activities, such as stealing sensitive information or damaging files. If a website is found to be hosting a Trojan horse, its URL may be blacklisted to prevent users from unknowingly downloading the malware.
6. Malware Codes
Malware code is a type of malicious software designed to infect computers and cause harm. If a website is found to be hosting malware code, its URL may be blacklisted to prevent users from being infected. Also Read: What Does HTTP 302 Code Means For URL Shorteners?
7. Vulnerabilities in the server
Server vulnerabilities can be exploited by hackers to gain unauthorized access to a website’s files and data. If a website’s server is found to have vulnerabilities, its URL may be blacklisted until the vulnerabilities are fixed.
8. Suspicious download links
If a website includes suspicious download links that lead to potentially harmful software or files, its URL may be blacklisted to protect users from downloading such content.
9. Malicious content
If a website is found to contain malicious content, such as viruses or spyware, its URL may be blacklisted to prevent users from being infected.
10. Downloading unwanted programs
If a website prompts users to download unwanted or potentially harmful programs, its URL may be blacklisted to protect users from downloading such programs.
11. Information scraping
Information scraping involves the unauthorized harvesting of data from websites. Using reliable web scraping software ensures compliance with legal and ethical guidelines, helping avoid copyright violations and potential blacklisting. If a website is found to be scraping information from other websites without permission, its URL may be blacklisted for violating copyright and intellectual property laws.
2.1 How do you check if Google has blacklisted you?
There are clear signs and indications to figure out whether or not Google has blacklisted or penalized your website. I’ll dig deeper into this and try to help you out by sharing what I know.
Here are the indicators to look out for when checking if Google has blacklisted your site:
1. Page removal from the search index:
One of the clear indicators of Google blacklisting a URL or a set of URLs from the same website is the removal of the website’s pages from its search index. What it means is that your site is no longer appearing in Google search results.
This could be a sign that Google has blacklisted your website, possibly due to a violation of Google’s Webmaster Guidelines.
2. The huge dip in organic traffic:
Website owners keep an eye on the traffic numbers of their websites. As soon as they notice a significant drop in your website’s organic traffic (without any notification), it could be due to Google blacklisting the website for some reason.
This could happen if Google has removed your website’s pages from its search index or if your website’s ranking has been penalized.
3. Manual penalty for the site:
Manual penalty could lead to up to 90% drop in traffic or the website URL getting blacklisted. If you receive a manual penalty notification in the Google Search Console, it means Google has identified a violation of its Webmaster Guidelines on your website. This could be due to black hat SEO techniques, such as keyword stuffing, misleading content, or link-building schemes. A manual penalty can result in your website being removed from Google’s search results or a significant drop in organic traffic.
4. Malware notification in the Google SERP:
If a website has been infected with malware, Google may detect it and warn users in its search results with a notification that the website may be harmful. The notification may look like this: This site may harm your computer.” This can lead to a decrease in traffic and a damaged reputation.
If Google has identified malware on your website, it could lead to URL blacklisting. If the malware notification appears with your URLs in the SERP, ask your website host to scan your website for malware and hire a website developer to do code inspection for code injection. It’s always best to change the web hosting if the problem persists.
3.0 How to protect the site from being blacklisted?
Building an optimized, well-designed website for marketing isn’t enough. Often, it’s vital to protect a website property from fatal attacks that could turn out to be a pain in the butt if not taken seriously. While at the same time, it’s easy to get caught up in other marketing strategies which leads to putting website security and SEO techniques often on the back burner.
If you need a precise plan of action to avoid URL blacklisting, then the following 10 tips would come in handy for you:
1. Use a secure web hosting service:
Choose a web host that is reliable and provides a secure environment for your website. This can help prevent your website from being compromised or hacked, which can lead to blacklisting.
2. Choose a high-quality theme & plugins:
Make sure your website code and layout are clean and optimized for search engines. It can help prevent any issues that may cause search engines to blacklist your website. A premium, high-quality WordPress theme would do the job for you. Secondly, use only genuine and premium plugins/themes on your website to ensure that they are secure and optimized for search engines. Using pirated or un-trusted plugins/themes can lead to security risks and blacklisting.
3. Improve your website security:
Use a reputable website security tool to scan your website to ensure it is free from any malicious code or scripts. Moreover, monitor your website for any suspicious activity and take action immediately if you suspect any security issues. This can help prevent your website from being compromised or hacked.
4. Assign user roles and permissions:
Assign user roles and permissions to ensure that only authorized users have access to your website. This can help prevent unauthorized access, which can lead to security risks and blacklisting.
5. Install an SSL certificate:
Use HTTPS encryption on your website, meaning buy and install an SSL certificate on your domain. Install an SSL certificate on your website to ensure that all communication between your website and users is encrypted and secure. This will help prevent security risks and blacklisting. Contact your domain and hosting provider for the SSL certificate installation.
6. Update your WordPress edition:
It’s important to keep your website software and plugins up to date. Outdated software can be vulnerable to security threats, and updating it can help prevent your website from being compromised. Keep your WordPress edition up to date, and ensure that your website is secure and optimized for search engines. It may also help prevent site security issues that lead to URL blacklisting.
7. Apply white hat SEO techniques:
Use only ethical and legitimate SEO techniques to optimize your website for search engines. Using black hat techniques can lead to blacklisting. Avoid using black hat SEO techniques. These tactics can include cloaking, hidden text, bulk backlinks, and other manipulative tactics that violate search engine guidelines.
8. Limit WP login attempts:
Limit the number of login attempts on your website to prevent brute force attacks and hacking attempts. Plus, keep a strong login password for your WP admin account.
9. Replace broken links:
Regularly check for broken links on your website and replace them to ensure that your website is functioning properly. While broken links may not lead to URL blacklisting, it sure sends out an SEO signal.
10. Implement a DMARC policy
Implement a DMARC policy to help prevent email spoofing and phishing attacks. This will help protect your domain reputation and prevent your website from being blacklisted by email providers. 25.5% of email senders who use p=none policy expect to move to stronger DMARC policy in the course of the next year which further showcase the important of using stronger email authentication standards.
3.1 How to access website with URL blacklist warning?
Your website browser might prompt a warning notification to exit the website or move ahead with caution. It’s always best to keep your anti-virus software active and updated just in case.
