The Migration Fear Is Real

We hear it all the time: “I’d love to switch from Bitly, but I have thousands of links out there. Blog posts, QR codes on printed materials, links in old emails. I can’t break those.”

You’re right to be cautious. A broken link isn’t just a bad user experience — it’s lost traffic, lost revenue, and lost trust. But here’s the good news: migrating from Bitly is way less scary than you think.

Let’s walk through exactly how to do it.

Step 1: Understand What You’re Actually Migrating

First, let’s clear up a common misconception. When you “migrate” from Bitly, you’re not moving your bit.ly/xyz URLs somewhere else. Those URLs live on Bitly’s domain, and they’ll keep working (with or without ads, depending on your plan).

What you’re actually doing is:

1. Setting up a new platform for all future links
2. Optionally importing your link data (destinations, click analytics, tags) for reference
3. Redirecting your custom domain if you use one with Bitly (like yourbrand.link/xyz)

That third one is the big one. If you use a custom domain with Bitly, migration is almost seamless because you control the domain.

Step 2: Export Your Bitly Data

Bitly lets you export your link data. Here’s how:

1. Log into your Bitly dashboard
2. Go to Links → select all (or filter by date range)
3. Click Export to download a CSV

Your export will include:

• The short URL (bit.ly/abc123)
• The long URL (destination)
• Creation date
• Total clicks
• Tags and campaigns (if you used them)

Save this CSV. It’s your migration bible.

Step 3: Set Up Your New Platform

On your new link management platform, you’ll want to:

1. Connect your custom domain — If you have one (like links.yourbrand.com), point it to your new platform’s servers. DNS changes propagate in minutes to hours.
2. Import your links — Most platforms accept CSV imports. Upload your Bitly export, and the platform will recreate your links with the same destinations.
3. Verify the mappings — Spot-check 10-20 links to make sure the imports match.

The Custom Domain Advantage

If you were using a custom domain with Bitly (yourbrand.link/xyz), here’s the beautiful part: once you point your domain’s DNS to your new platform, all your existing links automatically start routing through the new platform. No need to update every blog post, every email, every QR code. The links look the same to users — they just work better now.

If you were using bit.ly URLs directly… those stay on Bitly. You can’t change where bit.ly resolves to. But you can stop creating new ones immediately.

Step 4: Handle the bit.ly Links You Can’t Move

For bit.ly links that are already in the wild (blog posts, printed materials, old emails), you have a few options:

Option A: Leave them

They’ll continue to work through Bitly (with ads on free plans). Not ideal, but not broken.

Option B: Update what you can

Go through your website, social profiles, and email templates and replace bit.ly links with your new branded links. This is tedious but worth it for high-traffic pages.

Option C: Create redirects

Set up your new platform links as the primary, and anywhere you can edit, swap them in. For printed materials (QR codes, flyers, business cards), you can’t change what’s already printed — but this is exactly why dynamic links are so valuable. With 301.Pro, your QR code points to a smart link that you can change the destination of at any time. No reprinting needed.

Step 5: Verify Everything

Before you celebrate, test:

1. Click 20-30 migrated links — Do they resolve correctly?
2. Check analytics — Are new clicks being tracked in your new platform?
3. Test custom domain links — If you migrated a custom domain, does yourbrand.link/xyz still work?
4. Try on different devices — Mobile, desktop, tablet
5. Check old QR codes — Scan a few that pointed to your custom domain

Step 6: Update Your Workflow

Now that you’re set up:

• Create all new links on your new platform
• Update your team — Make sure everyone knows to use the new platform
• Set up your link structure — Organize campaigns, tags, and naming conventions from the start
• Explore what’s new — If you moved to a platform like 301.Pro, you now have access to features Bitly doesn’t offer: geo-routing, time-based redirects, A/B split testing, bot detection, and more

Common Migration Concerns (Answered)

“Will I lose my click analytics?”

Your historical Bitly analytics stay in Bitly. Your new platform starts tracking from the moment of migration. Some platforms (including 301.Pro) can import your historical data from the CSV export so you have it all in one place.

”What about links in emails that were already sent?”

If they use your custom domain, they’ll automatically route through your new platform. If they use bit.ly URLs, they’ll continue working through Bitly.

”How long does DNS propagation take?”

Usually 15 minutes to 4 hours. During propagation, some users will hit Bitly and some will hit your new platform. Both will resolve correctly — it’s a seamless transition.

”Can I migrate gradually?”

Absolutely. You can keep your Bitly account active while you transition. Create new links on your new platform, and migrate your custom domain when you’re ready.

”What if something goes wrong?”

Point your DNS back to Bitly. Seriously. DNS changes are reversible, and you can switch back in minutes if needed.

The Bottom Line

Migration isn’t a cliff — it’s a bridge. You can walk across it at your own pace, testing as you go, with a safety net the whole way. The hardest part isn’t the technical migration — it’s making the decision to start.

And once you’re on a platform that treats your links as intelligent routing tools rather than a monetization opportunity… you’ll wonder why you didn’t switch sooner.