installing back links, and making them short

[EleanorsVintage]

I feel so inadequate - I want to insert back links into all my listings, and I have been reading up on the subject. So I went to this website that someone here recommended -bitly- to make them short, but I just don't understand how to go about it.
Do you put the links in first and launch your listing, then go back and shorten them, and how is it done?
Or do you do the whole thing in bitly right away? I have new listings, but also want to 'retro-fit' existing ones. Help would be much appreciated.
I just want to add that I am in Germany right now, and between the time difference and the expensive and limited internet access here I might not respond right away, unless someone posts here in about the next hour. But I will check back - this is the main project that i wanted to tackle during my trip here, and I am most anxious to get it started.
Thank you so much - vielen Dank!

[Former_Member]

My understanding is that links to outside of Etsy won't be live, even if they are short.

[ModernSwitch]

You can trim off the title in any listing URL so that the all it says is the http://www.etsy.com/listing/number

That way the link is one someone can click on.

[EleanorsVintage]

Well, I read in another thread that bitly actually produces links that start with 'etsy...' and that those work. Since a lot of sellers have rather short back links, there has to be a way...
If no one knows how, I will probably install the long ones for now and see if I can shorten them later, but since it will have to be done for every single listing (sigh...), I'd rather do it once and for good.
So - anyone in the know?

[EleanorsVintage]

Krystal - I just checked your listings and see what you mean. But I don't want to link to one particular item, but probably a shop section, and maybe other groups of items that might be of interest. I have read how to do it, but the links are supposed to be two lines long...

[EleanorsVintage]

Okay, I just installed section links for my ethnic prints. Those turned out not too long at all. Maybe they just get long once you do fancy stuff, like a link for items with a certain tag, like 'tropical'?
I will keep working on this, and will check back on this thread. For now, my internet access time is almost up (don't ask...) but if anyone else responds, I will read it as soon as possible, thank you all!

[Former_Member]

The links to shop sections are not very long at all. I post a link to a shop section in almost every one of my listings because sometimes people don't browse the shop when they search for a particular listing.

[Former_Member]

I use bitly all the time and it's easy. I also have a lot of back links in my shop.

All you do is go to the page you want to link to, copy the address, and insert it into bitly, who will immediately give you a shortened version of it.

Copy and paste that link into your description where you want it and you're good to go.

I'm also assuming these links are to sections in your shop. I have never tried to link outside Etsy and don't believe that works.

I do links to specific sections of my shop, and specific fabric designers, too, to give people a choice of where they'd like to go next. And, of course, I have a link back to my home page.

[EleanorsVintage]

Marcia -
I just did it like you said, and I have a very short link for everything in my shop with the tag 'tropical'!
Thank you so much! Would love to do them all now, but my time is running out midnight, though I am not Cinderella, but i gotta go!
Thank you again everyone, and I will continue my work in the next few days!

[Former_Member]

Yea! I just went and looked and saw that you did it :)

[exZuberant]

Thanks for this info! I have started to edit my listings with short links and I love that they look so much nicer than the exceedingly long ones generated by Etsy!

[Former_Member]

I think this will be the next project I tackle, too. Hope it doesn't take too long :/ 147 items, don't think I'll add links to all if them. That would take a while, for sure. Thanks for the info!