Furthermore, try to understand the essence of the blacklist warning. Often the expiration or the absence of the SSL certificate prompts a warning message on the website. Some website visitors who have no idea about an SSL certificate, chicken out immediately.
Similarly, if your anti-virus software warns that there is a serious threat of malware or phishing attack on the website you’re browsing, you shouldn’t move forward. Instead, try to exit the website and find an alternative website to visit.
3.2 When to block and allow URLs?
Before figuring out when to block or allow URLs, it’s important to comprehend how URL blocking works.
There are levels of URL blocking. On the user level, you may install a Chrome extension for blocking the website and blacklist the website URLs you want to block. This way, no one on your PC would be able to access those URLs.
Furthermore, there is country-level URL blocking where a governing body orders the concerned department to block a specific website on a state or country level.
So URL blocking could be due to any reason, for instance, national security, blasphemy, rules violation, etc. The decision to block or unblock a URL depends on the case and the reason varies from case to case.
4.0 Conclusion on URL Blacklisting
I do not doubt that URL blacklisting is an important tool that helps protect users from visiting websites that are deemed unsafe, malicious, or contain harmful content.
Search engines and web browsers use site filtering systems to identify and block access to such blacklisted websites, thereby preventing users from being exposed to potential security risks or malicious content.
While URL blacklisting is an effective tool, website owners must take measures to ensure that their websites comply with search engine guidelines and do not engage in any malicious activity that may lead to URL blacklisting.
By taking proactive steps to maintain website security, website owners can help prevent their websites from being blacklisted and ensure that their websites remain safe for users to visit.
A lot of digital marketers, bloggers, and entrepreneurs prefer using URL shorteners to share their content on social media.
While there are so many benefits of using link management tools, one of the reasons is to hide the main URLs from suspicious users and hackers on social media.
I hope you learned a lot about URL blacklisting and taking away a ton of value from this article.
5.0 FAQs about URL blacklisting
Is URL blacklist a virus?
URL blacklisting isn’t a virus, but malicious viruses on the web server could lead to URL blacklisting in search engines. So always keep an eye on your website performance and security.
Is a blacklist permanent?
URL blacklisting may last until the appropriate actions aren’t taken to clean the website code or change the web hosting server to ensure a smooth and safe user experience for the website visitors.
What does blacklist mean in security?
Blacklisting refers to the act of being flagged by an authority or a platform. The cybersecurity experts educate and help audience the audience on the security of websites, apps, email addresses, and social media accounts.
What kind of websites will the search engine blacklist?
Any website that contains malicious viruses, phishing codes, and suspicious scripts may get blacklisted by search engines.
How can I check if my site is blacklisted?
There are several ways to check the site’s blacklisting status, such as hiring a cybersecurity expert, using an online URL blacklist checker tool, and keeping an eye on the site status in your Google Search Central account.
Are blacklisted URLs and blacklisted domains the same thing?
Blacklisted URLs mean the specific page URLs have been blacklisted, whereas the blacklisted domains mean the complete websites have been blacklisted.
You can expand your professional network by sharing your LinkedIn URL with other professionals in your industry. This can lead to new business opportunities, mentorship, and collaborations. It can also help you stay informed about your field’s latest trends and developments.
For job seekers, sharing your LinkedIn URL can be useful in the job search process. It allows potential employers to learn more about your qualifications and experience and can help to showcase your skills and accomplishments.
For businesses, sharing a LinkedIn URL can be a useful tool for marketing. It allows businesses to promote their products or services and reach a wider audience. It also allows businesses to establish themselves as thought leaders in their industry, which can lead to new business opportunities.
Finally, for freelancers, creatives, and entrepreneurs, sharing a LinkedIn URL can be a good way to showcase their work and portfolio. It allows them to promote their skills and accomplishments to a broader audience, which can lead to new business opportunities and collaborations.
Follow this method to share your LinkedIn URL outside LinkedIn. It could be any social media platform other than LinkedIn. You just need to copy your LinkedIn URL and for that, follow the steps below:
On a computer device:
Step 1: Log in to LinkedIn on your computer device and click the profile “Me” icon at the top.
Step 2: Click “view profile” from the drop-down menu.
You can add your LinkedIn URL to your resume by including it in the contact section. This is typically located at the top of the resume and includes your name, address, phone number, and email address. You can add “LinkedIn: [Your LinkedIn URL]” or simply “LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/[Your Profile Name].”
How to shorten LinkedIn URL?
LinkedIn has its own feature to shorten the LinkedIn profile URL, and you can follow these steps to shorten your URL:
Log in to your LinkedIn account.
Click on me icon in the top bar and select view profile.
Click on the edit public profile & URL button on the right side of the top of your profile.
Scroll down to the Public Profile URL section, and click the Edit button on the right side.
You can customize your public profile URL by clicking on the Edit button and then changing your URL to something easy to remember and share.
Alternatively, you can use link-shortening services like Replug to shorten your LinkedIn URL if you want it to be more memorable or to fit in a limited space.
Want to tap into the latest content marketing best practices to ensure you’re doing what’s best for your business? Then, you are in the right place. In this piece, we dive into the latest content marketing best practices for 2022 that are a must-do.
Content marketing is one of the most critical marketing strategies for companies today. After all, content is king. The right content can help you win new customers, expand your company’s reach, and generate more leads. But inappropriate content can backfire and hurt your brand more than anything else.
Here are some Semrush stats and facts of 2021 that you must know before developing a content strategy for 2022.
High-performing content types in 2021 were videos followed by blog posts, success stories, and case studies.
The top channels for AI content distribution were organic social media, email marketing, paid social media, and organic search.
The top 5 content marketing challenges in 2021 were attracting quality leads with content, promoting content, creating content that resonates with the audience, proving ROI of content, and improving the SEO performance of the content.
Below we have discussed each of the content marketing best practices. We’ve also shared tips to help you put them into action and overcome the challenges. Ready to up your content marketing game? Let’s dig in:
1. Increase Use of AI-Technology
AI Technology is becoming a significant game-changer, and it will add more innovation to the business practices in the coming years. For example, AI-based content generation tools like Vondy, Jarvis, and Sonic help put out larger quantities of content with lesser effort.
But the negative side of AI tools is that they can affect the authenticity of the content.
How to Make the Most of AI Tools?
