Email capture

Email capture turns a short link into a simple lead magnet. Instead of redirecting, the link shows a form that asks for the visitor's email address. The visitor confirms it through a double opt-in email, and the confirmation link takes them to the destination. You get a list of confirmed addresses on the link's analytics page. It works well for gated downloads, free guides and waitlists.

Before you start

• Email capture needs the Starter plan or higher. On Free, the Email capture option shows a Starter badge.
• You need a contact email address that you are happy to show publicly. It is displayed on the form so visitors know who collects their address and how to reach you about their data.
• You are the data controller for the addresses you collect. Handle them according to the privacy rules that apply to you, such as the GDPR.

Set up email capture

1. In Short links, click + Create link and enter the destination, for example the download URL of your guide.
2. Under Options, click Email capture.
3. Switch on Enable email capture for this link.
4. Optionally change the texts on the form. Empty fields use the defaults:
   • Headline: Confirm your email to continue
   • Description: Enter your email and confirm it to open this link.
   • Button text: Continue
5. Enter your Contact email. It is required.
6. Click Save, then Create link.

What visitors see

1. Opening the link shows your headline and description with an Email address field.
2. The visitor ticks the consent box (I agree to receive emails from your contact email) and clicks your button. The form also explains who is responsible for the data and how to be removed.
3. A Check your inbox message appears, and useClick sends a confirmation email to the address.
4. The visitor clicks the confirmation link in that email within 24 hours. Their address is saved as confirmed and they are taken straight to the destination.

The destination URL is never shown on the form, so visitors cannot skip it by reading the page.

See and export the emails

On the link's analytics page, the Captured emails card shows:

• A three-step funnel: Saw form (recorded clicks on the link), Submitted (emails entered) and Confirmed with the confirmation rate.
• The latest confirmed addresses, with View all for the full list.
• Export CSV, which downloads the confirmed addresses with the date each was confirmed.

Only confirmed addresses are stored. Addresses that were entered but never confirmed are not saved anywhere.

Good to know

• Every confirmation email has an unsubscribe link. Using it removes the address from useClick. If you have already copied the list into another tool, handling removal there is your responsibility.
• Email capture is set when you create the link and is not part of the Edit link dialog. Through the API you can switch it on or off and change its texts with email_capture_enabled, email_capture_headline, email_capture_description, email_capture_button_text and email_capture_contact_email.
• After confirming, visitors go to the link's main destination. Geo-targeting and Open in app are not applied on this path.
• To limit abuse, one network can submit the form at most 10 times per minute.
• The "Saw form" number counts every recorded click on the link, including bots. See Bot traffic.

Troubleshooting

• "A valid contact email is required". Fill in Contact email with a working address.
• A visitor did not get the confirmation email. Ask them to check their spam folder, or to open the short link again and submit the form once more.
• "This confirmation link is invalid or has expired". The link is older than 24 hours. The visitor opens the short link again to get a new one.

Related guides

• Link analytics: where the Captured emails card lives
• Password protection: gate a link with a password instead
• Link in bio
• Plans and limits