What is a URL Shortener with 5 examples

Created on 25 January, 2023 | Features | 2,143 views | 1 minutes read

what is a url shortener with 5 examples

What is a URL Shortener?

A URL shortener is a tool that takes a long web address (also known as a URL) and makes it shorter. For example, instead of a URL that looks like "https://www.example.com/pages/about-us/our-history", a URL shortener might turn it into "https://plyid.com/2ZljFhj".

There are several reasons why someone might want to use a URL shortener. Here are five examples:

1. Social media: When you post a link on social media platforms like Twitter or Instagram, you're often limited to a certain number of characters. Using a URL shortener can help you save space and make sure your entire message fits within the character limit.
2. Marketing campaigns: If you're running an email or text message marketing campaign, you may want to use a URL shortener to make it easier for people to click on the links you're sending them. Shortened links are also less prone to breaking when being sent through different channels.
3. Link sharing: If you're sharing a link with someone in a text message or instant message, a shorter link can be less cumbersome to type and share.
4. Tracking clicks: Many URL shorteners offer tracking features that allow you to see how many people are clicking on your links. This can be useful for measuring the success of a marketing campaign or understanding how people are interacting with your content.
5. Branding: Some URL shorteners allow you to create a custom short link that includes your brand name. This can help make your links more recognizable and memorable for people who see them.

It is worth noting that shortening a URL can also hide the destination link, this can be used for malicious purposes like phishing, spreading malware, or hiding the link's origin. So it is important to be cautious when clicking on shortened links and always consider the context and source of the link before clicking.

URL Shortener