Google AI is getting smarter day by day, and it can detect AI-generated content. However, using cheap AI will surely cost you as Google will not rank such articles. Here’s what you can do:
Do not completely generate a piece of content as user-generated content has a higher value.
Write a piece of content and improve the content structure using an AI writing tool.
Use AI tools such as Grammarly to refine your content.
Many keyword research and content analysis tools, such as SEMrush, Aherefs, etc.., give you a better idea of what keywords to use and perform better to rank Google SERP. However, it’s always good to explore other options as well. If you’re looking for different solutions, Semrush alternatives can offer unique features and pricing models that may better suit your needs.
Tools like answerthepublic.com and Sparktoro.com help determine what the audience is talking about.
AI is not confined to automatic writing but also other technologies. For example, the use of AI-based chatbots is increasing, and by 2023 it will drive $112B in retail sales. In addition, as AI, machine learning, and Natural Language Processing grow, chatbots will become more used as 24/7 customer service agents.These advancements also play a crucial role in managing high call volume, ensuring efficient and timely responses to customer inquiries
Here’s a statement of SEO expert Eli Schwartz on AI Technology
Source:contentmarketinginstitute.com
2. Use of AR and VR
Since 2017, augmented and virtual reality use has doubled as 85 million people used VR/AR technology in 2021. It is expected that the market size of the VR industry will grow up to $300 billion by 2024. Also, VR and AR enhance user experience so that they will become an integral part of the content marketer’s strategy and content.With innovations like Apple VR, companies are pushing boundaries, making these technologies more accessible and immersive for consumers and businesses alike.
Why Incorporate AR and VR into Your Content Marketing Strategy?
Augment Reality
3D imaging and AR have become a popular part of the e-commerce industry. Incorporating AR tech gives customers higher visibility on how the products will fit the actual space. Evolve your content strategy to evolve the customer’s shopping experience for years to come. 71% of consumers believe AR technology will positively impact their purchase decision.
Hybrid Events
The pandemic has given businesses a long break from hosting in-person events. Now that doors of streaming events live have reopened, 93% of marketers plan to invest in virtual events as it is allowing them to reach a wider audience. It’s believed that a hybrid solution of both offline and virtual events is the way to go in the future.
If you are a start-up or if it’s your first time hosting an event, then holding an online webinar or live session would be suitable for you. However, a hybrid strategy is better for more prominent companies as virtual events significantly drive traffic and leads. Do invest in a good microphone and camera setup.
3. Incorporate Data Driven Content Marketing
When people think content, they often think creative. But in reality, great content marketing is a blend of both creativity and data. A proper data-driven approach to a content strategy can help brands avoid wasting resources by trying to connect with the wrong audiences in the wrong places. Data can help identify target audiences and their trending topics, channel-specific preferences of potential customers, and the influencers most relevant to those groups.
The difference between good and great will be a brand’s ability to leverage data-backed insights. Data insights empower content marketers to create more impactful content. Be sure to incorporate data-driven analysis into the following areas of your content strategy.
Deliver data-driven content marketing using the below tips.
Go for Hyper-Personalization
Customer hyper-personalization goes beyond simply addressing them by name. Instead, it caters to their wants, needs, and preferences. Hyper-personalization creates unique interactions with each customer by using data, analytics, automation, and artificial intelligence.
In doing this, marketers cater content to each buyer’s persona, using targeted products, marketing channels, and language. Brands such as Amazon, Netflix, Stitch Fix, Naked Wines, WES, and VI Trainer already using hyper-personalization strategies effectively.
Trust cannot be manufactured. An influencer’s fan base is as powerful as a friend’s recommendation when endorsing a product, service, or business.
In addition, real stories shared by real people have an impact. Considering all these factors, you will see higher sales and better-qualified clients.
Understand what your target audience discusses and to whom they listen. For example, if you create joint content with other companies and people in your field with a broader audience, your content marketing will be most successful.
These brands attribute their social media following gains according to their influencer strategies. Over a single year, GNC credited social influencer targeting with over 380,000 new Facebook fans.
In the B2C and D2C spaces, influencer marketing is now established, and the days when influencer marketing was a dirty word in the B2B sector are now long over.
More B2B businesses will embrace influencer marketing and sponsored user-generated content this year, two of the most successful marketing methods.
Content creation requires more than intuition. The aim is to create content that’s accurate, relevant, and based on user needs. It’s possible to test your content’s effectiveness using A/B tests.
Through A/B tests, you can gain insights into user behavior and what elements influence vital metrics. Conversions, bounce rates, customer confidence, and revenue generation are some metrics. Revenue increases are a more tangible metric than something subjective like visitor experience.
Best URL shorteners include features such as creation of branded links, A/B testing of landing pages, traffic routing, traffic analytics, etc., that amplify your content marketing campaigns. Get a URL shortener, create branded short links and use the content that gives you the most traffic and conversions.
[BrandedLinkCta]
4. SEO Content will Win
In 2019, Google processed over 3.5 billion searches daily. Now in 2022, it’s 8.5 billion searches per day. Translation: everyone will race for the search engine results pages (SERPs) to rank better for improved brand awareness and organic traffic.
We have a comprehensive guide on how to publish content that ranks, but here are some quick tips to get you started:
Content Optimization
Target long-tail keywords or key phrases with less competition to rank better
Answer frequently asked questions. Perhaps they’ll land you in Google’s Featured Snippet.
Structure your content based on questions asked by the searchers. Get these insights from the ‘People also ask’ and ‘Related searches’ sections.
Not to forget, focus on quality now more than ever. “It will become more difficult to crush it with SEO because the competition will be stiffer, but we’ll see a major increase in the quality of content that brands publish.” Odak comments.
So what’s quality content, again? First, it’s content that solves your audience’s problems–thoroughly answering their questions. Second, the content reflects expertise, authority, and trust (E.A.T.).
While building your brand’s authority takes time, for instance, by consistently creating content on specific topics to help visitors, you can work on improving your expertise right away. How? By interviewing subject experts.
Let’s give you an example: for this piece on how you can grow your YouTube subscribers, we reached out to someone who’s done it so that we can share actionable advice with you. See? Doesn’t that make the guide even more trustworthy?
