There’s something magical about uploading a new YouTube video. The thumbnail looks great. The audio finally sounds crisp. You hit publish — and now, it’s time to share it.
But wait… the link looks like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFDoDjxFyTA&t=421s&ab_channel=MyChannelName
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFDoDjxFyTA&t=421s&ab_channel=MyChannelName
Yikes.
It’s long. It’s ugly. And if you’re printing it on a poster or dropping it into your Instagram bio, good luck getting anyone to type it out — or even trust it.
That’s why I started using y.gy: a free tool that turns long YouTube links into short, clean URLs and gives you a QR code in one click. I didn’t build it for YouTube specifically — but the YouTube use case just makes too much sense.
YouTube Links Deserve Better
Creators obsess over lighting, editing, pacing… but links? They’re usually an afterthought. And yet, links are the only bridge between someone discovering your video — or not.
Here’s what I started doing:
- Shorten my YouTube links to something simple (like
y.gy/teaser) - Generate a QR code for the same link (great for slides, merch inserts, or event booths)
- Track clicks and scans to see what’s actually working
This has saved me so much time, especially when sharing videos offline — at talks, meetups, and even on packaging.
Real-World Use Cases for Creators
Let’s say you’re a:
- YouTuber launching a new series
- Educator linking to a tutorial or recorded class
- Musician dropping your latest video
- Marketer embedding a product demo in a slide deck
- Speaker sending people to a recap video via QR code on a badge
In each case, a long link is clunky — but a short link or QR code makes things easy. You don’t have to explain anything. People just scan or click.
How It Works
You don’t need to sign up (unless you want analytics). Just go to app.y.gy:
- Paste your YouTube link.
- Choose a custom slug if you want (like
y.gy/btsvlog). - Click "Shorten".
- Grab your link or download the QR code. Done.
No pop-ups. No paywalls. No fake “free trial” trickery. Just clean, simple sharing.
Bonus: Analytics for the Curious
Want to know if anyone scanned the code on your business card? Or if your tweet got traction?
If you upgrade your Y.GY account, you’ll get access to:
- Real-time click tracking
- QR scan metrics
- UTM analytics support
- Editable destination links (for dynamic QR codes)
It’s super helpful for launches and promo campaigns — especially if you're the kind of person who likes to A/B test thumbnails or track drop-off.
Final Thoughts
Look — if you’re going to spend hours scripting, shooting, editing, and uploading a video… don’t let the final mile (the sharing) get lazy. A clean link and QR code might not go viral, but they make a difference.
Less friction = more views.
Try it once and you’ll never go back to sharing the raw YouTube link.
