Readers don’t care about the full hyperlink; they care about where it leads them. But long, exposed URLs? They clutter the page, disrupt readability, and make your content harder to trust.
The solution is simple: shorten the hyperlink to make it more trustworthy.
Instead of linking to a long, clunky URL, you can use a short, branded link that looks neat and is easy to manage. In this blog, we’ll explain what a hyperlink is, how to shorten a hyperlink with Replug, and the benefits of doing so.
Let’s start with the basics before we move on to the process.
Maximize marketing ROI
by transforming ordinary URLs into branded short links that convert.
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What is a hyperlink?
A hyperlink is a clickable element in a document, web page, or email that takes the reader to another location. It could open a new page, lead to a section within the same file, or direct someone to external content like a video, image, or resource.
Hyperlinks usually appear as text, phrases, or buttons. For example:
In a blog: “Click here to learn more”
In a document: a word like “Download” might point to a file link
In an email: a phrase like “Shop now” could take readers to a landing page
Behind the hyperlink is a URL. If that URL is long, you can create a short link so the hyperlink remains clean and reliable.
Why shorten a hyperlink?
Shortening hyperlinks has clear benefits for both presentation and performance:
Cleaner look: no distracting or broken lines in documents or blogs.
Professional branding: links can carry your brand name with Replug.
Improved trust: readers are more likely to click short, branded links.
Analytics and tracking: shortened links allow us to monitor clicks.
Flexibility: edit or update the destination without changing the hyperlink text.
In short, shortening makes hyperlinks smarter and more useful.
How to shorten a hyperlink with Replug
Here’s the step-by-step process on how to shorten a hyperlink using Replug:
Step 1: Sign in or sign up
Go to Replug and sign up for a free 14-day trial (no credit card needed). If you already have an account, log in to the dashboard.
Step 2: Paste your long URL
On the dashboard, paste the original long link into the bar under “Quickly shorten your link”. This creates a shortened version instantly.
Step 3: Create a branded URL (optional)
At first, Replug generates a short URL with an alphanumeric slug. For example:
You can customize the slug to make it look more recognizable and professional:
This not only looks professional but also improves recognition.
Step 4: Enable link cloaking (optional)
Replug also offers link cloaking. If you want the shortened URL to appear as a vanity link in the browser (helpful for affiliates or content marketers), you can enable this option while setting up your link.
Step 5: Save and copy the short URL
Once ready, click on “Save Shortened Link” and copy your short link.
Step 6: Add it to your hyperlink
Now, go back to your document, blog editor, or email tool. Highlight the text you want to hyperlink (for example, Learn more). Insert your Replug short link instead of the original long URL.
Now, when readers click the hyperlink, they’ll be directed to the shortened link, which then forwards them to the intended destination.
Benefits of using Replug for shortened hyperlinks
Replug lets you shorten a link while turning it into a complete marketing asset. Here are the benefits that it offers:
Custom branded links: build trust and align links with your brand.
Maximize marketing ROI
by transforming ordinary URLs into branded short links that convert.
Try Replug for free
Who actually benefits from shortening hyperlinks?
Shortened hyperlinks can be applied across multiple scenarios:
Digital marketing: Short hyperlinks help brands maintain consistent messaging across platforms. They’re easy to share in emails, ads, and campaigns while keeping everything clean and trackable. Marketers can also run A/B tests with different links to see which strategies bring better results.
Social media marketing: Short hyperlinks keep posts neat, boost engagement, and encourage sharing. A branded link also feels more trustworthy, making users more likely to click.
Vanity links: Custom, keyword-based links are easier for people to remember and type. With a URL shortening tool, creating vanity links becomes simple, giving businesses a professional, user-friendly way to share content.
Affiliate marketing: Replug helps cloak affiliate links into branded hyperlinks that look clean, trustworthy, and click-worthy. Plus, with advanced link tracking, affiliates can see which campaigns are driving real conversions.
Campaign analytics: Every click on a hyperlink tells a story. Marketers gain insights into click-through rates, demographics, and user behavior, which helps optimize campaigns and allocate resources more effectively.
QR codes: Pairing QR codes with short hyperlinks is a powerful way to reach audiences across touchpoints. With dynamic QR codes, you can update the destination anytime without changing the code itself, keeping campaigns flexible and future-proof.
Conclusion
Long hyperlinks not only look messy but also reduce trust and harm readability. By shortening them, you can keep links clean, branded, and easy to share while unlocking analytics and flexibility.
With Replug, hyperlinks go beyond shortening. You can create custom branded links, cloak affiliate URLs, track campaign performance, and even generate QR codes. Whether it’s for digital marketing, social media, or affiliate promotions, Replug turns every hyperlink into a smart marketing asset.
