A list of URL Shorteners you need

What is a URL shortener

A URL shortener is a simple online application that allows the user to enter a long  sometimes ugly URL for any specific web page, online store or forum post then click on a button, and automatically transform it to a short beautiful, small url easy to share and remember using a domain name with just few characters long. When users are clicking on that short link they are then redirected to the original URLs just as if they had entered or clicked on that. Plus users can track who and when a link was clicked.

Where URL Shorteners are useful

There are several reasons to use URL shortening service. Often regular unshortened links may be ugly and long or even worse brake when you send them over an email. Many web developers pass descriptive attributes in the URL to represent data hierarchies, commands, e-commerce transaction paths or session information. URL shorteners  are very useful for micro bloggers, such as Twitter  users, who like to share URLs in their posts. However, with a 140-character limit on sites like Twitter, it’s often difficult to include a long ugly URLplus explain the users why you’re sharing it. URL shorteners allow you to track the number of clicks your shortened link gets allowing you to analyze the type of traffic you’re generating to your website, blog, online store or forum post from your links on Twitter, Facebook. This allows you to understand in greater detail your promotion and how you can make it more successful online.

Social Media Marketing and URL Shorteners

Is a must have for marketers using social media channels to reach out. Shorteners are useful in internet, email and mobile marketing.In email marketing you may have text wrapping, braking on long URLs in text e-mails and also benefit from tracking clicks. On mobile the little space available simply calls for short URLs. In the area of affiliate marketing the short URLs also have turned out to be handy for hiding the affiliate links.

List of FREE and Simple URL Shorteners to try out

goo.gl

Goo.gl In true Google fashion simple, efficient link shortener. Links are easy to create, and the “Details” page provides a QR code and stats of your link’s clicks. A Chrome browser extension is also available.

TinyURL

TinyURL  also has a one-click link compressor browser extension, but unlike bitly, TinyURL’s extension is compatible with any browser. Another cool feature is the pop up preview, which lets your readers see a preview of the original URL when they hover over the link.

is.gd

is.gd  (think “is good”) is a basic URL compressor, but offers a neat feature: pronounceable short links. The algorithm behind the URL creation doesn’t necessary create real words, but they are at least pronounceable and therefore more memorable. Is.gd also offers QR code creation at the click of a button.

su.pr

Su.pr  is a top-rated compression service from the people behind StumbleUpon. Su.pr tracks the click-through rates of your shortened links and makes suggestions for the best time to post based on your history. Su.pr links have the added benefit of gaining exposure on the StumbleUpon platform, but you do need to create a free account with StumbleUpon to use su.pr.

Adf.ly

AdF.ly – The URL shortener service that pays you! Earn money for every visitor to your links. “Get paid to share your links on the Internet!”

Ow.ly

Ow.ly  Make your links manageable. Shrink URL. Measure your success. Pair Ow.ly with Hootsuite and get deep analytics with each link you share.

ONL.li

ONL.li  was designed to deliver an awesome experience, with measurable results for its users. And anyone who uses ONL.li will quickly discover just how much our URL shortening service has to offer, as an online marketing tool. Track Visitors easy and share your links with Facebook or Twitter with just a click, password protect your links plus choose any of the modern domains like onl.zone, onl.social, onl.sexy, onl.pics.

Give them a try and let us of any new URL shorteners we need to add to this list.