SMS Marketing Links: Best Practices for Tracking Clicks in Text Campaigns

SMS marketing boasts open rates above 90% and click-through rates that dwarf email. But those impressive numbers only matter if you can track them. Unlike email, SMS doesn't have built-in click tracking, so you need a strategy for measuring link performance.

In this guide, we'll cover how to create trackable SMS links, avoid carrier filtering, and measure the ROI of your text campaigns.

Without tracking, you're flying blind:

• Can't measure campaign performance: Which messages drive clicks?
• Can't calculate ROI: What's the revenue per SMS sent?
• Can't optimize: Which CTAs, offers, or timing work best?
• Can't segment: Who's engaging vs. ignoring your texts?

Proper link tracking turns SMS from a broadcast channel into a measurable marketing tool.

SMS platforms don't track link clicks natively. The solution: use tracked short links that capture click data before redirecting to your destination.

1. 1Log into Linkly
2. 2Click Create Link
3. 3Enter your destination URL
4. 4Optionally add UTM parameters for Google Analytics integration
5. 5Optionally add retargeting pixels to build audiences
6. 6Save your link

Every click on this link is tracked with location, device, and timestamp data.

Generic short link domains can trigger carrier spam filters. Using a custom domain like txt.yourbrand.com:

• Looks more trustworthy to recipients
• Reduces spam filter triggers
• Reinforces brand recognition

For SMS specifically, consider a dedicated subdomain that signals text messaging: sms.yourbrand.com or txt.yourbrand.com.

Keep URLs as short as possible. Character count matters in SMS:

Instead of: https://www.yourcompany.com/special-offers/summer-sale-2026?utm_source=sms

Use: txt.yourbrand.com/summer (26 characters vs. 70+)

For more details, see our guide on tracking SMS links.

SMS messages are limited to 160 characters (or 70 for Unicode). Long URLs eat into your message space and look untrustworthy.

Make your link memorable and relevant:

• Good: txt.brand.co/50off
• Bad: txt.brand.co/a1b2c3

Descriptive slugs also reduce suspicion and improve click rates.

Multiple links confuse recipients and dilute click tracking. Focus each message on a single action with one clear link.

Links at the end of the message typically perform best. Lead with the value proposition, end with the CTA and link:

"Flash sale: 40% off all shoes today only! Shop now: txt.brand.co/shoes"

Always send test messages to verify:

• The link is clickable
• The link redirects correctly
• The message displays properly on different devices

Mobile carriers filter SMS messages that look like spam. Links are a common trigger. Here's how to stay out of the spam folder:

Shared short link domains (like bit.ly) are often flagged because spammers use them. A custom domain with your brand name is less likely to be filtered.

Carriers watch for patterns associated with spam:

• Multiple different domains in one campaign
• Newly registered domains
• Domains on known blocklists

Use a consistent, established custom domain for all SMS campaigns.

Sudden spikes in SMS volume can trigger carrier scrutiny. If scaling up, increase volume gradually.

High bounce rates and complaints lead to filtering. Only text opted-in contacts and honor unsubscribe requests immediately.

Even with good links, spammy content gets filtered:

• Avoid ALL CAPS
• Avoid excessive punctuation!!!
• Avoid spam trigger words (free, winner, claim now)
• Include your business name

For each SMS link, you'll see:

• Total clicks: How many times the link was clicked
• Unique clicks: Individual people who clicked
• Click timing: When clicks occurred (useful for optimizing send time)
• Device data: iOS vs. Android, useful for app promotion
• Location: Geographic distribution of clickers

Access these in your Linkly analytics.

Calculate overall campaign performance:

Click-through rate (CTR): Clicks / Messages Sent × 100

• Industry average: 10-20%
• Good performance: 20-35%

Cost per click: Campaign Cost / Total Clicks

Conversion rate: Conversions / Clicks × 100

Add UTM tags to track SMS traffic in Google Analytics:

txt.brand.co/sale → yoursite.com/sale?utm_source=sms&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=summer_flash

This lets you see SMS-driven sessions, conversions, and revenue alongside other channels.

Add Meta Pixel or Google Ads tags to your SMS links. Now you can:

• Build audiences from SMS clickers
• Retarget non-converters with ads
• Measure cross-channel influence

Message: "24-hour flash sale! 30% off everything. Shop now: txt.brand.co/flash"

Tracking:

• Linkly tracks clicks
• UTM parameters attribute sales in Google Analytics
• Compare CTR and conversion rate to previous campaigns

Message: "Reminder: Your appointment is tomorrow at 2pm. Confirm here: txt.clinic.co/confirm"

Tracking:

• Track confirmation rates by link clicks
• Identify patients who need follow-up calls

Message: "You've earned 500 points! Redeem your reward: txt.brand.co/redeem"

Tracking:

• Track redemption engagement
• Segment active vs. dormant loyalty members

Message: "Doors open at 6pm tomorrow! View event details: txt.venue.co/event"

Tracking:

• Measure attendee engagement
• Send follow-up info to clickers

SMS marketing has strict regulations. Ensure compliance:

Consent: Only text people who explicitly opted in to SMS marketing. Separate consent from email consent.

Identification: Include your business name in messages so recipients know who's texting.

Opt-out: Provide clear opt-out instructions. Honor "STOP" replies immediately.

Timing: Respect quiet hours. Many regulations prohibit texts before 8am or after 9pm local time.

Record keeping: Maintain records of consent for compliance audits.

Goal: Drive traffic to a new product launch

Setup:

1. 1Create a tracked link: txt.brand.co/newproduct
2. 2Add UTM parameters: ?utm_source=sms&utm_campaign=product_launch
3. 3Add Meta Pixel for retargeting

Message:

"Introducing [Product Name]: [one-line value prop]. Be first to get yours: txt.brand.co/newproduct"

Analysis after 48 hours:

• 10,000 messages sent
• 2,100 link clicks (21% CTR)
• 315 purchases (15% conversion from clicks)
• $12,600 revenue
• Cost per acquisition: $2.38

Next steps:

• Retarget clickers who didn't purchase
• Test different message copy for future campaigns

SMS marketing delivers exceptional engagement, but only if you can measure it. Tracked short links transform text campaigns from unmeasurable broadcasts into data-driven marketing. Combined with custom domains, UTM parameters, and retargeting pixels, you get complete visibility into SMS performance.

Ready to track your SMS campaigns? Get started with Linkly and create trackable, branded links that work perfectly in text messages.