It seems that as the internet evolved, the links got bigger and bigger. Then came the link shorteners to simplify those unpronounceable codes, impossible to keep and difficult to share.
In the beginning, these services only needed to summarize a link. But nowadays, with the volume of links that circulate on social networks, companies need to facilitate the process.
For this reason, the new shorteners also offer other features, such as a custom domain, link and campaign management, integration with other service or automation tools, and deep links for retargeting campaigns.
In this tutorial of Technology Refugee You'll learn everything about link shorteners, learn how to use them, choose which one is best for your business, and much more. Check out!
What are link shorteners?
Link shorteners are tools for creating shorter links. They are widely used to create short (and often personalized) links on YouTube, WhatsApp, Facebook, Linktree, among others.
What are the benefits of using link shorteners?
Now that you know what the tool is, you might be wondering why shorten the link. The most obvious benefit of link shorteners is making a long URL shorter. From this, we also have that they become friendlier and easier to memorize and share.
In addition, links are getting longer and longer due to the tracking parameters included in them (the famous UTMs used mainly by digital marketing). However, it is the short links that are most trusted and generate the most clicks. Hence, using a link shortener ends up being a handy tool.
Another important point is the possibility to customize the URL and make it very objective. Finally, you can monitor how many clicks each created link received; which helps a lot when creating a content or conversion strategy.
21 link shorteners you need to know
There are several tools available for you to shorten a link. Here we will show 21 shortening options and the benefits of each one.
1) Open.ai
Abre.ai is a very simple shortener, free and in Portuguese. It is indicated for those who just want to shorten a link and have personalization control in the slug, after all, it does not offer other benefits.
2) shortener
Shortener is also easy to use, free and in Portuguese. It doesn't offer personalization, but it makes progress in allowing the counting of clicks without having to register.
3) Ow.ly
Ow.ly is a link shortener that works within Hootsuite. Unfortunately, to access the tool, you need to register with the social media manager. The good news is that there is a free account.
Among the benefits is the ease (just paste the link in the new post and it shortens automatically) and the platform's already UTM link monitoring.
4) Bitly
One of the most famous and also most complete tools is Bitly. With the free plan, you can shorten up to 100 links per month. As for the paid plans, you can change the “bitly” domain to your company name, change the link to which the shortened URL points, generate QR code, create specific links for mobile and access a full traffic report.
5) Tiny CC
Want to know how to summarize a link? Tiny CC is the answer. Without account, you can already shorten links; however, with a free account you can edit them, filter access according to available parameters (country or browser, for example), use tags to organize them and also monitor them.
By creating a paid account, you have access to other features, Google Analytics merger, broken link monitoring, full reports, among other functions that can be checked here.
6) Yourls
Yourls is a different tool than the previous ones. The acronym refers to "Your Own URL Shortener” if translated from English means “your own URL shortener”. It's a set of PHP scripts that allow you to create your own shortener service.
The software is free and open source and available for download on GitHub. You can create a public or private shortener and even implement new features in the various available plugins.
7) Tiny URL
Also in English, Tiny URL is another free way to shorten URLs. On the homepage, you can shorten a link and create a custom slug for it. By registering on the site, you can create up to 600 URLs per month and also gain access to the history of the last month.
The paid plans, on the other hand, offer a greater volume of shortened links, history of a longer period, new ways of organizing your work, personalization of the domain and even analysis of accesses.
8) Url.free
As the name suggests, Url.gratis is another free link shortening tool. To use it, you don't need to create an account. However, I suggest you create one to get access to other free resources:
- Customize a slug;
- Enter an expiration date for the link;
- Password protect;
- Segment by geolocation or device;
- Create a custom transition page;
- Create a custom overlay page;
- Insert tracking pixels;
- Invite team members;
- Insert custom domain;
- Integrate the tool with Slack or Zapier.
9) URL Shortener by Zapier
Zapier is an integration task automation tool available in over 3 apps. It is a very complete tool and in English. To use it, including the free version, you need to register.