If you want hyperlinks that people are irresistibly clickable, it’s time to shorten and manage them with Replug!
Frequently asked questions
How do I reduce the length of a hyperlink?
Shortening the length of a hyperlink is simple: Copy the long link from your website or social media, paste it into Replug, click to create, and save your new short link.
How do I rename or shorten a hyperlink?
If you just want to rename it, most platforms (Word, Google Docs, emails, websites, etc.) let you edit the display text of the link. Instead of showing the full URL, you can replace it with cleaner text like “Read more” or “Visit here”.
If you want to shorten the actual link itself, you can use a URL shortener like Replug. Just paste your long URL, generate a short one, and use that wherever you share it.
How to shorten a URL safely?
Use a reliable URL shortener, opt for branded links, and avoid suspicious third-party tools. Always preview and test shortened links before sharing to ensure they’re safe and trustworthy.
How do I edit a hyperlink to make it shorter in Word?
Right-click the link, select Edit Hyperlink, then choose ScreenTip (top-right of the dialog box) and type in your preferred text.
Black Friday is more than just a shopping day. It’s a high-stakes showdown for brands aiming to capture the spotlight and boost sales. Whether you’re a small business or a big retailer, a well-planned Black Friday campaign can maximize your impact and help you reach your goals.
Ready to turn browsers into buyers? With the right marketing ideas, you can stand out from the frenzy, win over new customers, and have your best Black Friday yet.
This blog discusses the 17 creative, tried-and-true strategies to help you cut through the noise, drive serious sales, and make this season unforgettable! Let’s dive in!
What is Black Friday marketing?
Let’s walk you through the inception of Black Friday marketing.
It all began in the U.S. back in the 1950s. It was a beautiful Friday after Thanksgiving, and a shopping storm was brewing in the U.S. As holiday lights started to sparkle, stores across the U.S. opened their doors with irresistible deals, marking the official start of Christmas shopping. Thus, Black Friday was born, a day when retailers rolled out jaw-dropping discounts, and shoppers raced to grab the best bargains before anyone else.
Fast forward to today, and Black Friday has grown into a global shopping sensation. It starts one month before Christmas, after Thanksgiving Day.
For retailers, it’s the perfect chance to boost sales and connect with new customers, while for shoppers, it’s a golden opportunity to score that dream item at an unbeatable price.
Why is it called “Black Friday”?
Black Friday was first used in 1869 when two investors, Jim Fisk and Jay Gould, crashed the market by dropping gold prices. As a result, foreign trade stopped, the stock market dropped by 20%, and farmers witnessed an unfortunate drop in wheat and corn values.
From 1950 to 1960, the term was used again for a day between the Army-navy game and Thanksgiving; the event summoned crowds of tourists and shoppers, requiring an extra few hours of effort by law enforcement to moderate the traffic.
In 1980, the term associated with shopping was used when retailers used the Black Friday term to reflect the backstory of accountants who used red ink for negative earnings and black for positive earnings.
Black Friday became the day when stores turned their profitability.
Since then, the term “Black Friday” has been in use. It has evolved into a season-long event that has spawned more shopping holidays like “Cyber Monday” and “Small Business Saturday”.
Black Friday is one of the most anticipated events for sellers and customers in the e-commerce business.
After the Pandemic, 80% of people switched to online shopping in the U.S. This makes it essential for e-commerce businesses to adopt smart, customer-centered strategies that attract and engage eager buyers.
1. Build your Black Friday email list
About 40% of people open their emails to see about Black Friday offers. This makes building an email list essential for connecting with customers. You can entice them with irresistible sales promotions by landing in their inboxes.
Don’t just focus on existing subscribers; invite new visitors to sign up for your email list by promoting your upcoming sales. Make your sign-up forms easy to fill by asking for their name and email address.
You can also use customer surveys and quizzes to grow your list. Consider offering incentives, like discount points, for those who subscribe and invite friends.
So, to nail your Black Friday marketing campaign, an email list is absolutely crucial. Your customers need to know that you’re offering those limited-time, unmissable deals!
Here is what boss business has to say about email list strategy:
2. Send personalized Black Friday advertising emails
Statistics show that 63% of people open emails specifically to find discounts. For businesses, this makes email marketing a no-brainer for Black Friday.
Here’s how you can build and send personalized Black Friday to promote your big sale in three easy steps:
Step 1: Create curiosity by sending an email one week before Black Friday to your customers and potential leads, informing them about the exciting upcoming event.
Step 2: Send a second email at the start of Black Friday to inform you about all discounts and offers. It will create fear of missing out.
