URL Shortening Services & Extensions - A Comprehensive Guide
Understanding URL Shortening Services
If you're beginning to explore URL shortening or simply seeking effective services, this article provides a concise overview of the process and four popular options.
What does URL shortening entail?
URL shortening is the conversion of lengthy, often cumbersome website addresses into concise, manageable URLs. These abbreviated links then redirect users to the original, longer web address.
Consider the difference between a standard URL, such as...
https://www.howtogeek.com/840/what-is-ctfmonexe-and-why-is-it-running/
And its shortened equivalents, which typically range from eighteen to twenty characters:
http://is.gd/4E3EN
http://tinyurl.com/2th782
http://bit.ly/ApWlc
http://snipurl.com/sth8b
This reduction in length is significant. Shortened URLs are ideal for use on social media, in blog posts, and within emails, eliminating awkward or broken links.
Let's now examine the services and associated Firefox extensions.
is.gd
With the is.gd Creator extension installed, access it via the "Toolbar Button" or the "Context Menu". Newly generated URLs are automatically copied to your clipboard for easy pasting.
Directly visiting the is.gd website reveals a streamlined and focused interface. A bookmarklet for various browsers is available on the "Instructions Page", located approximately halfway down.
TinyURL
The TinyURL Generator extension is accessible through the "Status Bar Icon" or the "Context Menu". The type of shortened URL created – either "Direct" or "Preview" – determines which link is copied to the clipboard.
The distinction visible in the "Context Menu" is due to customizable extension options, but both link types are always available via the "Status Bar Icon".
The TinyURL website offers a bookmarklet for creating TinyURLs in browsers without a dedicated extension.
bit.ly & Snipurl
The bitlyFF URL extension functions slightly differently. It can be accessed through the "Toolbar Button", "Status Bar Icon", or "Context Menu". Using the "Toolbar Button" or "Status Bar Icon" generates only bit.ly shortened URLs.
To create shortened URLs for TinyURL, is.gd, or Snipurl, utilize the "Context Menu". Regardless of the chosen method, the resulting URL is copied to the clipboard.
The bit.ly website allows you to create an account and add a sidebar bookmarklet or a standard bookmarklet to your browser.
Finally, the Snipurl website enables account creation and bookmarklet addition for convenient use across your preferred browsers.
Conclusion
These services offer a swift and straightforward method for generating shortened URLs, with varying levels of management features to suit individual requirements.
Links
- Download the is.gd Creator extension (Mozilla Add-ons)
- Visit the is.gd website
- Download the TinyURL Generator extension (Mozilla Add-ons)
- Visit the TinyURL website
- Download the bitlyFF URL Shortener extension (Mozilla Add-ons)
- Visit the bit.ly website
- Visit the Snipurl website