Will Smart Link work in Gmail, Apple Mail, and Superhuman?

Yes. It is a normal HTTPS short URL. Any client that can open a link can open a Smart Link. We do not need an ESP plugin.

Can I keep UTM tags for the newsletter?

Yes. Add UTM parameters on the Smart Link. Clicks still route to the app on mobile, and the dashboard stores those UTM values on the click.

Does this replace my email analytics?

No. Opens and click maps in Klaviyo, Beehiiv, or ConvertKit still matter. Smart Link tells you what happened after the tap — especially whether the reader reached the native app.

What if the reader is on a laptop?

Desktop visitors get the web destination. Deep linking is for phones; the same URL stays correct everywhere.

How many email links can I create?

Pro includes unlimited smart links and a custom domain for short-link redirects, for $20/month or $120/year. Anonymous visitors can try 5 links per hour without an account.

Email taps that open the app.

Newsletters get read on phones. A Smart Link in the issue opens the video, track, or profile in the native app instead of a tab inside Gmail.

Create the email link

Paste the video, playlist, track, or post you are featuring. Drop the short URL into the issue — phones will prefer the native app.

Some browsers require another tap. How app opening works

FreeMobile OptimizedInstant

No account or card needed. Up to 5 free links per hour; each expires after 7 days.Save links for free. Upgrade to Pro for unlimited links, custom codes, and full analytics.

The cost of a Gmail tab

The issue is read on a phone. The link opens a tab.

Most newsletter clicks happen on iOS and Android. A raw YouTube or Spotify URL often stays inside the mail client’s in-app browser. The video is worse, the follow button is missing, and you cannot see where readers sat.

01
Mail clients are not media players.
A Smart Link’s job is to escape the in-app browser and hand the visitor to YouTube, Spotify, or Instagram.
02
Short URLs survive every client.
Long query strings break in some apps and look like tracking junk. A short slug is readable in plain-text parts too.
03
Clicks tell you which issue landed.
City and device on the link complement open rates. You see whether the Friday issue actually moved people to the video.

Practical plays

Three email placements that should deep-link.

Play 01

Feature the YouTube recap

The hero button in the issue points at a Smart Link. Phone readers open YouTube. Desktop readers still get the watch page.

The recap is watched in the player you designed for, not Gmail’s browser.

digest
@weeklydigest · X · 15 min ago
X
our “watch the recap” button opens youtube inside gmail’s browser and the subscribe CTA is gone. need these to hit the app.
126 likes · 22 replies

Play 02

Drop the Friday playlist in Spotify

A Smart Link to the playlist opens Spotify on phones. You can see which cities the newsletter actually reached.

The playlist add happens in the Spotify app.

radio_club
r/newsletter · Reddit · 4 hr ago
Reddit
Anyone shortening Spotify newsletter links so iOS opens the app? Default open.spotify.com in Safari is killing adds.
97 likes · 18 replies

Play 03

Point a product email at a Reel

When the proof is a customer Reel, do not send the marketing site. Send a Smart Link to the Reel and let Instagram handle playback.

Social proof plays the way it was shot.

lifecycle
@lifecycle.hq · X · yesterday
X
we embedded a reel url in the onboarding email and ios users got a login wall. next email uses a smart link.
58 likes · 7 replies

Email links, on rails

Write the issue. Deep-link the tap.

01
Create a Smart Link per featured URL
One link for the hero video, another for the playlist if you need separate analytics. Custom codes stay readable in the inbox.
02
Paste it into the button or plain text
Works in HTML buttons and in the text-only part of the email. No special ESP integration required.
03
Readers leave the mail client
On phones, Smart Link prefers the native app for YouTube, Spotify, Instagram, TikTok, and the other supported platforms.
04
Compare issues in the dashboard
See clicks, cities, and devices per link. Export when you want the data next to your ESP report.

Questions

Questions about this playbook.

Will Smart Link work in Gmail, Apple Mail, and Superhuman?: Yes. It is a normal HTTPS short URL. Any client that can open a link can open a Smart Link. We do not need an ESP plugin.
Can I keep UTM tags for the newsletter?: Yes. Add UTM parameters on the Smart Link. Clicks still route to the app on mobile, and the dashboard stores those UTM values on the click.
Does this replace my email analytics?: No. Opens and click maps in Klaviyo, Beehiiv, or ConvertKit still matter. Smart Link tells you what happened after the tap — especially whether the reader reached the native app.
What if the reader is on a laptop?: Desktop visitors get the web destination. Deep linking is for phones; the same URL stays correct everywhere.
How many email links can I create?: Pro includes unlimited smart links and a custom domain for short-link redirects, for $20/month or $120/year. Anonymous visitors can try 5 links per hour without an account.

Keep going

Tools and comparisons for this job.

YouTube shortener Instagram shortener Spotify shortener vs Bitly vs Rebrandly

More jobs

Let the next issue open the player.

Pro is $20/month or $120/year. Unlimited newsletter links and click maps. Cancel anytime.

Get your smart link Browse use cases

The issue is read on a phone. The link opens a tab.

Mail clients are not media players.

Short URLs survive every client.

Clicks tell you which issue landed.

Three email placements that should deep-link.

Feature the YouTube recap

Drop the Friday playlist in Spotify

Point a product email at a Reel

Write the issue. Deep-link the tap.

Create a Smart Link per featured URL

Paste it into the button or plain text

Readers leave the mail client

Compare issues in the dashboard

Questions about this playbook.

Tools and comparisons for this job.

Other ways teams use Smart Link.

Let the next issue open the player.