URL shorteners are vital assets for any business in social media marketing or any establishment simply looking to share anything online. A URL shortening service removes the letters, numbers and dashes that make a URL so difficult to read, replacing them with shorter, easier-to-read URLs that have some meaning to people (instead of the computer). However, shorteners can do so much more than making URLs more reader-friendly. They can be used to track clicks or any other metric from the URL, making URL shortener software a useful asset for businesses. For that reason, we have compiled a list of the best URL shortening services, in no particular order.
Bitly
Bitly is probably the most well known because of its strong association with Twitter, but by getting a free account, businesses not only access the URL shortener service but also simple analytics services that track the number of clicks, the location of the clickers and top sharers.
Ow.ly
Ow.ly enjoys immense recognition because of its association with Hootsuite. This URL shortening service comes with its own set of metrics, so businesses can see how the links are performing and use that information to their advantage. Businesses planning on using Ow.ly should use it through the Hootsuite dashboard because it is more secure, ideal if an entire team is going to be using the URL shortening service.
LiveChat URL shortener
LiveChat is a well-known URL shortener that comes with several useful features like a built-in URL builder to tag links with UTM parameters and customise the URL string. Of course, businesses can track the number of clicks generated.
Tiny.cc
Businesses or freelancers weary of URL shortening services should consider Tiny.cc. It's a free service that offers URL shortening, customisation along with basic analytics. While it's free, it doesn't offer the same level of service as other URL shortening products.
Geo Link
Geo Link is a URL shortener with one important distinction: Businesses can redirect users to location specific domains. This is a great asset for businesses with a multi-region website who want to direct traffic from certain locations to their regional websites.
Rebrandly
Rebrandly is a well-known URL shortener but it is mostly known for its paid account. However, they still offer a free trial account for those who want to try what’s on offer without paying for it upfront.
Hyperlink
Hyperlink is a URL shortener that does more than just shorten the URL, it can inform businesses with push notifications whenever links are clicked on. The service is accessible on mobile phones for both iOS and Android app, as well the Chrome desktop browser.
is.gd
It is a concise, straightforward URL shortener that allows users to shorten and customise the URLs. In addition, businesses can extract statistics on the links from the website. This is great for small businesses that don't have the budget for premium link shorteners.
Bit.do
Businesses that don't have much of an interest in spending money on URL shortener accounts can try Bit.do. It's a free service where you can simply load the URL onto the homepage to have it shortened. Businesses don’t have to sign up to use the core service, but if they want to know the clicks and engagement for the URL, then you need to create an account, which is free.
https://www.bl.ink/
Businesses looking to convert their URLs into word-based links should take a look at Bl.ink, they offer both free and paid accounts. Businesses using Bl.ink enjoy other features like unmatched security, seamless integration and access from anywhere.
Choose from some of the best URL shorteners for businesses
URL shorteners are an essential asset for any business that interacts with customers or other businesses online. A URL shortener software cleans up social messages by taking out the random numbers, letters and dashes and replacing them with easy-to-read words. However, shorteners can do much more than just shorten the URL. They can be a way to track how much traction the link is getting, which is invaluable for seeing how people are responding to a particular post. Hence, URL shorteners can be seen as an investment to gain a better understanding of an organisation’s target audience.
