doin.cc
Email MarketingCTRBest Practices

Why Your Email CTR Suffers from Ugly Links (And How to Fix It)

Rachel Kim •

You’ve crafted the perfect email. Subject line is optimized. Copy is compelling. Design is on point. But your click-through rate is still underwhelming. The culprit might be hiding in plain sight: your links.

When readers see a link in an email, they make split-second judgments:

  • Long, complex URLs = Spam, tracking, suspicion
  • Clean, readable URLs = Professional, trustworthy, safe

This happens subconsciously in milliseconds. By the time your reader reaches your call-to-action, their brain has already formed an opinion about whether to click.

Here are common link offenders:

❌ https://example.com/products/category/subcategory/item?ref=email&campaign=march_newsletter&source=mailchimp&utm_medium=email&utm_content=cta_button

This tells your reader:

  • “We’re tracking everything about you”
  • “This isn’t a human sending this”
  • “Who knows where this actually goes?”
✅ doin.cc/march-special

This tells your reader:

  • “We respect your time”
  • “We know what we’re doing”
  • “Click here—it’s safe and clear”

Impact on Open and Click Rates

Studies show that link appearance affects engagement:

  • Email deliverability: Some spam filters flag emails heavy with tracking parameters
  • Click intent: 23% of readers say clean URLs make them more likely to click
  • Trust building: Branded short links reinforce sender credibility

1. Use Descriptive Short IDs

Match your short link to your email content:

  • Newsletter: doin.cc/update
  • Product launch: doin.cc/new-product
  • Event invite: doin.cc/event

2. Keep Tracking Behind the Scenes

Short links let you track clicks without exposing ugly UTM parameters to readers. The redirect captures the data; the reader sees only a clean URL.

3. Be Consistent

Use the same link format across all emails. Readers should recognize your link style as trustworthy.

4. Test Plain-Text Versions

Many readers use plain-text email or accessibility tools. A clean short link reads better than a paragraph of URL gibberish.

Implementing in Your Email Campaigns

Step 1: Create short links for your key CTAs before building your email

Step 2: Use the short link as both the href and the display text

Step 3: Monitor click-through rates

Step 4: Compare performance against previous campaigns with long links

Run a simple test:

  • Group A: Raw long URL with tracking parameters
  • Group B: Clean short URL

Measure:

  • Click-through rate
  • Spam complaints
  • Unsubscribe rate

Most marketers see measurable improvement in Group B.

Beyond the Click

Clean links improve the entire customer journey:

  1. In the inbox: Less suspicious, more clicks
  2. After clicking: Faster redirects, better experience
  3. When sharing: Readers forward emails; clean links look better when shared
  4. When reviewing: You can read your own analytics easily

Review your last 5 email campaigns:

  1. How do your links look in the email?
  2. What do readers see when they hover?
  3. Are tracking parameters visible?
  4. Would you click your own links?

If you hesitated on #4, it’s time to upgrade your link strategy.

Great emails deserve great links. Your CTR will thank you.