Ow.ly Alternative for YouTube Creators: GoloLink vs Ow.ly
Ow.ly is handy if you already live inside Hootsuite. GoloLink is a standalone tool built specifically around tracking links per YouTube video, whether or not you use a scheduler.
GoloLink is better if: You want a standalone tool with per-video attribution, not a shortener whose whole workflow is scoped to posts scheduled through Hootsuite.
Ow.ly is better if: You're already scheduling through Hootsuite and just want shortening plus UTM tagging built into that same workflow at no extra cost.
Ow.ly is the link shortener built into Hootsuite's social media scheduling platform, most valuable to creators who are already scheduling their posts through Hootsuite. Note: some third-party sources report Hootsuite has scaled back new Ow.ly link creation in favor of legacy links continuing to redirect - worth confirming current behavior in your own Hootsuite account before relying on it.
Ow.ly vs GoloLink: video attribution explained
Ow.ly tells you how a link performed. GoloLink tells you how the video containing that link performed.
What Ow.ly shows you
500 clicks
One number. No idea which video sent it.
What GoloLink shows you
Once you know Video A drives most of your clicks, you know what to make more of, which old video is quietly still converting, and which links to double-check first when something breaks. A single blended total can't tell you any of that.
What Ow.ly does well
Ow.ly's strengths
- Tightly integrated with Hootsuite's scheduling and publishing workflow
- UTM tagging built into the same compose/schedule flow
- Custom vanity URLs on Hootsuite's Advanced plan and up
- One less tool to manage if Hootsuite is your main hub
Where GoloLink is different
- No per-video attribution - clicks aren't tied to which YouTube upload sent them
- No custom domain - only vanity slugs on higher-tier Hootsuite plans
- Its value is mostly tied to being inside Hootsuite, so it's not built as a standalone link analytics tool for creators
GoloLink vs Ow.ly
| Feature | Ow.ly | GoloLink |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated with a social scheduling platform | ||
| UTM tagging | ||
| Custom vanity URL (Advanced plan+) | ||
| Custom domain | ||
| Basic click tracking | ||
| Per-video click attribution | ||
| Standalone click analytics (country/device/browser) | ||
| Dead-link monitoring | ||
| Built for YouTube description links |
Which one should you actually use?
It comes down to whether you need to know which video sent the click.
Choose Ow.ly if
Ow.ly
- Tightly integrated with Hootsuite's scheduling and publishing workflow
- UTM tagging built into the same compose/schedule flow
- Custom vanity URLs on Hootsuite's Advanced plan and up
- One less tool to manage if Hootsuite is your main hub
Choose GoloLink if
GoloLink
- You publish YouTube videos regularly and place links in descriptions
- You want to know which video actually drove a click, not just a link total
- You're comparing performance across a series or campaign of videos
- You want dead-link monitoring and a real free plan from day one
Pricing
Free to start. See Ow.ly's own site for their current plans.
GoloLink's free plan tracks up to 10 videos with full per-video attribution, no credit card required. Paid plans add unlimited videos, CSV export, and advanced attribution.
Who should choose GoloLink?
YouTubers
See which upload actually drives clicks, not just which one got the most views.
Affiliate marketers
Know which specific video sends affiliate clicks instead of one blended total.
Review channels
Compare click performance across every product review you've published.
Tech creators
Track gear and software links across dozens of videos without losing which one converts.
Finance creators
Attribute every tool or offer link back to the exact video that sent the click.
Course creators
See which lesson or promo video actually drives enrollments, not just watch time.
Agencies
Report per-video performance to clients instead of a single link's total click count.
Switching from Ow.ly
Export your existing links, recreate them in GoloLink, and run both side by side until you're confident in the new click data.
Export your Ow.ly links
Pull your existing link list (and click totals, if you want a baseline) from Ow.ly's dashboard or API.
Recreate them in GoloLink
Add each link and tag it to the specific video it appears under.
Swap the URLs in your descriptions
Update live and upcoming videos to point at your new GoloLink URLs.
Run both side by side for 2 weeks
Compare per-video click data before fully retiring Ow.ly.
Don't delete your Ow.ly links right away - they may already be published across old videos, social posts, and other pages. Keep them active until you've swapped every reference over.
Looking for more Ow.ly alternatives?
Bitly
Bitly is one of the most widely used general-purpose link shorteners, offering custom domains, QR codes, and API access for bulk link management.
GoloLink vs BitlyRebrandly
Rebrandly is a link management platform for marketing teams - branded domains, QR codes, link-in-bio pages, geo/device redirects, and API-driven automation, with conversion tracking layered on top of click data.
GoloLink vs RebrandlyShort.io
Short.io is a link management platform for developers and marketers - custom domains, a full API with SDKs, detailed click analytics, geo/device targeting, UTM tools, dynamic QR codes, and a genuine free-forever tier.
GoloLink vs Short.ioGeniuslink
Geniuslink is an intelligent link-management platform built for affiliate monetization: it automatically localizes supported Amazon (and other retailer) links to the shopper's own country store, supports mobile deep linking, "Choice Pages" for presenting multiple buying options from one link, retargeting pixels, and Link Health monitoring. It also ships a dedicated YouTube Link Optimizer that bulk-updates affiliate links already published across a channel's video catalog.
GoloLink vs GeniuslinkFrequently asked questions
No - Ow.ly's tracking is oriented around the social posts you schedule through Hootsuite, not around individual YouTube videos. It doesn't split clicks out by which upload sent them. GoloLink tags every link to its source video directly.
Feature details last verified 2026-09-09.
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