Mobile Optimization
It doesn’t matter how great your website content is. However, suppose it isn’t optimized for mobile. Then, You are about to lose out on a massive part of your audience. Content marketers will probably continue to pay close attention to this trend as most searches will come from mobile devices.
Voice search is expected to rise as apps like Siri or Alexa have become popular in asking about any random query.
One of our top content marketing best practices for 2022 is to answer questions with long-tail keywords.
Significance of Core Web Vitals
Algorithms and search engines have improved and are more sophisticated. Strong web vitals contribute to better search engine results. All content marketers should optimize speed for desktop and mobile, images with the proper tags and labels, and even a site map.
These technical elements must contribute to the visibility of your content, just as a wall hook or picture hanger contributes to a painting on your wall. A big mess is inevitable if you do not follow the proper structure or fundamentals. Don’t let this happen to your content! Instead, implement technical SEO tactics to maximize your content visibility.
5. Prefer User Generated Content
User-generated content (UGC) has become an essential component of content marketing strategy in today’s era when customers are ready to talk about your services and products online. In UGC, users create content about brands.
The Nielsen Consumer Trust Index reports that 92% of consumers trust organic, user-generated content over traditional advertising.
Ways to Use UGC
Reviews
User reviews show potential customers that your products and services are reliable.
Video
You can connect with your audience through videos in ways that other media cannot. In addition, you are much more likely to gain sales from user-generated videos since they are more likely to go viral.
Gamification
It is another way to create UGC and engage users. Gamification aims to allow users to earn rewards and recognition for completing specific tasks.
Holiday Season Content
During the holiday season or other special events, consider great ways to incorporate UGC into your content marketing strategy. Businesses can engage with customers at an emotional level in several ways. For example, Starbucks runs the #RedCupContest every year during the holiday season and invites its fans to take part by sharing their personalized coffee cups across social media to win Starbucks gift cards.
This alone reveals how marketers value reusing content. Essentially, content repurposing helps you get more eyeballs to the content you create. Not everyone in your audience might be a reader, for example. So you can always take the blog post’s content and make a video of it for the video-lovers in your audience.
Repurposing helps keep your content bank full to the brim. With your content pool complete, you can consistently grow your online presence and support your community-engaged while saving time.
How to Repurpose Content?
It’s easy to assume that content repurposing involves copying and pasting content from one platform to another, from your blog to a Medium publication. But that’s not what it is about.
Content repurposing is creatively tweaking and reusing content you’ve created in different formats to use on other platforms. For example, curating medium-length articles on the same topic idea into an eBook by developing a narrative for them, so they’re all arranged. Then, reading them is easy for the reader (and makes sense too). Capeesh?
Now follow these two steps to start content repurposing today:
One, look at your content performance metrics
Example: dig them out from Google Analytics. If a piece on evergreen content is doing relatively good or a video has impressive views, consider repurposing it. But hang on. Why look at this metrics? So you know that you’re recycling content that’s popular with your audience since it resonates with them.
Two, decide which format you want to recycle content into
You can always turn blog posts into videos, Facebook and LinkedIn posts, Quora answers, and Twitter threads. You can get exciting stats from your written content into social media graphics or present steps in a LinkedIn carousel.
Also, you can do the exact reverse. For example, if you write Quora answers addressing different questions people have on the same topic, you can put them together into a blog post. Similarly, you can take all the social media stats graphics and package them into an infographic for your blog.
Diversifying your content will allow you to reach different audiences.
To achieve success, companies need various content types across all marketing channels. The human brain is receptive to images, increasing the likelihood of consumers engaging with them more quickly. As a result, consumers will continue to be attracted to visual content, particularly infographics.
Well-created infographics can be a great source of helpful information.
Infographics allow consumers to engage, gain information, and understand quickly what you are presenting simply by a glance. Visual learners will particularly benefit from infographics.
Visually appealing and informative content contributes to a more engaging customer experience and improves message and communication.
It can convey information using graphic representations of data or knowledge in less time.
Infographics are essential for content marketing because, as the saying goes, a picture speaks a thousand words.
Infographics are graphics that provide a visual representation of data or explain a concept. They are typically used to communicate important information quickly, and 45% of marketers who leverage content marketing use them.
According to 56% of content marketers, it’s the most effective marketing type.
Most marketers will invest the same amount in infographics over the next 12 months.
Information graphics are popular because of their shareability, aesthetic appeal, informative nature, and ability to provide helpful information to the reader.
8. Personal Brands will Take Over
For businesses, personal branding has been the talk of the town lately. That translates as having a brand identity and a voice while letting your employees take the online stage.
This comes with multiple benefits: it shows your work culture, helps you grow brand awareness as people come to know your employees, employees share behind-the-scenes content, and many other things.
Having an online presence also means you can keep a pulse on your target audience’s likes and interests and maybe even source content ideas from them. It also means you can grow your authority, promote content and grow an online community.
If you’re not ready, simply bring your social team forward. SEMrush’s Diana Richardson is famous in their Twitter circle.
How to grow your Online Presence?
Pick a Platform
This could be a social media channel or a Q&A community like Quora or Reddit.
Create an Action plan
Answer: How do you plan to engage on the channel? What content will you share with your audience? How much time will you invest? Who’s going to be involved? Don’t forget to jot down precisely what you stand about so people can see your human side.
Be Consistent
When all’s said and done, consistency is what’s going to take you to success. Show up regularly, share value, and focus more on ‘giving’ than ‘taking.’
9. Video Marketing is going to be big, including Live Streaming
People are in love with videos, and whether it’s a virtual event, a social media live streaming session, an informal Zoom coffee hour, live audio streaming, or a pre-planned webinar series. And marketers are already making the most of it in a zillion ways. In 2022, videos will be the leading source of internet traffic (82%). Furthermore, 93% of marketers say videos are essential for their marketing strategy. While, 86% of marketers believe videos will be a crucial source in getting leads.
Video Trends to watch out for in 2022
Short-form videos will be the significant video trend.
Using interactive videos will increase.
CTA’s in videos will increase leads.
Live streaming videos, such as Vlogs, Webinars, etc., are becoming an essential part of content marketing strategy.
Using videos as a storytelling approach in content marketing connects you with your target audience. People watch live streams 10-20 times longer than on-demand content. You know what that means, right? So you got to invest in video marketing if you already haven’t. But don’t worry, you don’t have to break the bank doing so.
