Sometimes we need to shorten a link that is generated dynamically with AMPscript. As you may know we cannot parse JSON in AMPscript, but bit.ly API proposes a XML parameter (format=xml). This is what we will use.
- Creating the personalized URL with AMPscript
- Building the bit.ly HTTPGET URL
- Parsing the XML to output the URL
The example below is getting attributes from a Journey Data extension using the SMS activity
%%[
/* getting personalization form the entry data extension */
set @contactId = Contact:Id
set @firstName = Contact:FirstName
set @lastName = Contact:LastName
set @fullName = ProperCase(concat(@firstName, ' ',@lastName))
/* Prepare the URL that will need to be shorten */
set @urlPart1 = "https://duckduckgo.com?subkey="
set @urlPart2 = concat(@urlPart1,@contactId,'&name=',@fullName) /* Adding the personalized parameters */
set @bitlyBaseApi = "https://api-ssl.bitly.com/v3/shorten?login=BITLY_LOGIN&apiKey=BITLY_API_KeY&format=xml&longUrl=" /* bitly api */
set @urlToShorten = concat(@bitlyBaseApi,@urlPart2) /*concates bitly url with the personalized URL to be shortene*/
set @bitlyShorten = HTTPGet(@urlToShorten) /* calling bitly api */
/* setting the row from the returned XML with a FOR loop */
set @getShortenUrlXml = BuildRowsetFromXml(@bitlyShorten,'//url', 1)
for @i = 1 to Rowcount(@getShortenUrlXml) do
Set @row = Row(@getShortenUrlXml, @i)
Set @finalShortenedUrl = Field(@row,1)
]%%SMS MSG: Cupcake ipsum dolor sit amet sweet sweet muffin. Tootsie roll jelly bear claw.
%%=v(@finalShortenedUrl)=%%
%%[
next @i
]%%