Migrate 1,000 Links Without Losing Analytics History

The scariest part of switching URL shorteners isn't the switch itself — it's the fear that every link you've published, and every click you've measured, will vanish. That fear is usually misplaced. With the right order, you can move to a new platform and keep both your live links and your historical analytics.

This guide gives you a repeatable migration: export, recreate, re-point, verify — without breaking anything.

The two things you must preserve

A migration has two independent goals:

1. Keep every published link working. The short codes people already clicked must still resolve.
2. Keep your click history. The analytics you've accumulated shouldn't reset.

Most "lost data" horror stories come from confusing these two. If you re-point the domain but don't recreate the codes, links 404. If you recreate codes but don't carry over history, your reports start from zero.

Step 1: Export everything

Before touching anything, export the complete link list with all fields:

• short_code
• original_url (destination)
• title, created_at
• clicks (the count)
• click event history if available (dates, referrers, devices)

Export as CSV. This is your source of truth. If the platform doesn't offer an export, build it from the API (most shorteners have a GET /links endpoint you can page through).

Step 2: Recreate codes identically

On the new platform, recreate every link keeping the exact same short code. The goal is that the published short URL — e.g. https://short.com/ab3x7 — resolves to the same destination as before.

Two ways:

• Import via CSV/bulk API if the new platform supports it.
• Create programmatically with the new platform's API, setting customAlias to the old code.

The key constraint: the code must be identical so existing published links keep working. If a code can't be reused (e.g. reserved), create a redirect from the old code to the new one instead.

Step 3: Preserve historical analytics

Export the click history and import it as historical data on the new platform. Some platforms let you seed a starting click count or import event history; if not, record the historical counts separately so your reports reflect reality.

Do not delete the old platform during the transition. Keep it live for the overlap so that:

• Any link you haven't migrated yet still resolves.
• You have a backup source of the full history.

Only retire the old platform once you've verified everything migrated and the new platform is handling traffic.

Step 4: Re-point and verify

Once codes exist on the new platform, re-point traffic:

• If you control the domain, update the DNS/redirect so the short domain serves from the new platform.
• If you're changing the whole short domain, publish a redirect map from old to new (301s), so old links still work and pass equity.

Then verify:

• Spot-check a sample of codes return the correct 302 to the right destination.
• Confirm the destination URLs are intact.
• Check that new clicks are being recorded.

The order that prevents breakage

1. Export full link data + history.
2. Recreate codes (identical) on the new platform.
3. Import historical analytics.
4. Re-point DNS/redirects.
5. Verify a sample.
6. Keep old platform live during overlap.
7. Retire old platform only after confirmation.

Common mistakes

• Re-pointing before recreating codes → mass 404s.
• Changing codes during migration → published links break and history fragments.
• Deleting the old platform too early → no fallback if something's missing.
• Not importing history → reports reset to zero.

The takeaway

Migrating a shortener doesn't have to lose anything. Export everything, recreate the exact same codes, import your history, re-point, verify, and keep the old platform alive during overlap. Follow that order and your 1,000 links keep working and your analytics keep their context.

For more on keeping links healthy after the move, see link-rot prevention and the redirect status guide.