Shorten Links For SFMC Mobile Connect

Sometimes we need to shorten a link that is generated dynamically with AMPscript. As you may know we cannot parse JSON in AMPscript, but bit.ly API proposes a XML parameter (format=xml). This is what we will use.

HOW TO

Logic

1. Creating the personalized URL with AMPscript
2. Building the bit.ly HTTPGET URL
3. Parsing the XML to output the URL

Commented example

The example below is getting attributes from a Journey Data extension using the SMS activity

%%[
/* getting personalization form the entry data extension */
set @contactId = Contact:Id 
set @firstName = Contact:FirstName
set @lastName = Contact:LastName
set @fullName = ProperCase(concat(@firstName, ' ',@lastName))
/* Prepare the URL that will need to be shorten  */
set @urlPart1 = "https://duckduckgo.com?subkey=" 
set @urlPart2 = concat(@urlPart1,@contactId,'&name=',@fullName) /* Adding the personalized parameters */
set @bitlyBaseApi = "https://api-ssl.bitly.com/v3/shorten?login=BITLY_LOGIN&apiKey=BITLY_API_KeY&format=xml&longUrl=" /* bitly api */
set @urlToShorten = concat(@bitlyBaseApi,@urlPart2) /*concates bitly url with the personalized URL to be shortene*/
set @bitlyShorten = HTTPGet(@urlToShorten) /* calling bitly api */
/* setting the row from the returned XML with a FOR loop */
set @getShortenUrlXml = BuildRowsetFromXml(@bitlyShorten,'//url', 1) 
for @i = 1 to Rowcount(@getShortenUrlXml) do
    Set @row = Row(@getShortenUrlXml, @i)
    Set @finalShortenedUrl = Field(@row,1)
]%%SMS MSG: Cupcake ipsum dolor sit amet sweet sweet muffin. Tootsie roll jelly bear claw.
%%=v(@finalShortenedUrl)=%%
%%[
next @i
]%%

RESSOURCES

• Check that your XPath expression is working
• AMPscript BuildRowSetFromXML function
• Bit.ly shorten API