DIY video creation tools can help you create videos from templates. Thus, making the job easy to do, quick and cost-effective. Besides using a DIY video tool to create intro videos, customer testimonial videos, client onboarding tutorials, etc. Therefore, considering going live is a must. Exclusive AMA sessions, masterclasses, fireside chats, live tutorials, and sharing behind the scenes content are some ways to engage your audience with live video.
How to start with Video Marketing
The following steps will help:
Get Started with a Plan First
How many videos do you aim to create? What content will you cover? Who will you target, and at which stage of the buyer’s journey?
You’ll need an action plan covering where you want to stream (YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or LinkedIn), what content you want to protect, and how you’ll engage your audience.
Don’t forget that you need a content sharing plan for videos and live streams.
Get your Gear
We’ve already suggested InVideo as a video-creating tool. Just make sure your video specs are correct since each social platform has a different requirement.
If you’re planning to create a video by recording your screen, plenty of AI tools and Loom alternatives can make the process easier and more professional. For live streaming, most social platforms already offer free built-in options. The key is to choose the platform where your target audience spends the most time and start creating from there.
Suppose you find yourself divided between two or more platforms. Then consider live streaming on multiple platforms. How? By simulcasting using a tool such as Vimeo that supports it.
Suppose you are ready to shell out some money. In that case, it’s a good idea to get some low-cost live streaming tools, including a microphone, camera, or even a tripod and an encoder.
Prepare an outline and Shoot
The script is also a crucial part of the video content. Whether it’s a live stream or template-based video for your social media, you need to be careful with your words. So, an essential step is to work on your script. Then, once ready, start creating.
10. Audio Content
Audio content is as popular as video content. Instead of a video ad, real human voice-based interaction builds trust among consumers. The number of voice assistants users is continually growing. Therefore, optimizing content for voice search has become a necessity. It’s no hidden truth that the trend of Podcasts will keep growing. Apps like Clubhouse (audio chatroom) provided new ways to reach out to customers.
What to Do?
Set up your podcast as it offers an excellent opportunity for marketers to reach out to new audiences.
Optimize content for voice search.
Use good audio tools like Audacity’s Levelator tool to adjust audio levels in segments and ensure that your content is of top quality. This saves you time, so you don’t have to do it yourself!
11. Targeted Content that Resonates with your Audience
Last year also taught content folks the significance of creating content that resonates with their audience and helps them through their buyer’s journey (the awareness, consideration, and decision stages).
The Creative Marketing Alliance’s Director of Content Strategy, Kenneth Hitchner, notes, “Structured content that addressed a specific part of the buyer’s journey will go mainstream. More companies will adopt this style to reach their prospects along the sales funnel no matter where they are.
This type of content program is long-term cost-effective — remember, this content is slowly replacing your ad budget, which is gone once it’s spent — at three critical things:
Moving future customers down the sales funnel in a way that makes them believe it was their idea,
Drive content engagement, which is a new-fangled word for ‘involvement’ that breeds commitment, and
Connecting the marketing team with the sales team, blaming others for shortfalls.
How can you get to know your Audience in-Depth?
Four ways to learn about your audience:
Talk to your Customers or Target Audience
Ask your sales team to get you connected with your loyal customers. So you can ask them about the challenges they face, how they prefer to consume content, and so on and on.
You can also share the same survey with your connections on social media. But remember: take the time to study the study to create better content.
Take to Social Listening
Surf through hashtags to uncover what troubles your target audience and what sort of content they prefer to consume.
Analyze Google Analytics
This lets you see what content gets the most views (therefore, resonates with your audience), your target demographic, and other details to polish your content strategy.
12. Improve Content Experience
Next up on content marketing best practices is a better content experience or making it easy for your audience to enjoy your content. Visitors need to stay on your site, love the content you’ve created, and enter your sales funnel.
How to improve the Content Experience?
Good page design involves a few fundamental things: readable font size and type, optimal use of white space, and a good color scheme. Medium, for example, is designed with content experience on the front with everything from the font type and size, white space, design elements used, navigation, and so on.
Interactive content is one that your audience can engage with.
That doesn’t mean you create the next Black Mirror: Bandersnatch. A Netflix interactive film about a game developer, Stefan, who had to decide (that users made on his behalf) to develop a game.
Quizzes will also do instead. Women.com credits over half of its engagement to online quizzes, which helps it dominate even BuzzFeed!
Other ideas for interactive content include sliders, timers, calculators, tools, and interactive visuals.
Last, make it easy for readers to consume content. While the design does half the job, the way you format your content and write does the rest. We know that lengthy content may rank first on SERP, but most readers likely move on towards something shorter and digestible.
Hitchner applauds storytelling as he states, “we’ve come a long way from keyword stuffing.” As search engine algorithms continue to advance, so will online marketing content.
Start connecting people to brands through the story. It will drive engagement and cut through the noise by helping others.
Follow these tips to make your content easy to read,:
Write short sentences and paragraphs
Use active voice and get rid of fluff words
Get straight to the point or use the BLUF (bottom line up front), giving the essential details first.
13. Community Building will continue its Upward Trajectory
Last year saw the rise of personalization in marketing, Money Heist trending, and creative ways to make the most of chopped marketing budgets. One such approach included community building. Whether it’s a content community or a customer community, the benefits of both are unparalleled.
According to the 2022 Community Industry Trends Report, 87% of community professionals say that community is essential to their company’s mission.
So how can growing an engaged community help you? If it’s a content community, you can:
Welcome guest posts to keep your content pipeline full and
Pool subject experts or request community members to connect you to experts in their network
Here’s Shopify’s Content and SEO Lead, Kameron Jenkins, leveraging the content marketing community on Twitter:
On the flip side, a customer community delivers the following benefits:
Better learn your target audience’s pain points to create targeted content.
Source user-generated content to share on your marketing channels
Improve customer journey and trust as customers or customers-to- learn about the humans behind your brand, your values, processes, and more.
In short, online communities can help enhance brand awareness and credibility, giving you the most bang for your buck.
How to start an Online Community today?
Now that you know how fruitful an online community can be, how do you start one?
Starting a community is no rocket science and doesn’t require you to invest early. However, you might need to later on. For example, host giveaways for keeping your community engaged.
Take the following steps:
One, decide whom your target audience is by selecting whether you’d like to start a customer or content community.
