The Hidden Benefits of Using a Link Shortener

Created on 16 May, 2024 • Tutorial • 96 views • 5 minutes read

Shortened links are like the cool, sleek sports cars of the internet highway, zipping past those clunky, long URLs that resemble a never-ending road trip.

Users naturally gravitate towards these short links because, let's face it, who wants to take a detour down a sketchy, winding URL when you can cruise down a smooth, abbreviated one? It's all about that trust factor.

In this article, we will be touching on various aspects of how they come in handy.

What are URL Shorteners?

URL shorteners are tools that transform long and complex URLs into shorter, more manageable links that are easier to share and remember. They simplify long and intricate URLs into concise, easy-to-share links.

These tools are designed to enhance link accessibility and memorability, making them ideal for sharing on platforms with character limitations like social media. Additionally, URL shorteners often offer tracking features, enabling users to monitor link performance and optimise their marketing strategies based on valuable data insights.

These services play a crucial role in digital marketing efforts by making links more user-friendly and accessible. When a user clicks on a shortened URL, they are automatically redirected to the original, longer URL.

URL shorteners are beneficial for various purposes, including sharing links on social media, emails, ads, and other online platforms where character limits or aesthetics matter. They help improve the readability and aesthetics of links, making them more memorable and increasing traffic to the content they lead to.

How Do URL Shorteners Work?

When a user inputs a lengthy URL into a URL shortening service, the service crafts a unique short code or ID for that link. This shortcode is then added to the shortener's domain, creating a condensed URL like

Both the original lengthy URL and its corresponding short code are saved in a database, often using a key-value system for efficient retrieval. When someone clicks on the shortened URL, the shortener's server receives the request and deciphers the shortcode to locate the original lengthy URL in its database.

Subsequently, the server triggers a redirect, typically using a 301 or 302 HTTP status code, guiding the user's browser back to the original lengthy URL. Additionally, many URL shorteners provide extra functionalities like click tracking, custom short URLs, and analytics to enhance user experience and offer valuable insights into link performance.

What Are the Risks Associated With URLs?

URLs have an effect on social media marketing. Shortened links are susceptible to linkrot, where the original content is no longer available. This leads to broken links.

Many URL shortening services collect user data like IP addresses, locations, and device types, which can be used for targeted advertising or shared with third parties without consent.

Another risk is cyber criminals. They can use shortened links to deceive users into sharing sensitive information like login info or financial data on questionable websites. These URLs often disguise the actual web address, making it difficult to verify if the link leads to a trusted website.

Many URL shortening services collect user data like IP addresses, locations, and device types, which can be used for targeted advertising or shared with third parties without consent. They can also unknowingly expose users to downloading malware or viruses onto their devices. Because they can be easily scraped and accessed by anyone.

But Do the Benefits Outweigh the Risks?

It is important to know the good, the bad, and the ugly before dipping your toes into anything. We learned about the risks. But let's not forget the benefits. We present you the 4 E’s:

Easy on the Eyes

Short URLs are better for branding and user engagement because they look neater and more attractive, making content more visually appealing. This can help create a positive impression and draw in more people to interact with the content.

Easy to Share

URL shorteners make sharing links easier by simplifying long and complex URLs into concise, user-friendly links that are more manageable. A big part of it is that they are visually appealing.

These shortened URLs are ideal for platforms with character limitations like social media, where abrevity is key. By condensing URLs, users can easily share them across various channels like social media platforms, emails, DMs, and websites.

Shortened URLs are easier to remember, replicate, and share, leading to increased organic traffic and audience engagement, ultimately benefiting brand growth.

Everything is Trackable

URL shorteners provide users with valuable tracking capabilities that go beyond simply shortening URLs. One key aspect of tracking capabilities is the ability to monitor link performance in real time. Users can track metrics such as the number of clicks, the geographic location of the audience, devices used to access the link, and even the time of engagement. This data allows for a comprehensive analysis of how links are performing across different platforms and campaigns.

Understanding audience behaviour is another crucial benefit of URL shortener tracking. By tracking user interactions with shortened links, users can identify trends, preferences, and patterns in how their audience engages with content. This information can help tailor marketing strategies to better resonate with the target audience and improve overall clicks and shares.

By utilising these tracking features, users can gain insights into link performance, audience behaviour, and optimise their marketing strategies effectively.

Earn User Trust

Shortened links appear more legitimate and trustworthy compared to long, complex URLs. It's very natural for users to hesitate to click on a questionable web address. This is how shortening the URLs increases click-through rates.

Moreover, short links exude credibility and trustworthiness. They make users more inclined to hit the link and click away. So, next time you're hesitant to click on a lengthy, convoluted URL, remember that shortening is the key to revving up those click-through rates and taking your online journey to the fast lane!

FAQ

Q1. How do URL shorteners handle broken links?

URL shorteners handle broken links by redirecting users to the original destination, as long as the link hasn't fallen victim to linkrot. The primary responsibility of handling broken links lies with the content creators and website administrators, who should ensure that their URLs remain valid and accessible over time.

Remember, URL shorteners can only redirect users to the original URL; they cannot fix broken links or maintain the validity of the destination content.

Q2. Can URL shorteners be used to track link clicks?

The short answer is yes. URL shorteners can indeed track link clicks by logging information such as time, location, device, and referrer when a user clicks on a shortened URL.

This data helps in analysing link performance, audience behaviour, and optimising marketing strategies. Advanced features like click fraud detection and custom domains are also offered by some URL shortening services to enhance tracking capabilities.