The focus is on task automation and process optimization, the shortener is not available on the home page. To access it, you must create a new task (called Zap) and create an action within this task the URL Shortener by Zapier.
That is, it is not practical for anyone who just wants to use a shortener, but it helps to optimize your company and not have to enter another site just to shorten a URL.
10) Is.Gd
The Is.Gd link shortener is part of the free and simple tools, even though it is in English. To use it, simply insert the link and, if desired, customize the slug. In addition, you can monitor URL information about clicks, country of origin and device.
11) Cuttly
Cuttly is a link management platform. In it, you can not only shorten, but manage, customize and analyze URLs.
The platform offers free or paid plans, and you have access to more features the more expensive the plan you hire. The free plan allows unlimited shortening of links, in addition to offering slug customization and also up to 3 domains. Finally, access to the history is available for up to 30 days.
Paid plans, on the other hand, offer features for teamwork, chat between team members, API integration, more data analysis tools, https security protocol, insert tracking pixel, among others.
12) Qr.net
Generally, when we think of shortening a link, we only think of shortening text characters. However, there is another way to make a URL friendly and easy to access: through QR Code. This code is indicated if the content can (or should) be accessed from a cell phone.
One of the ways to create your QR Code is the Qr.net website. It is a free and easy-to-use tool, even though it is in English. You do not need to create an account to use it, but you will need to provide your email address.
13) T2M
In the past, T2M was a free way to shorten links. Currently, however, you need to pay a $5 (one-time) fee to access the tool.
In summary, T2M is a link shortener without advertising, which offers a franchise of up to a thousand links per month in the basic plan, valid for one year. Also in this plan, you can customize the slug and monitor the performance of the URLs.
Paid plans offer domain customization; more management and monitoring features; higher deductibles; and integration with other tools.
14) Rebrandly
Rebrandly is much more than a link shortener, it's a complete URL management platform.
On the Rebrandly home page, you can paste the link you want to shorten. However, if you sign up for a free or paid account, you will have access to more features. The free plan includes a franchise of up to 500 links, 5 customizable domains and up to 5 thousand clicks counted. You also have access to history, reports, UTM creator, customizable slug, and more.
Paid plans offer, in addition to these, other tools: team management, multiple domains, personalized analytics, deep link for retargeting campaigns and much more.
15) ClickMeter
ClickMeter is aimed at anyone who needs to monitor, stop and optimize links. That's why it's an excellent tool for affiliates, as it offers a custom domain link shortener, A/B testing support, features that help protect your strategy, and remarketing campaign support. Clickmeter is available to subscribers only.
16) Bl.ink
Another link shortening manager is Bl.ink. Aimed at companies, it is excellent for those who need a platform that allows and facilitates collaboration. One caveat is that Bl.ink only has paid plans.
Like the other platforms on the list, it provides several features to manage links, monitor performance and measure performance. In addition, it integrates with other platforms and some plans also include dynamic links and deep links for mobile retargeting campaigns.
17) Short.io
Short.io is a link management tool that is available in Portuguese – however, paid plans are in dollars.
The good news is that there is a free plan, in which you can create up to 50 links and monitor up to XNUMX hits. However, targeting, deep linking and URL hiding features are only available on paid plans.
Other tools available are providing custom domains, API for developers and integration with other platforms.
18) Adf.ly
AdFly's idea is to give a message when someone accesses your links. Thus, it is not just a tool, it is also a way to earn money link shortener. The site is free, however it is in English and you must create a login to use it.
19) Polr
Polr is an open source shortener. With it, you can create and host your own domain and gain control of your data. The interface is in English and simple to use. In addition, you will have access to an API to integrate it with other tools and services.
20) Short URL
Short URL is a very practical (and free) way to reduce the size of your link and catch hits. It is a tool that provides data encryption and follows the https security protocol.
With the paid plan, you'll be able to create up to 5 links and get up to 20 hits, in addition to being entitled to a custom domain. It also includes customizable links, detailed reports, API, integration with more than 50 tools, creator of UTM and QR Codes, among others.