Two, pick a platform. Slack is a great paid platform for starting a community. Facebook and LinkedIn groups are free to make. Similarly, Twitter chats are free to start. Or, if you’re an email marketing enthusiast, create a newsletter to grow your community.
Here’s an inside look at Christina Pashialis’ paid Content community:
Third, prepare an action plan, answering questions like,
What will your community be about?
How will you promote it?
How do you plan to provide value to your audience and stand out from similar communities?
What steps will you take to keep your community engaged?
Once done, get started.
Alternative plan: if it’s a content community you are after, join one. How? Look for relevant Facebook and LinkedIn groups. The Content Marketing Lounge on Facebook, for example, is a valuable community for content marketers. Are you looking for social media marketers in the community?
We have a Facebook community named ContentStudio.io Community (Marketing Strategies, Tips, and Hacks).
There’s a lot to be excited about, from working on establishing your online presence to creating an engaged community, repurposing content, and polishing your storytelling skills. Focus on these content marketing best practices to stay competitive and updated with the market.
Do you know, affiliate marketers earn $59,060 per year? It is considered a reliable source of passive income. Isn’t it amazing? But how to set up and track affiliate links? Let’s find out in this blog.
What are affiliate links?
Affiliate links are special URLs that contain a unique identifier that associates a sale with an affiliate marketer. When a user clicks on an affiliate link and makes a purchase, the affiliate marketer earns a commission on the sale.
Affiliate marketing is a popular way for bloggers, influencers, and website owners to earn money by promoting products or services to their audience. It can also be a cost-effective way for businesses to reach new customers and increase sales.
What does affiliate tracking mean?
Affiliate tracking refers to the process of tracking the performance of affiliate marketing campaigns. It involves using a unique tracking link or code to monitor clicks, conversions, and sales generated by affiliate marketers.
When an affiliate marketer promotes a product or service, they include a special affiliate tracking link or code in their content. When a user clicks on the link and makes a purchase, the affiliate tracking software records the transaction and attributes the sale to the affiliate.
The tracking software then calculates the commission owed to the affiliate based on the agreed-upon commission rate and other terms and conditions of the affiliate program.
This allows businesses and affiliates to track the performance of their campaigns, monitor their earnings, and make informed decisions about their marketing strategies.
Affiliate tracking can be done using a variety of software tools and platforms, including affiliate networks, third-party tracking software, and in-house tracking systems.
These tools typically provide detailed analytics and reporting features, which allow businesses and affiliates to analyze their performance data and optimize their campaigns for better results.
Why is link tracking important for affiliate marketers?
Let’s look into a few reasons why link tracking is important for affiliate marketing:
Monitor campaign performance:
Link tracking enables businesses and affiliates to track clicks, conversions, and sales generated by their marketing campaigns. This information can help them identify which campaigns are performing well and which ones need improvement.
Optimize marketing strategies:
With link tracking, businesses, and affiliates can analyze data to identify trends and patterns that can inform their marketing strategies. For example, they can determine which marketing channels or tactics are driving the most sales and focus their efforts on those areas.
Calculate commissions accurately:
Link tracking ensures that affiliates are credited for the sales they generate, and they receive accurate commissions based on the agreed-upon commission rate and other terms and conditions of the affiliate program.
Avoid Scam:
Link tracking can help prevent fraudulent activities, such as click fraud or cookie stuffing, which can artificially inflate clicks and conversions and result in inaccurate commission payments.
What to look for in affiliate tracking software?
When selecting an affiliate tracking software, there are several key features and factors to consider. Here are some important things to look for:
Reliability and uptime:
The software should be reliable and have a high uptime to ensure that tracking is accurate and uninterrupted.
Compatibility:
The software should be compatible with the platforms and systems used by your business and affiliates, such as website platforms, payment gateways, and advertising networks.
Customization:
The software should be customizable to meet the unique needs of your business and affiliates, such as commission structures, tracking parameters, and reporting features.
Tracking accuracy:
The software should provide accurate tracking to prevent fraudulent activities such as click fraud or cookie stuffing.
Reporting and analytics:
The software should provide detailed reporting and analytics features, such as campaign performance data, earnings reports, and conversion rates.
Integration with third-party tools:
The software should integrate with other tools and services used by your business and affiliates, such as marketing automation tools, email marketing software, and customer relationship management (CRM) systems.
Customer support:
The software provider should offer reliable customer support and resources to help businesses and affiliates use the software effectively and resolve any issues that may arise.
Best affiliate link tracking tools
Selecting the right affiliate tracking software is an important decision for businesses and affiliates, as it can have a significant impact on the accuracy, effectiveness, and profitability of their affiliate marketing campaigns.
Whether you’re an affiliate marketer or looking to enhance your personal brand, Replug is a top contender. With Replug, affiliates can create custom short links that feature their own branding and logo, making it easy to promote their business or product across different channels.
Replug’s powerful set of features help you promote your brand across multiple channels and monitor your performance with its analytics and reporting capabilities. Additionally, its link retargeting and call-to-action features can help you increase engagement and conversions on your content. Thus, making Replug an excellent choice for those looking to enhance their branding and track their performance. Some of the key features of Replug include:
Branded URL Shortening: The platform enables users to create custom-branded short links, which can help increase brand visibility and recognition.
Link Tracking: This feature enables users to monitor how their links are performing and make data-driven decisions.
Call-to-Action Overlays: The platform allows users to add call-to-action overlays to their links, which can help increase engagement and drive conversions.
Custom Domains: Custom domains give the user the option to use custom domains, which can enhance the credibility and trustworthiness of the links.
Link Rotators: The platform provides link rotators, which allow users to rotate multiple links within a single shortened URL, making it easier to manage and track multiple campaigns.
Retargeting: Replug enables users to create retargeting campaigns for their links, which can increase the effectiveness of their marketing efforts.
Bio Links: Users can create custom bio link webpages to market their links on social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Make a new campaign or select any previous one (if you have one).
For the said case, I am using an already created campaign. Now copy and paste the link to shorten and click on create.
Now you can edit this shortened link with your brand name or affiliate e-commerce store name.
With Replug, monitor the performance of your links and make data-driven decisions. Lastly, share your branded links on social media platforms, email campaigns, or other marketing channels to drive traffic and conversions.