Step 3: Send a third email to remind customers about the end of the sale and create a sense of emergency.
A customized email will make your customers feel important and exclusive. You need to post reminders on all social media channels along with an email campaign.
Here are some examples:
The famous SaaS platform Semrush and how it uses emails to promote its Black Friday sale. The marketing team creatively makes use of a catchy subject line, clickable images that lead to their Black Friday offer, and captivating images to entice its subscribers:
Here’s another example of Headline Studio by CoSchedule, an all-in-one AI Marketing Calendar platform. The highlights of this Black Friday marketing campaign include the use of an emoji in the subject line, a CTA button, and a visual representation of the price slash:
3. Boost Black Friday sales via Social Media
Top examples for Social Media Black Friday marketing campaigns:
Social media is the best platform to inform customers and users about your attractive discount offers and deals by sharing pro ads. According to stats, the most used social media platforms based on active users are Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, and TikTok. Bulk WhatsApp messaging tools like WANotifier empower businesses to send personalized Black Friday deals and offers directly to customers, ensuring higher engagement and sales.
By providing information about upcoming offers before Black Friday, you can engage and excite your customers to check out all the deals on Black Friday. You should plan your offers and discounts wisely and share ads (paid and organic) to make people curious and excited about these offers.
You can also post stories, reels, posts, and videos or go live to introduce your Black Friday discounts and vouchers. Sponsored posts and stories are also a great source to gain an edge over the competition.
When scheduling your Black Friday content, make sure to use all social media features for maximum conversions wherever possible to maximize engagement and sales. Here are some excellent examples:
TikTok: Amazon gets weird
Amazon, the biggest e-commerce brand, took a weird and unusual take for its TikTok Black Friday marketing campaign:
KFC always has Finger Lickin’ Good deals for Black Friday. If that 50% discount doesn’t excite you, you’re probably missing out on life’s best flavors! Here’s an example of their Black Friday Marketing campaign on Facebook:
Instagram: Pro Direct Soccer drops the price (and the beat)
Pro Direct Soccer got a little swaggy with its huge price drop on Black Friday. Their Instagram reel took us on a jog with some upbeat music, cool visuals, and irresistible prices:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/ClgkHL0DNBL/
YouTube: IKEA buys back old furniture on Black Friday
IKEA got us a little emo with its #BuybackFriday on YouTube. They didn’t offer a huge discount or anything; instead, they decided to take back old furniture and give it another life:
4. Roll out a Black Friday SMS marketing campaign
A Black Friday campaign isn’t complete without a solid SMS campaign.
But why SMS? Well, it’s immediate, super accessible, cost-friendly, and gets way more attention than email. When an SMS pops up on a customer’s phone, they’re way more likely to open it—especially during the busy Black Friday rush. Plus, you can send a quick, clear message with a link to all your deals.
Here’s how to make it work:
One week before: Send a sneak peek to get your customers curious about what’s coming. Build that excitement!
Black Friday morning: Hit them with the big news! Tell them that your discounts are live! Make it clear and action-oriented to get them shopping.
Last call: Remind them the sale’s almost over. Create some urgency to get those final clicks.
Another cool part about SMS marketing is that you can easily send loyalty and referral program invites, survey and feedback forms that can help you do better next year, and abandoned cart reminders.
It’s always better to use advanced SMS automation tools for your campaign. Some top SMS marketing software that can come in handy during the Holiday season are Insider, Textla, Birdeye, SlickText, Close, Ez Texting, and Salesmsg.
Here’s an example of how Function of Beauty understood the Black Friday marketing assignment:
If done right, SMS marketing can be a game-changer for your marketing strategy!
5. Upsell and cross-sell with discounts
Upselling and cross-selling are the best strategies to improve your Black Friday marketing.
In this, you can sell multiple products together to increase your earning potential.
An example of upselling could be that instead of selling a burger separately, you can make it a deal at a discount and at a better price by adding fries and drinks to attract customers.
Here’s an example of “Complete The Look” cross-sell offer with discounts by Adidas:
People prefer package deals over individual items. They won’t mind slight price fluctuation on deals – it can drive more sales and increase the number of products sold!
6. Offer multiple gift-giving opportunities
To craft a successful Black Friday marketing campaign, you should have multiple gift-giving opportunities to attract customers.
Give bundle discounts: You can attract more traffic to your stores by giving bundle discounts on your products. People buy more at a discount, which can increase sales in return.
Give your VIPs an exclusive Black Friday discount: To increase your earning potential, VIP customers receive exclusive discounts to appreciate their loyalty.
Focus on gift cards: To increase earning potential, you can distribute gift cards to your customers with attractive and special discounted offers and deals.
