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Understanding Analytics

Track and measure your link performance with powerful analytics

Analytics by Plan

Different plans unlock different levels of analytics:

Free Plan

No analytics available

Basic Plan

Click count only

Plus Plan

Click count + Time & date analytics + City-level location data

Pro Plan

Full analytics: Clicks, time series, locations, devices, browsers, OS, referrers, and CSV export

Accessing Analytics

View analytics for any link:

  1. Go to your Links dashboard
  2. Click on any link card
  3. Scroll to the Analytics section

Analytics update in real-time as people click your links.

Click Count (Basic+)

The most fundamental metric shows total engagement:

  • Total number of clicks on your link
  • Displayed prominently on link cards
  • Includes all traffic (human and bot)

Time & Date Analytics (Plus+)

Understand when your audience is most active:

Clicks Over Time

Interactive chart showing click patterns over days, weeks, or months

Peak Hours

Identify which hours of the day get the most engagement

Date Ranges

Filter analytics by custom date ranges

Location Data (Plus+)

See where your clicks are coming from geographically:

  • Country breakdown: Top countries by click volume
  • City-level data: Identify specific cities (Plus and Pro)
  • Interactive map: Visual representation of geographic spread

Use location data to:

  • Target content for specific regions
  • Identify expansion opportunities
  • Schedule posts for optimal timezone reach

Device & Browser Data (Pro)

Understand the technical profile of your audience:

Device Types

Desktop, mobile, and tablet breakdown

Operating Systems

Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux distribution

Browsers

Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge usage statistics

Use this data to:

  • Optimize websites for the devices your audience uses
  • Prioritize mobile or desktop experiences
  • Ensure browser compatibility

Referrer Data (Pro)

See where your traffic is coming from:

  • Direct: People typing or clicking the link directly
  • Social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.
  • Search engines: Google, Bing search results
  • Other websites: Any site linking to your content

Referrer data helps you:

  • Identify your most valuable traffic sources
  • Focus marketing efforts on high-performing channels
  • Track which partnerships drive traffic

Exporting Data (Pro)

Export your analytics for deeper analysis:

  1. Open link analytics
  2. Click "Export to CSV"
  3. Choose your date range
  4. Download the CSV file

The CSV includes all click data with timestamps, locations, devices, browsers, and referrers. Use this data in Excel, Google Sheets, or your own analytics tools.

Bot Filtering

Shortn automatically detects and labels bot traffic to give you accurate human engagement metrics. While all traffic is counted in total clicks, you can filter views to see only human visitors.

Reading the Data

Tips for interpreting your analytics:

  • Look for trends over time, not just absolute numbers
  • Compare performance across similar links
  • Consider external factors (holidays, news events)
  • Focus on actionable insights
  • Set benchmarks and track improvement

What's Next?

Back to HelpNext: Organizing Campaigns