21) GG.GG
Last but not least, we have GG.GG. It's another link shortener that's super easy to use, even though it's in English. With it, you can shorten and customize the link slug – which helps a lot when sharing links on social networks.
or put a link picker?
Now that you know the main tools, how about learning how to use a link shortener?
Most free link shorteners work in a very practical and intuitive way. All you have to do is open the tool's website, paste the URL you want to summarize and click on “Shorten” or “Shorten”. From there, a shortened link will be generated that you can copy and paste wherever you want: WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, etc.
In the case of tools that require creating a user or subscribing to a plan, you must follow the step-by-step instructions provided on the website. Some of them allow you to link your login to your Google or Facebook account, others will send you a verification email.
Whichever way you choose to access the tool, remember to protect your credit card details. So, personally, I suggest you use a virtual credit card. I already had my card data stolen and the damage was quickly contained precisely because I prefer to use a virtual card for online shopping.
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What is the best link shortener?
To answer which is the best link shortener, I will imagine three different situations and suggest the best tool for each case, ok?
1 case: you need a link shortener from time to time and want to reduce the length of URLs for aesthetic purposes only. In this case, it is best to use a free tool that does not require a login: Abre.ai or URL.gratis, both in Portuguese.
If you don't mind creating a user, the tip is to opt for Bit.ly. That's because people tend to access sites they know and probably have already come across other links to this tool.
2 case: part of your job includes conversion. Hence, the most recommended are tools that allow customizing slug and/or domain, accessing history and generating reports. On the side of free platforms, you have URl.gratis, Short.io and Cuttly. As for paid platforms, Bl.ink is an excellent option.
3 case: you have a company; which means high link volume and lots of people working together on campaigns. The best thing in this scenario is to have a link management platform, because it will allow you to create short links and organize them; facilitate teamwork; integrate it with other tools and services. For this case, I suggest Zapier (which is focused on process automation), T2M and Rebrandly.
the make money link shortener?
There are link shorteners that pay you a fee every time someone clicks on a link generated by you. This is the case with Ad.fly, for example. To make money on this type of site, just create your short links tool.
However, be careful user experience. Overdoing it often leads to people using an extension to block ads or stop clicking on your links.
Which link shortener pays the most?
Currently, among the three most famous shorteners that pay are EncurtaNet, AdFly and Exe.io.
The amounts paid by EncurtaNet and AdFly take into account access characteristics, such as: device, origin and single visit. Other issues may influence the amount paid for the site, the type of ad (AdFly) and referral of friends (Exe.io).
If you want to know how much each of these sites pays, access the Cost per Thousand (CPM) table for EncurtaNet, AdFly and Exe.io.
What is the best ad-free link shortener?
If you want access to an ad-free link shortener, just pick any one from our list that doesn't pay you money to use it.
If you still have doubts, I suggest you read the topic “What is the best link shortener?”. There, I give practical examples of choosing a link shortener according to 3 hypothetical scenarios.
or outwit link pickles?
Shortened links can hide real dangers, such as malicious websites, malware or viruses. When you don't trust the link or want to skip an advertisement, the best thing to do is to remove the link shortener.
See how to remove the link shortener:
- Choose one of the available link shorteners, TrueURL.net, CheckShortURL, Desprotetor. or Unshorten.It!.
- Paste the shortened URL and hit “Find true url”, “Expand”, “Unprotect” or “Unshorten it”
- In the next window you will see the result. Check the URL and access it through the browser.
o create a link shortener?
There are two answers to this question. If you want to create a branded link shortener, you should look for services that offer custom domains. In our list, we have several options of exclusive domain shorteners, such as: Bitly, Tiny URL, Url.gratis, Cuttly, T2M, among others.
Now, if you want to create your own link shortening service, I suggest you check out the free open source program Yourls.
Conclusion
Now that you know what a link shortener is and how it works, you are ready to boost sales of products and services on the internet. Enjoy and learn everything you need to know about Hotmart in this guide.
