Redirects and short URLs

A redirect takes users (and search engines) from one URL to another. They can be used for campaigns or if a page URL changes.

You must not use a redirect on bristol.gov.uk to send a user to a site not on the bristol.gov.uk domain.

Short URLs

Short URLs are a form of redirect that take a user from a shortened URL to a longer one.

Short URLs can be used for campaigns and are often used in places where the user cannot click on the URL to open it. For example, on a printed leaflet, over the phone or on a display screen.

Short URLs must be:

• short, ideally up to 10 characters
• memorable
• easy to read, understand and type

Do:

• remove unnecessary words, for example use '/recycle-more', rather than '/our-recycle-more-campaign'
• abbreviate, if the abbreviations are well-known, for example '/caz'
• use common words and spellings and avoid words that are easy to mis-spell
• use a short URL that's similar to the page title

If the short URL is 2 short words, with fewer than 12 characters in total, you can merge the words together. For example, '/tenantaccount'. Make sure the words are easy to read and understand correctly. For example, do not use '/busstops', as it's hard to separate the words when skim reading.

Also, make sure that you do not inadvertently spell something inappropriate or confusing.

For 3 words or more, or more than 12 characters, use hyphens to separate the words. This helps make the short URL clear, unambiguous and easy to read, type and share. It's also better for SEO, as search engines treat hyphens as word separators, which helps them understand the meaning of the URL.

Avoid numbers in short URLs, as the user will need to switch keyboards to enter them on touchscreen devices. If you have to use numbers, use them in one place in the short url. For example, '/bristol2025'.

Do not use:

• uppercase letters, letters in a short URL must all be lowercase, including names and acronyms, for readability, clarity, consistency and accessibility
• underscores, search engines do not interpret them as separators and they're hard for a user to remember and enter

When creating a short URL, try reading it out loud, as if you were reading it out over the phone, to check it's easy to use.

If the short URL is being used for print, remind the service that they can leave off 'www'. This will make the URL shorter and less for the user to remember. For example, 'bristol.gov.uk/housing'.