What are URL Shorteners?
At first, URL shortening services where established to beat the problem usually encountered when using e-mails. The problem was when you are e-mailing a long URL, it usually breaks and the e-mail gets wrapped by most of e-mailing systems.
Later on, the urge to shorten URLs became even more important when other communication platforms emerge with only 140 characters allowed on posts and private messages (like Twitter and other social networking spaces).
URL shortening systems therefore came as a relief to many web users, allowing them to send/post links with an introducing message, which is much more practical for both senders and receivers.
How do URL Shortening Services function?
It is a platform on which all you have to do is to enter your long URL, customize its title and link data, and then generate a new URL that is shorter, personalized and safe.
In fact, URL shortening services generally use redirect commands which preserve the URL stability (such as the 301/302 redirects).
URL shortening services go beyond just making your links shorter, they allow you simplify your web marketing strategy and make it faster. This kind of business is generally based on e-mailing, social networking ads, SMS texting, print media ads and other web marketing tools, which require a special attention on URLs.
When using web marketing strategies, the links you share are quite important they have to be clicked on, shared and taken seriously. When customers come across a link, the first impression is what counts most; you really don't want to shock them with a long line of 50 symbols and special characters that have no meaning and which actually seem suspicious to many.
Long URLs are often seen like trouble; most customers will think it was just a meaningless link, others may suspect a viral behavior and many will just be too lazy or too busy to "think what that thing would lead to", making them just ignore it and move on. In fact, internet users always track shorter links, thinking they are closer to the domain name and so closer to the answer for their query, that's another reason why shortening your URL is very useful.
This will be too much loss, isn't it?
That's why URL shortening is necessary. You need such systems to simplify your business, your transactions, as well as your web social and personal interactions. When your link is shorter, you save time and space and you make your web communication much simpler and smoother.