A URL shortener is there to make your links smaller and more standardized, these services also have other great features like URL tracking and performance tracking.
If you work with or have one, you know that it is not always possible to disclose the original links of your website or blog. And the main reason is the lack of space in the post. For this reason it is very important to use a URL shortener.
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Today there are hundreds of websites that allow you to shorten links in seconds, but not all of them are reliable.
For that reason, we have chosen the top 10 URL shorteners. Join us and you will have more information!
What is a URL shortener?
A URL shortener, as its name implies, is used to reduce the size of a link, compressing the address of a web page.
But why is this important?
Stop reading for a moment and look at the address bar of the browser you are using to read this article.
Although the link of this publication is more or less short and friendly (in accordance with the good practices of ), it is too long to share it on any social network, such as , for example.
In addition to being visually unsightly, very long links use too many characters. And many platforms limit the size of posts.
But a URL shortener has even more advantages.
In addition to compacting the link, these tools also allow you to track the email address. This means that, depending on the chosen service, you can see how many clicks the link generated, which is essential for measuring the performance of your online campaigns.
A shorter and friendlier link helps improve the , as short links are easier to remember and, depending on the shortener used, can be customized to indicate what content they refer to. That means your chances of getting more clicks increase significantly!
Oh, and if you’re a , or just want to post third-party content, you can also use a URL shortener to mask the link by hiding the domain name (but be careful not to get confused with ).
10 Best Internet URL Shorteners
Take a look right now at our list of the top 10 URL shorteners to use in your digital marketing strategies.
1.Bitly
It is perhaps one of the best known and most used link shorteners in the world.
In fact, it is the service used by big brands like ESPN, Disney, Amazon, Nike, Buzzfeed, The New York Times and many others.
All thanks to the various resources that Bitly offers users, even in the free plan. To give you an idea, the features of a free account include:
- Shortened URL customization (for example, instead of “bit.ly/42sf4” you can use “bit.ly/myblog”);
- Access to performance data of links created in the last 30 days;
- Tools for managing and organizing the links created.
However, the free account has some limitations: it is only possible to create a thousand short links or 50 custom URLs per month.
However, if you are not interested in any of these features, you can just use Bitly’s URL shortener without having an account.
The platform also has two types of paid accounts, Basic (US$ 29.99/month) and Enterprise (price on request). These accounts include all the basic features and give access to more performance analysis and link customization tools.
2. TinyURL
is one of the simplest tools on this list and is ideal for those who don’t want any additional features besides the URL shortener.
It’s so simple that when you access the service’s website you only find the shortener, without the option to create an account or buy a payment plan.
However, this can be a problem for someone looking for more complex features, such as the ability to see how many people clicked on your link. If this is the case for you, stay away from TinyURL!
3.Zapier
It is one of the most used tools on the market. In general, it allows you to integrate many different services and move data from one platform to another in a simple way.
Among the various features of the service is URL Shortener, a URL shortener that works automatically.
For example, every time you use the tool to post an article to your brand’s blog, Zapier automatically generates a shortened link for you to post to other channels or save to a spreadsheet.
Although this feature is very specific and not everyone needs it, it is included in the free plan. So it doesn’t cost anything to use it, right?
4. Ow.ly
If you work with social media, you’ve probably heard of . It’s the URL shortener from Hootsuite, one of the world’s leading URL shorteners. That is, if you want to access this feature you must have an account, which can be free, in Hootsuite.
Owly has all the features we’ve seen in other tools, like the ability to create custom links and traffic reports.
In addition, the tool also allows you to automatically shorten URLs when scheduling a social media post.
So if you already use Hootsuite to manage social media for your business, it’s a good idea to use Owly.
5.Metricool
Straight to the point, this social media tool incorporates a URL shortener for the content you want to share or shows on your social media profiles. Creating the account is free.
Very easy to use, the shortener is ideal as it is integrated into the publication scheduling tool on social networks and has access to statistics on the use of said links.
How Metricool is available in Spanish its use is more intuitive
6.Yourls
is a URL shortener that has decided to shorten its own name, which is an acronym for “Your URL shortener”.
This tool is very different from the ones we have talked about so far. This is because it is not a website or platform that we access from the browser.
It is an open source system that can be installed and run on the server. It is as if you have the opportunity to create your own link shortener. That’s where the name of the tool comes from.
But what is the advantage of using Yourls?
In addition to the common features (shortening, customizing and tracking links, accessing click data, etc.), this tool grants you more control when creating URLs.
That is, this tool is recommended for those who need more customization power and security when shortening links.
7. Rebrandly
is the perfect service for those who want to go beyond a simple URL shortener and have a lot of customization options.
Its main focus is the user experience, creating more pleasant and attractive URLs for the public. With a free account, you can create up to a thousand custom links.
In addition, the service has very comprehensive link performance reports and a QR code creation tool.
8.Qr.net
Yes, it is a bit different from the other link shorteners that we show here.
Instead of simply compressing a URL, the service creates an individual QR code (a kind of barcode that can be scanned using a smartphone) for the address.
The tool also shows detailed statistics on the traffic generated by the codes to evaluate the performance of the campaigns.
Another advantage of betting on QR codes is that they can be used on printed materials such as posters and brochures to drive the public to your website or blog, for example.
9. Is.Gd
Next on our list we have the , which is very similar in operation to the Bitly.
With it, you can also shorten any URL without registration. But unlike Bitly, you can also customize the address and track clicks without creating an account.
It is also possible to generate a QR code from the URL to place on printed materials such as banners, posters, and business cards.
The downside of Is.Gd is that it doesn’t have as nice an interface as its competitors, but it gains in simplicity and ease of use.
10. T2Mio
Finally, our last suggestion is , this URL shortener that has pretty much every feature you can imagine.
This is one of the most complete tools on the market and includes, among other things:
- demographic data of users who click on the links;
- device types and browsers used for clicks;
- automatic creation of QR codes;
- link segmentation, among others.
The free plan allows the user to shorten and track links. But to access all other features, you must purchase a paid plan starting at $10 per month.
Meet the link manager
As you can see, a URL shortener isn’t just about making links shorter and nicer.
All the tools we listed have very useful features for those working with digital marketers, such as link tracking and performance analysis.
Now it’s your turn to choose the service that best suits your needs. Evaluate what each tool offers and get ready to update your digital strategies!
If you are a Producer or Affiliate, you don’t have to worry when choosing a URL shortener.
One of our free solutions is the Link Manager, a completely free tool available on our platform.
With this Manager, Producers and Affiliates can organize, generate and edit links in one place.
Do you want to know more about the advantages of the URL shortener? Take a look at our post with .
*This text has been published in October 2019 and updated to have more complete and precise information.
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