Here’s an example of Chuck E. Cheese, a famous restaurant chain in the United States:
Give a free gift with a purchase: To make your Black Friday sale attractive, make deals by announcing a buy-one-get-one offer. For example, if the customer buys a burger, offer a free drink. It will increase customers and urge them to buy more.
Here’s an example of the famous beauty brand Bobbi Brown:
Use coupon codes and vouchers: Boost your Black Friday sales with exclusive coupons and vouchers! Customers love a good deal, and these incentives can drive traffic, increase conversions, and make your offers stand out.
Check out this fantastic Black Friday offer by Kohl’s, where they offer a coupon code upon checkout for an additional discount:
7. Prevent cart abandonment using exit-intent popups
Cart abandonment occurs when an online shopper adds items to their cart but leaves the site without completing the purchase. This happens frequently, with customers leaving their carts full of products before finalizing checkout.
An exit-intent popup is a message that appears when a user is about to leave the site. These popups are highly effective at encouraging users to complete their purchases. Studies show that the average conversion rate for card abandonment popups is 17.12%
Exit-intent popups are especially powerful on Black Friday. They can showcase limited-time discounts and exclusive deals or even offer free shipping, reducing cart abandonment and boosting conversions.
Here’s an example of the exit intent popup of Usermaven, a website and product analytics tool:
Influencer partnerships are crucial for your Black Friday success. In fact, according to Influencer Marketing Hub, 24.2% of respondents intend to spend more than 40% of their marketing budget on influencer marketing in 2024.
Influencers help extend your reach to a wider audience, build trust, and create buzz around your deals. Their authentic recommendations can drive traffic, increase conversions, and boost brand visibility during the highly competitive Black Friday period. By collaborating with influencers, you tap into their loyal follower base, which can lead to a significant surge in sales.
Back in the picture again, we have Amazon. They used the famous TikToker Charlie D’Amelio to promote their Black Friday deals. Check it out:
Hashtags are essential for maximizing Black Friday visibility and engagement. They help categorize content, making it easier for shoppers to discover your deals among the flood of holiday offers.
Using popular and relevant hashtags, like #BlackFridayDeals or #HolidaySales, your posts reach a larger audience, attracting potential customers actively searching for discounts. Hashtags boost brand exposure and make it easy to join trending conversations, keeping your brand top-of-mind during the shopping season.
Creating a sense of urgency is key to boosting Black Friday sales.
Countdown timers, deal counters, and “limited time” alerts build anticipation before the sale starts and drive action once it begins. When shoppers see a countdown or “only hours left” message, they’re more motivated to act fast, knowing the deal won’t last forever.
By adding these urgency elements, you can maximize conversions and keep customers engaged right up until the final moments.
Here’s an example of Walmart’s “Limited time only” Black Friday offer:
This is how ContentStudio, a powerful social media management platform, uses a countdown banner on its landing page for its Black Friday software deal:
Retargeting ads are a powerful way to reconnect with customers who have previously visited your website and are especially useful for Black Friday promotions.
Pixel-based retargeting: This allows you to redisplay content to any anonymous site visitor who left without completing a purchase.
List-based retargeting: Here, you can upload a contact list to target individuals whose information you already have in your database. The platform will identify these users and show them relevant ads.
For Black Friday, where competition is fierce, a smart retargeting strategy is crucial to stand out. Using tools like Replug, you can add retargeting pixels to optimize reach and bring back potential customers. Replug’s features make it easy to track visitors and keep your brand visible.
Add social proof, like customer reviews, to your retargeting ads to increase trust.
12. Use bio links to direct people to your store
Bio links are clickable URLs added to the profile section of a page on social media channels such as Instagram or TikTok. They can direct customers to a website page or online store.
Before and on the Black Friday sale, you can put these bio links to direct people to your store to increase their promotions and customers. This can also save your customers time and give them a better experience.
13. Use deep links to direct people to the app store
Deep links are URLs that take users directly to an app store or specific app content, streamlining the journey for a faster, more convenient experience.
Drive more clicks, conversions, and app installations by deep linking
to your favorite platforms.
Try deep links for free
For Black Friday promotions, deep links can guide your audience straight to your app store, making the customer journey shorter and smoother while boosting engagement and retention. By bringing customers closer to the ultimate goal—conversion—deep links have increased conversions by up to 66%.
With deep links, customers can seamlessly purchase all their desired products in one app. Here’s an example of Waves Audio’s deep-linking ad for Black Friday:
Branded links are short, custom URLs unique to a brand. They offer a sleek alternative to long, generic links. These personalized links boost brand recognition and awareness, helping to build trust and credibility with your audience.
