A short-link launch checklist you can reuse for every campaign
Test destinations, rules, campaign tags and real placements in one simple record, then decide whether your link is ready to go out.
A link is ready when the people you’re aiming at can do what you promised from the real placement, not just when the app says it was saved. Keep one simple test record that ties together what the campaign promises, what you tested, what happened and who decides on the launch.
This guide gives you a manual checklist for a made-up launch of a free public resource. The checks happen outside Links, in your own notes or shared workspace, and the detailed setup is covered in the linked guides. The goal here is to decide whether one campaign is ready.
Define the promised result and the release owner
Write the goal in one sentence: “Someone opening the postcard link can find the current resource, read it on a phone and reach the listed contact.” Say whether access is public or needs an account. A destination that works for the editor may still be wrong for the reader.
Note the full short link, the campaign, the current main destination, the rules, where the link will appear, who pays, who tests and who approves the launch. Set a review time before anything is printed or sent. If finishing the task would create a real booking, purchase or account change, use a harmless test page or the service’s own test mode.
Build a small matrix from real variations
Include the situations that can change where people end up. In the example, test an ordinary signed-out reader, one language rule, a visitor who matches no rule and how it looks on a real phone. Only add a restricted-access case if the campaign really needs one.
| Test | What you should see |
|---|---|
| Main destination opened directly | The right resource and a clear next step |
| Shared short link, ordinary reader | The intended final page and the task completed |
| A typical matching rule | The right localized or device-specific page |
| Visitor who matches no rule | A useful fallback page, not a dead end |
| Real message or printed sample | Readable text around it and a working link |
Mark each row as passed, failed or not tested, with the date and the final address you saw. A computer test isn’t a phone test, and changing only your browser language doesn’t test a country rule. Keep the table small but honest, and note anything you couldn’t test.
Verify the saved settings before observing clicks
Compare the saved main destination and each rule with your approved record. Rule order matters, because the first match wins. Follow the routing guide instead of guessing from a rule’s title.
If you need campaign measurement, check the whole destination address. Links sends visitors to the saved destination and doesn’t pass on anything added to the end of the short link. Put the campaign tags into every destination that needs them and follow the UTM guide. Note your test visits so whoever reads the statistics later knows that some clicks came from testing, not from the campaign.
Rehearse the actual placement and recipient task
Open the exact link from a real test message sent the usual way, or from a sample print before you order the full run. Check the text around it, the punctuation, the language and the action you’re asking for. The message guide and the QR print guide cover the checks for each kind of placement.
Follow the journey past the redirect: read the document, reach the form’s confirmation using its test mode, or find the promised help. Check attachments and any further links. A working redirect, a nice preview or a click count doesn’t prove the reader can finish the task. If something still blocks them, write down the failing step and who will fix it.
Make a launch or hold decision with a recovery plan
Hold the launch when an important test fails, or hasn’t been run and you have no agreed workaround. For example, a resource that only its owner can open isn’t ready for a public postcard. Don’t mark “not tested” as “passed” to meet a print deadline.
If you’re replacing an existing campaign, save the old destination and rules first. Name who can put them back and who will look into a failure. Write down the decision, what you tested and any known gaps in your shared workspace. This review is your team’s own habit, not a feature in Links.
Recheck after publication and after meaningful changes
After launch, open one real published placement and compare it with your record. A last-minute page edit or a formatting change in a message can break something that worked before. When destinations, rules, permissions or required steps change, rerun the affected rows instead of assuming the first approval still covers them.
Agree who keeps an eye on the links and the payer’s credits: counted clicks use credits, and links pause when the balance runs out. Use the troubleshooting guide when something fails, and keep the final record with the campaign. Links gives you the address; a check you can repeat makes sharing it a deliberate decision.