How to shorten URLs

[andzigallery]

For those of you who are members of affiliate programs and have the issue of extremely long URLs and want to know how to shorten them this is where you go: http://tinyurl.com/

It is a free software that anyone can use.  This is also helpful to hide referral links that are often exposed.  It is also a great tool to use when you send your affiliate link, referral link, web-site as a signature via e-mail.

[articx]

For someone who wants to hide a referral link, TinyURL is not the one to use. After clicking on a TinyURL shortened link, the original link (the one someone wanted to hide) will appear in the address bar.

[jordandog]

For someone who wants to hide a referral link, TinyURL is not the one to use. After clicking on a TinyURL shortened link, the original link (the one someone wanted to hide) will appear in the address bar.

I have used TinyURL for years and love it, but you're correct on that one, articx. It does NOT hide the original.

[andzigallery]

Okay, let me rephrase that.  When you save a tiny URL on a word document it remains hidden until after you have clicked or copied the shorten the URL link to its destination.  Once that URL reaches its designated address or web page the full URL is uncovered.  In that way, the original address remains hidden until that link is at its final destination.  Before then the URL remains hidden.  @ marieelissa http://bitly/ can also be used for that same purpose.  In fact, if I'm not mistaken doesn't bitly have a database?

[andzigallery]

Thanks to marieelissa, I checked out http://bit.ly/ and I'm very pleased with them.  Not only does bit.ly shorten URLs, they automatically store them  in a database.  Also you can registered with them for free and update by adding more URLs, manage URLs them by sharing them on twitter, and you can keep track as to how many time your URLs were clicked.  A very cool feature, I think!

[rogery]

I don't believe tinyurl was intended to actually hide an url. It is a quick and easy way to make one memorable though.

[jnjmolly]

Thanks so much I love tips like this...keep them coming...I have been trying to do this for a long time now..thanks again!

[andzigallery]

No, it probably wasn't intended to hide URLs but to keep you're link protected while it gets to its destination is an additional plus.  There are enough hackers and scammers on the Internet.  Any additional help to keep them from getting your information or redirecting your referral link for their benefit is a bonus, I think.  After all can you really tell what the shorten link is just by looking at it?  It maybe mostly used on Twitter because you can only send messages of up to 140 characters.  But I'm pretty sure shorten URL were used before Twitter was a household name.

[jordandog]

But I'm pretty sure shorten URL were used before Twitter was a household name.

Yes, most definitely! I don't 'tweet', never have, but I do 'shorten' and have for years.

[velvet53]

Thanks, I just learned something new.