For example, Coca-Cola often uses branded links in tweets to make its posts instantly recognizable and catch people’s attention. For Black Friday promotions, branded links can enhance trust, attract more customers and increase sales:
Maximize marketing ROI
by transforming ordinary URLs into branded short links that convert.
Try Replug for free
15. Optimize checkout process
Optimizing the checkout process is essential for improving conversion rates.
For Black Friday sales, ensure the checkout process is streamlined to boost positive reviews and customer satisfaction. A well-optimized checkout should display all costs upfront, including shipping, taxes, and product price. This transparency leaves a positive impression on customers and encourages them to complete their purchase.
If the checkout process isn’t optimized, unexpected costs can lead to cart abandonment. Shoppers are eager to buy, but hidden fees often cause them to leave without completing their purchase.
An optimized checkout process enhances your e-commerce site’s user experience, helping maximize Black Friday sales.
For instance, this is what you’ll see upon checkout on Temu:
A/B testing, almost known as split testing, compares two versions of web pages or apps against each other to see which one performs the best.
In your Black Friday sale, you can use an A/B test to see the results of all ongoing marketing strategies.
You can check which strategies are working best and giving results by using advanced link management tools. Running an A/B test can have significant effects on your site or mobile app, such as:
It increases engagement
It reduces the bounce rate
It increases the conversion rate
It minimizes risk
It helps you create content effectively
A complete link management solution
for marketing professionals & agencies.
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Through this test, you can check the effectiveness of your strategies and can modify your ideas for better results.
A call-to-action (CTA) is crafted to encourage the audience to take a specific action, guiding them through the customer journey. For Black Friday promotions, a well-placed CTA on a button or link can prompt users to check out the latest discounts and offers, helping to increase leads and conversions.
Using a tool like Replug makes it easy to create custom CTAs. Its built-in canvas allows you to design CTAs from scratch, whether a button, link, or form. This tailored approach ensures your Black Friday promotions are engaging and effective.
For this Black Friday 2024, Lululemon, a famous Athletic clothing brand, creatively uses a “SHOP WE MADE TOO MUCH” CTA button. Upon clicking the button, the user is led straight to the Black Friday discount page:
Black Friday is a massive opportunity, but standing out requires more than just slapping a discount on your products. From building excitement early to leveraging data-driven insights and creating a seamless shopping experience, each strategy can help you connect with customers who are ready to buy.
Remember, Black Friday success is all about planning, flexibility, and staying ahead of trends. So, as the big day approaches, put these strategies into action, keep a pulse on customer feedback, and watch as your efforts turn into a holiday season win.
Happy selling!
FAQs about Black Friday marketing ideas
When should I start Black Friday promotions?
You should start your Black Friday promotions in the last week of October or the first week of November, as many people start looking for Black Friday in October. All the strategies for Black Friday should be managed before this day.
What types of promotions work best on Black Friday?
Discounts are popular, but there are many other successful strategies. Consider offering bundle deals, such as “Buy One, Get One” (BOGO), which offers gifts with purchase and limited-time discounts to create urgency. Make sure your promotions align with your brand and appeal to your specific audience.
What is the difference between Black Friday and Cyber Monday?
Both events offer a worldwide shopping experience. Black Friday belongs to the retail shopping arena, while Monday Cyber is designed for online shopping.
Black Friday follows the Friday after Thanksgiving. Monday cyber follows in the trail of Black Friday. It is one of a kind when online shoppers pick their online bargain without going to the retail stores.
How can I stand out from competitors on Black Friday?
Personalize your marketing wherever possible. Use segmented email campaigns, tailor social media ads to different audience groups, and emphasize what makes your brand unique. Excellent customer service and fast, easy checkout options can also set you apart.
How important is email marketing for Black Friday?
Email marketing is a must for Black Friday. With targeted, well-timed emails, you can build excitement, remind people about your sale, and re-engage customers who left items in their carts. Start with teasers, offer sneak peeks, and follow up with last-chance reminders.
How can I prevent my website from crashing due to high traffic?
This can definitely happen if you have a Black Friday sale. To optimize user experience, prepare your website ahead of time. Speak with your hosting provider to ensure it can handle a spike in visitors, and consider enabling a content delivery network (CDN) for faster load times. Reducing large image files and optimizing your website’s backend can also help.
What should I do if my Black Friday campaign doesn’t perform as expected?
It’s okay! If things don’t go as planned, use real-time data to adjust. Maybe you can add a flash sale, extend the promotion, or promote popular products more heavily. After the season, review analytics to learn what worked and what didn’t so you can improve for next year.
