As entrepreneurs, we obsess over funnels, pixels, and creative. But here’s the quiet leak many businesses miss: your links. In a world of AI-generated phishing and domain spoofing, a sketchy-looking URL isn’t just an aesthetic issue, it’s a trust issue. Consumers reported $12.5 billion in fraud losses last year, and attackers are weaponizing AI to make scams nearly impossible to spot.
Trust is fragile. DigiCert’s State of Digital Trust research found that 47 percent of consumers stopped doing business with a company after losing trust in its digital security, and 57 percent say they’d likely switch if they felt that trust erode. You don’t need a breach to trigger that. Looking “phishy” is often enough.
The pattern you normalize is the behavior you get
Generic shorteners and off-brand domains may be cheap and convenient, but they also look exactly like the links your customers are trained to avoid. CISA flags untrusted shortened URLs as a phishing red flag, and universities and security vendors warn that shortened links are a common obfuscation technique. When brands normalize those patterns, they’re teaching audiences to click them, and attackers will thank you.
Meanwhile, these bad-actors are scaling. KnowBe4’s 2025 benchmarking data found that 82 percent of phishing emails currently use AI. Microsoft recently exposed an AI-aided phishing campaign that generated fake sign-in pages with convincing realism. This isn’t the future, it’s today’s inbox.
Branded domains aren’t cosmetic, they’re conversion and security
When the domain matches your brand, hesitation drops. Across channels (QR, SMS, email, social) an on-brand URL helps customers decide in milliseconds: Is this really you? According to a Journal of Advertising Research study, users show higher click propensity when the search includes a brand name. More importantly, branded links harden your ecosystem: Clean, governed link patterns are harder to spoof and easier to audit.
You don’t need to build new infrastructure to do it. Most reputable SaaS platforms now let you connect your own branded domain and SSL certificate in minutes. You keep the ease of third-party tools, while retaining ownership of your customer-facing identity.
The QR and SMS moment: Trust at first glance
QR codes have become the bridge between offline and online (packaging, TV, live events), but they also create a new moment of truth. When someone scans a QR code, their phone usually shows a preview of the destination address before opening it. If that preview shows a third-party domain, you’ve already lost a little trust, and potentially leaked a little data. Using your own branded domain for every QR code ensures that the link preview itself reassures customers and keeps click analytics within your control.
The same principle applies to SMS messages, one of today’s most common phishing channels. Texts that include unfamiliar or third-party domains look indistinguishable from scam attempts. Whether it’s a delivery notification, a password reset, or a limited-time offer, the link should always live under your brand’s domain. That single design choice protects the most vulnerable users (our parents, kids, and grandparents), while reinforcing that every authentic message from your company looks the same.
Governance is the new marketing ops
Treat your links as brand assets, not utilities.
- Own your click front door. Every campaign, QR code, or text link should live under your domain, even if powered by outside tools.
- Enforce HTTPS. Security signals and trust signals are now the same thing.
- Audit quarterly. Look at the domains your customers actually see. If they aren’t yours, fix them.
The simplest marketing policy you’ll ever write might also be the most powerful: “If a link doesn’t come from our domain, don’t click it, and don’t forward it.”
That one rule aligns teams, protects customers, and quietly trains your entire ecosystem in URL literacy. It’s the digital equivalent of locking your front door.
Trust drives engagement
From startups to global enterprises, trust drives engagement. During “attack seasons” such as the holidays, elections, or major events, phishing spikes and customer attention wanes. Strong link practices cut through the noise to reduce bounce and abandonment, while boosting clicks.
Once trust is in place, the fun begins. The next step is making links smarter, so they understand what someone wants and where they are in their journey. Call it AI for links. But intelligence only works when the foundation is trusted. In an AI-driven threat landscape, trust is your conversion rate. Own trust at the link level.
The final deadline for the 2026 Inc. Regionals Awards is Friday, December 12, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply now.
Brian Klais
Source link