Pricing: It offers three pricing plans, Basic $19, Professional $49, and Agency $79.
Tapfiliate provides an easy-to-use platform that allows businesses to set up their affiliate programs quickly. It also allows businesses to track sales from their affiliates. Tapfiliate offers white-labeling options that allow businesses to customize the platform’s branding to match their own.
Pricing: It offers three plans; Essential $89, Pro $149, and a custom plan.
Pretty Links can be a useful tool for affiliates, as it provides a way to create customized, shortened links to use in their marketing efforts. Affiliates can track clicks and conversions on their links, as well as monitor which sources are driving the most traffic and revenue.
It also provides an automatic link replacement feature, which can be useful for affiliates looking to update their links across their entire site. Pretty Links also offers advanced features such as split testing, which allows affiliates to test different variations of their links to see which performs best.
Pricing: It offers three pricing plans; Beginners $99, Marketer $149, Super Affiliate $199.
ClickMeter is a web-based link tracking and optimization tool that provides users with powerful insights into how their links are performing. It also enables users to create custom tracking domains, which can help improve the credibility and trustworthiness of their links. ClickMeter allows users to perform A/B testing on their links, which can help optimize their performance over time.
Pricing: It offers two different plans in two categories For everyone: Lite $12/month, Essential $28/month, Professional $85/month. For business: Professional plus $359/month and a custom plan.
Sniply offers a unique perspective on affiliate marketing, with its call-to-action overlay feature allowing you to promote your own products or services while sharing third-party content with your audience.
By directing traffic back to your own site, you can increase visibility and potentially boost conversions. Moreover, Sniply’s analytics and reporting features help you track your success and identify areas for improvement.
Pricing: It offers a basic plan of $9 per month, a pro of $29 per month, a Business $59/per month, and custom pricing.
Bitly is a versatile and powerful tool for anyone looking to manage and track their affiliate links and campaigns. This link management platform allows users to create shortened, customized links to share on social media, email, or other online channels.
With Bitly, users can create branded links that incorporate their own domain name, as well as track clicks and conversions on their links.
Pricing: It offers a free plan, starter $8/month, basic $29/month & premium $199/month.
Voluum is a comprehensive affiliate marketing platform that provides tools for tracking, optimizing, and managing affiliate campaigns. One of the key benefits of Voluum is its ability to track traffic from multiple sources, including paid advertising, organic search, and social media. It also offers integrations with a wide range of advertising networks, affiliate programs, and other marketing tools, making it easy to manage all aspects of an affiliate campaign in one place.
Pricing: It has 3 pricing plans, profit $149/month, scale $299/month, and start-up $499/month.
Customize the appearance of your links to match your brand using PixelMe. PixelMe allows users to create shortened, trackable links for their marketing campaigns. It also provides features such as retargeting and conversion tracking to help users optimize their advertising efforts. PixelMe integrates with tools, such as Google Analytics and Facebook Ads.
Pricing: It offers Growth at $99/month, Scale at $149/month, Elite at $249/month, and a customized pricing plan.
Affiliate tracking: Wrap up
In conclusion, affiliate links have become a popular and effective way for businesses to expand their marketing reach and drive sales, while also providing an opportunity for affiliates to earn a commission for promoting products or services.
By using affiliate tracking tools such as Replug and tagging links with UTM parameters, businesses, and affiliates can track the performance of their affiliate campaigns. Overall, affiliate links can be a valuable tool for businesses and affiliates alike, as they provide a way to reach new audiences, increase revenue, and build long-term partnerships.
FAQs on affiliate link tracking
Can Google Analytics track affiliate links?
Yes, Google Analytics can track affiliate links, provided that the links are tagged with UTM parameters. UTM parameters are tags that can be added to the end of a URL to track the source, medium, and campaign name of traffic to a website.
What is a good percentage of affiliates?
The percentage of commission for affiliates can vary widely depending on the product or service being promoted, the industry, and the affiliate program. Generally, commissions for affiliates can range between 5% to 30% of the sale price.
Are you a TikTok user looking to share your profile with others or promote your content on other social media platforms? Or maybe you’re just curious about how to access your TikTok profile link? Either way, you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, we’ll guide you through the process of getting your TikTok profile URL. TikTok URLs are important for building a following, sharing content, and engaging with viewers. By the end of this article, you’ll have the knowledge necessary to easily find and customize your TikTok profile URL, allowing you to share your content and grow your TikTok presence.
So, let’s dive in and learn how to get your TikTok URL!
A TikTok URL is a link that directs you to a specific TikTok user’s profile or video.
Every TikTok user has a unique URL associated with their profile, which can be shared with others to allow them to view their content or follow them on the platform. The TikTok URL for a user’s profile typically includes their username and the TikTok domain, such as “tiktok.com/@username”.
TikTok URLs can also be used to direct viewers to specific videos on the platform. Each TikTok video has its own unique URL, which can be found by clicking on the “Share” icon on the video and selecting “Copy Link.” This link can then be shared with others or posted on social media platforms.
How to get TikTok Profile URL?
There are two methods to get a TikTok profile link on mobile devices.
From the edit profile button
From setting & privacy
Follow the steps below for both of the methods to easily get your profile link.
Note: Once you’ve updated your username, your TikTok Profile URL will also be updated with your new username. This process may take a few minutes to reflect the changes, so don’t worry if your old username still appears for a short time.
It’s important to note that you can only change your TikTok username once every 30 days. So, make sure to choose a username that you’re happy with and that represents your brand or personality. Additionally, changing your username may also affect the discoverability of your content, as users may have saved or shared your previous username.
FAQs
How do I add a clickable link to my TikTok bio?
You can add a clickable link to your TikTok bio by going to your profile, clicking “Edit profile,” and then entering the URL in the “Website” field. Note that this feature is only available to users with over 1,000 followers.
How do I use a TikTok URL to direct viewers to a specific video on the platform?
You can use the specific video’s URL to direct viewers to a specific video on TikTok. Just copy the URL of the video you want to share and share it with your viewers.
How do I find the TikTok URL for a specific video?
You can find the TikTok URL for a specific video by clicking on the “Share” icon located on the video’s page and selecting “Copy Link.”
Can I change the URL for a specific TikTok video?
No, you cannot change the URL for a specific TikTok video.
