Connecting Klipfolio to Bitly

You can set up a connection between Klipfolio and your Bitly data to display your link management metrics on a dashboard.

This article includes:

What options do I have for visualizing my Bitly data?

Create data visualizations based on pre-built options or build your own. The choice is yours!

Pre-built by Klipfolio

Take advantage of our pre-built data sources to gather the data most meaningful to you.

  • Bitly pre-built data sources: Data sources provide the foundation for Klip building, so we suggest you create a data source as a first step (before building Klips and adding them to your dashboard). Our pre-built data sources focus on the most sought-after Bitly data and are found on the Service Connectors page, available from this link or from your list of data sources. When you select a service connector from this page, the data source for that service is automatically added.

Custom-built by you

Taking the time to learn how to create your own data sources and Klips unlocks your data and enables you to control, manipulate, and transform it, leading you to unprecedented insights into your business.

  • Custom data sources: When you create a custom data source, you can either use the pre-built data source as a starting point from which to write your own query or you can write your own queries from the ground up and build a data source from scratch. You create custom-built data sources in the Service Connectors page, accessible from this link or from your list of data sources.
  • Custom Klips: Using our Klip Editor, you can construct and manipulate your data, including integrating multiple data sources, to produce unique, custom-built data visualizations. You create custom Klips from either your list of Klips or your Dashboard.

Regardless of whether you choose pre-built, custom-built, or a combination of both, before you can start building Klips and dashboards you need to connect to Bitly data in Klipfolio.

How do I connect to Bitly data in Klipfolio?

When you connect your Bitly data to Klipfolio, you will be prompted to connect your Bitly account by entering your username and password.

Doing so creates a connection that enables Klipfolio to securely access your Bitly account. By default, your connection name looks like this: yourname@Bitly<date and time created>. You can modify the default connection name when you create a new connection or from your list of connections, accessed by clicking your Account Name (located at the bottom of the left navigation sidebar) and selecting Account > Connected Accounts or by clicking the button in the left navigation sidebar and selecting Connections.

You can use and reuse the same account connection every time you connect to Bitly. If you have trouble accessing an existing connection, your OAuth token may have expired. Go here for troubleshooting tips.

How do I add a Bitly pre-built or custom-built data source?

To add a Bitly pre-built or custom-built data source:

  1. Navigate to the Service Connectors page in Klipfolio and choose Bitly from the list.
  2. Select a pre-built data source from the left section of the Choose a pre-built or custom connection page. Alternatively, if you want to create a custom-built data source, click Create a custom Bitly data source.
  3. If this is your first time connecting to Bitly:
    • Click Connect an account. Enter your Bitly login credentials and click Next. If prompted, click Allow Access to enable Klipfolio to securely access your Bitly data. Click Continue.
  4. If you have connected to Bitly before:
    • Select an existing connection (token) from the drop-down list and click Continue.
  5. Adjust the Query URL information, as noted on the Configure your data source page, to replace any generic placeholder data with your own.
  6. If you are creating a custom-built data source, edit the Query URL further to return the data you need. Refer to the Bitly API documentation for details.
  7. Click Get data.
  8. Ensure this is the data you’re looking for. If you’re using Klips, optionally select the checkbox to Model your data. If you’re using PowerMetrics, which requires modelled data sources, you’ll automatically enter the modeller after clicking Continue. Learn more about modelling data sources.
  9. Click Continue.
  10. Name, choose refresh settings, and, optionally, share your data source.
  11. Click Save.

How do I create a Bitly custom Klip?

You create custom Klips from either your list of Klips or your Dashboard. You choose a data visualization format, for example, a pie chart, gauge, or table, and decide whether you want to use an existing data source or create a new one. In the Klip Editor, there are limitless opportunities to modify, relate, and display your data. See the following related articles for more information and get building!

More about Bitly's APIs and queries

Klipfolio connects to hundreds of services in the cloud that have a REST API. If you take the time to learn your service’s API to create queries for the data you want, your possibilities are endless. Here’s a quick overview video on APIs and Klipfolio:

  Klipfolio API's 101

If you need assistance using APIs, enlist a data analyst or developer.

Refer to the Bitly API documentation to discover more data requests.

See the reference table below for API related information and sample queries.

API Documentation Bitly API documentation

Authentication Method

OAuth Token Authentication
Response Format JSON

API Limits and Notes

Free Bitly accounts cannot access all of the options in Bitly's API.

If you’re an Enterprise customer, you may have multiple groups associated with your account. Some endpoints within the application, especially those dealing with Bitlinks and metrics, require a group GUID to request the data. Go here to learn more.

Sample Queries

User Information:

https://api-ssl.bitly.com/v4/user

User Clicks:

https://api-ssl.bitly.com/v4/bitlinks/{bitlink}/clicks

Related Links

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