Ain’t nobody got time for URLs like this: https://www.quora.com/Should-I-shorten-links/answer/Oluwatosin-Faith?prompt_topic_bio=1...
Ain’t nobody got time for URLs like this:
You gotta keep it tight:
Ah, now that’s better.
By the way, do you like knowing how many people click on your links?
Because the short URL can give you the information.
Bottom line: Short URLs are better.
You can use them to improve your marketing efforts and provide a better experience for your customers and social media followers.
In this article, you’ll learn all about URL shorteners
What Exactly is a “URL”?
“URL” stands for “Uniform Resource Locator,” and they’re a way of identifying the location of a file on the internet.
Is a URL the same as a domain name?
Well, no – although, the terms are often confused and used interchangeably. A domain name is just one part of a URL. The image below shows the difference:
What is a URL Shortener?
A URL shortener is a digital tool which enables you to take a long link and create a new, shorter one that takes people to the same location.
These days, most link shorteners allow you to track your link metrics.
However, if you just need a shorter link, using a URL shortener couldn’t be easier.
How to Shorten a Link
Let’s take a quick look at how to shorten a URL using Trim.ng.
1. Copy your long link to your clipboard.
2. Go to Trim.ng.
3. Paste or write your link into the box provided.
4. Click on the Scissors Icon.
5. Copy your new short link to your clipboard to paste elsewhere.
To make shortening links possible, many URL shorteners have short domain names themselves, such as Trim.ng and Bit.ly.
Many also allow you to create short links with your own customized URL. We’ll cover these in more detail below.
Why Should You Use a URL Shortener?
Let’s dig into some reasons why you should be using a URL shortener.
First, URL shorteners make it easier to share and manage long URLs. This is especially true when sharing URLs on micro-blogging platforms, or in mobile messaging applications.
Next, URL shorteners can help you avoid excessively long and confusing URLs or any which contain jumbles of letters and numbers.
What’s more, some link shorteners allow you to create custom branded URLs.
These are much easier to read, memorize, and type. This makes them particularly useful when sharing URLs in any form of print advertising, such as posters, flyers, magazines, or business cards.
Plus, according to Rebrandly, branded short links receive up to 39% more clicks when compared to generic short URLs.
These branded short links also have another key benefit.
Unfortunately, URL shorteners are often used by spammers to hide the URL destination. That way, unsuspecting people are more likely to click on them.
However, by branding your short URLs, you can avoid being perceived as a spammer.
For example, Condé Nast Traveler use Rebrandly to create their own custom short links with the domain “cntrvler.co” as seen in the image below.
The lesson?
As long as your custom short URL domain relates to your brand and is used regularly, people will trust your links.
Lastly, despite being called URL “Shorteners,” one of the key benefits of shortening links is actually the ability to track how your audience engages with your links.
Modern URL shorteners provide access to a host of metrics and insights that marketers can use to review and improve their campaigns.
How do i customize my URL with Trim.ng?
- Access Trim.ng
- Paste your Long Url
- Write the custom Url you intend using
- Click on Trim
- Copy your Url to your dashboard and paste on all your social media handles.
What Are the Benefits of Using a URL Shortener?
To summarize, here are some of the main benefits of using a URL or link shortener.
Looks better: To start with the obvious, a URL shortener or link shortener can help your link to look more visually appealing. A shorter link looks cleaner and more trustworthy than a longer one. Especially when the links are customized.
Helps you track performance: URL shorteners provide the additional benefit of helping you track your performance. Most link shorteners give you analytical data that will help you understand the success of your links. By knowing this, you can understand better what your audience is engaging with, and adjust your marketing strategies accordingly.
Uses fewer characters: In a place where there are a limited number of characters to use, a link shortener can help you squeeze in the URL you want to share, without burdening yourself with those extra characters. For instance, on Twitter, where you have 280 characters to share your tweet, the last thing you want is to be using up those characters with a long link.
Higher click through rate: On social media platforms people are more familiar with shortened links. They trust shorter links more, and as a consequence are more likely to click on a shorter link in comparison to a longer one. Simply by changing your long links to shorter ones, you could be improving the effectiveness of your social media strategy.
Easier to share: Shorter links are easier to share. Whether you are adding them to an email or a personal message, it’s so much easier to share a short link than a long one.
Summary
There’s more to URL shorteners than meets the eye.
Sure, shorter links are more user-friendly than their longer counterparts, but more than that, the ability to track link metrics is an opportunity no savvy marketer can afford to pass up.
Remember, ideally, you’ll want to use custom branded URLs.
Branded URLs generate more trust and receive high click-through rates. Plus, they prevent users from thinking your links may be spam.
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