Can I use my TikTok profile URL to promote my brand or business?
Yes, you can use your TikTok profile URL to promote your brand or business by sharing it on other social media platforms or using it in your marketing materials.
How do I check the analytics for my TikTok URL and track clicks and engagement?
You can view your TikTok analytics by going to your profile, clicking on the three dots in the top right corner, and selecting “Analytics.” From there, you can view metrics like views, engagement, and follower growth.
Are you an avid Pinterest user looking to share your beautiful boards and pins with friends, family, or potential clients? Or maybe you’re new to the platform and trying to figure out how to navigate its features. Whatever the case may be, one important piece of information you’ll need is your Pinterest URL.
Your Pinterest URL is your unique identifier on the platform and allows others to find and follow your account. But with so many options and features on Pinterest, it can be confusing to locate your URL. Don’t worry though, in this article, we’ll guide you through the steps to find your Pinterest URL and get you on your way to share your amazing content with the world.
Where to Look for Your Pinterest URL?
Your Pinterest URL can be found in a few different places, depending on what you’re looking for. Here’s how to find your profile, pin, and board URL.
Step 3: Copy the URL from the address bar. That’s your Pinterest pin URL.
Final Words:
Your Pinterest URL is a vital part of your presence on the platform, allowing others to find and follow your content. Whether you’re sharing your entire profile, a specific pin, or a board, knowing where to find your URL is essential. By following the simple steps outlined in this article, you’ll be able to locate your Pinterest URL quickly and easily, helping you to grow your reach and connect with others on this visually-driven social media platform.
A Pinterest board is a collection of related pins organized around a particular theme or topic. Users can create multiple boards on their Pinterest account and save or “pin” content to them, such as images, videos, and links from around the web. These boards can be shared with others and used for inspiration, planning, and bookmarking.
What is a Pinterest pin?
A Pinterest pin is a visual bookmark that users save to their Pinterest boards. Pins can include images, videos, or GIFs, and are typically linked to a website or online resource. Users can save pins they find on the platform or add their own pins to share with others. Pins are organized into boards based on topics or themes and can be discovered through search, recommendations, or by following other users.
How do I change my Pinterest URL?
To change your Pinterest URL, you’ll need to follow these steps:
Log in to your Pinterest account and go to your profile.
Select “Settings” from the drop-down menu.
Scroll down to the “Profile” section and click “Claim” next to the URL option.
Enter your desired username and click “Claim“.
If the username is available, you’ll be prompted to confirm the change. Click “Yes, let’s do it!” to save your new URL.
Note that you can only change your Pinterest URL once, and the new URL must be available and meet Pinterest’s guidelines for usernames. Once you’ve changed your URL, your old URL will no longer work, so be sure to update any links or references to your profile.
Where is the URL on my mobile device?
To find your Pinterest URL on a mobile device:
Open the Pinterest app and log in to your account.
Tap on your profile picture in the bottom right corner of the screen.
Tap on the three dots in the top right corner of your profile.
Select “Editsettings” from the menu.
Under “Account“, you’ll see your Pinterest URL listed. You can tap on it to copy or share it.
Note that the process may vary slightly depending on the version of the Pinterest app and the operating system of your mobile device.
Instagram, like all social media platforms, constantly changes and evolves. In October 2021, one of the biggest updates was the removal of IGTV. Previously, users could find all live videos on Instagram by searching the hashtag #IGTV.
Live videos on Instagram are now integrated into the “Stories” feature. After a live video ends, it is only available for replay for 24 hours, after which it is stored in the user’s “Video Archive.” Whether the video is republished or deleted is up to the discretion of the content creator.
There are two ways to find live videos on Instagram:
Find Instagram live videos from the accounts you follow
Find random live videos on Instagram
Let’s begin:
Find Instagram live videos from the accounts you follow:
You can easily view the live streams of the accounts you follow without much effort. Follow the steps below to find the live videos from the people you follow:
Step 1: Open the Instagram app on your mobile phone, or log in to Instagram from a browser.
Step 2: Live video will appear in the stories feed with a colorful ring around it and the word Live.
Step 3: Tap on the live video to see the live broadcast from the people you follow.
During the live broadcast, you can interact by:
When watching a live broadcast, remember that the broadcaster and other viewers may see you’ve joined.
Leaving a comment (tap Comment on the app or Add a comment on the website), liking a comment, replying to a comment, reacting to the video with an emoji, or sharing the video. All actions taken during the broadcast, such as liking or commenting, are visible to other viewers.
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How to find random Instagram live videos?
Discovering random live streams on Instagram can be frustrating if you don’t get any results. However, you can try the following steps for searching for random live streams:
On Instagram mobile app:
Step 1: Open the Instagram app on your mobile phone.
Snapchat is one of the most popular social media platforms in the world, known for its unique features that allow users to share pictures and videos that disappear after a set amount of time. With millions of daily active users, Snapchat has become a go-to platform for sharing candid moments with friends and family.
However, have you ever wanted to share your Snapchat profile with someone who doesn’t have the app, or include your Snapchat handle on your website or social media profiles?
In this article, we will show you how to get your Snapchat URL and share it with the world, so that you can connect with more people and expand your social circle.
So, whether you’re a seasoned Snapchat user or just getting started, keep reading to learn how to get your Snapchat URL and make your profile more visible to others.
Step 4: Tap the “copy” button at the bottom left corner and that’s all there is to it.
Whether you’re looking to connect with new friends, promote your brand or business, or simply share your Snap stories with a wider audience, having your Snapchat URL readily available can be a great way to expand your reach and build your online presence.
A Snapchat URL is a link to your Snapchat profile that can be shared with others. It allows people who don’t have the Snapchat app to view your profile and connect with you.
Is my Snapchat URL public?
Your Snapchat URL is not public by default. However, if you share your URL with others, they will be able to view your profile and connect with you.
Can I get my Snapchat URL on both mobile and computer devices?
No, you cannot get your Snapchat URL on computer devices. You can only get your Snapchat URL on a mobile device.
What is my Snapchat username?
Your Snapchat username is the unique identifier that you created when you signed up for your Snapchat account. It should be the name that appears in your profile, and it’s also the name that your friends can use to add you to the app. If you’re not sure what your Snapchat username is, you can open the Snapchat app and check your profile to see what name appears at the top of the screen.