Create Small URL Links

Ever wanted to send someone a link only to find it was longer than your message? Some URL addresses can be excessively long and unwieldy. Fortunately, there are several websites that allow you to shorten these web addresses into abbreviated URLs that can be more easily placed into email, messages or other online content. Shorter URLs are especially useful when you're attempting to share links across social media.

Steps

Using Bitly

  1. Visit the Bitly website. You'll find it easily enough at www.Bitly.com. You'll immediately see a large text box followed by additional information on Bitly's available services.[1]
  2. Create an abbreviated URL. Simply copy and paste your long URL into the text box next to the Shorten button. Upon pasting the URL, Bitly will automatically shorten the link and present you the result in the same box in which you pasted the original link.
  3. Copy your new link and paste it wherever you need it. The Shorten button automatically becomes a Copy button allowing you to copy the new link with one simply click.
  4. Sign up with Bitly (optionally) for increased functionality. A free Bitly account will allow you to uniquely customize your links, share them across devices and platforms and keep track of their performance with analytics.
    • Customizing your abbreviated URL is easy. Create your new link, and then you'll automatically be taken to an editing tab that allows you to adjust the back-half of the link to a customized URL and add a title if you wish. Should you want to revisit the editing function, simply click the tab with the pencil icon on it.
    • Bitly will also show free account users the options to Copy or Share abbreviated URLs. Those functions are located at the top of the Edit panel and next to any link that you select on your personal user page.
    • Upgraded (paid) accounts allow users to create links with functionality specific to mobile devices, use expanded analytics data, brand your URLs or create and manage sophisticated marketing campaigns.

Using TinyURL

  1. Visit the TinyURL website. You'll find this located at tinyurl.com. You'll find a welcome message and a couple of text boxes at the center of the page.[2]
  2. Create an abbreviated URL. Simply enter the original web address into the text box that says "Enter a long URL to make tiny." Once you've copied and pasted said address into the text box, simply click the "Make TinyURL!" button to the right. You'll be sent to a new screen with an abbreviated URL and an alternate "preview" version of that URL.
    • If there are any errors contained in your original URL (like spaces), TinyURL will present you with fixed options once you hit the "Make TinyURL!" button.
    • You may wish to customize the abbreviated URL with wording that better reflects the link in question. To do so, enter your preferred wording in the text box labeled "Custom alias (optional)" before clicking on the "Make TinyURL!" button.
  3. Create a TinyURL button on your toolbar for added convenience. This optional process will leave a button on your browser's links toolbar that expedites the creation of abbreviated URLs. To do so, click on the "Make Toolbar Button" on the main page's lefthand menu. Then follow the instructions by dragging the specified link to your toolbar. Upon doing so, you can create an abbreviated URL for the page you're currently on by clicking the toolbar button.
    • Your links toolbar may not be currently visible depending on your preferences. To enable it, select View from your browser's menu and then click on the Toolbars menu to make it visible.
    • If you're unable to place the link on your toolbar or prefer it to be located among your bookmarks, you can also drag the place the link in your favorites or bookmarks folder for easy access. This may be a worthwhile investment for anyone using Bitly for business purposes.

Using Google URL Shortener

  1. Visit Google URL Shortener. You can find it at goo.gl. The set up won't be quite as fancy at Bitly's, but it can still get the job done if you're simply interested in shortening a URL.[3]
  2. Create an abbreviated URL. Begin by copying and pasting the original link into the text box that says "Paste your long URL here." Then click the "Shorten URL" button to the right. Google will create a list a shortened URLs below. You may wish to hide any of your shortened URLs by checking the boxes next to them and clicking the Hide button below the list.
  3. Track your links' performance. You'll find a column in your list of shortened links that tells you how many clicks each link has received. By clicking on Details, Google will show you information charting the links' performance over time along with the countries, browsers and platforms from which they've been clicked.

Tips

  • Links posted on Twitter will automatically become abbreviated URLs thanks to the platform's t.co service. Simply type or paste the original link into the Twitter text box, and it will automatically be modified to a length of 23 characters. Then tweet away.[4]

Warnings

  • Some people may hesitate to click a link using a URL-shortening service because they mistake it as spam or even a virus. Accordingly, you may wish to include a personalized message along with your link to reduce any potential concern.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://techforluddites.com/bitly-what-is-it-and-how-do-you-use-it/
  2. ↑ http://sproutsocial.com/insights/twitter-url-shorteners/
  3. ↑ http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-use-googl-to-shorten-urls-and-generate-qr-c.html
  4. ↑ https://support.twitter.com/articles/78124
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