Simply put URL Shorteners reduce long URLs into tiny strings. The URL compression uses an algorithm of set of characters which can number anywhere for 2 to 6 characters in length. It is quite evident at least for now, that these URL Shortening services are here to stay as new ones arrive on a daily basis. The method of compressing URLs is commonly used on micro-blogging sites such as Twitter, Facebook and sites alike. Some Shorteners that I have used are: bit.ly, tr.im, ow.ly, vb.ly, and tinyurl.com. I found them to be quite useful especially on twitter where the number of characters matter.
For all the good that these URL Shorteners provide, one cannot overlook the dangers that present themselves when using these services: You don’t have any idea where you will be taken once you click on the compressed URL. You simply have to trust that you will not end-up on a malicious website. URL shortening services should strongly look into a way to filter their links so web surfers can be more confident when clicking their URLs; I know from personal experience I sometimes get a little nervous clicking on these links.
With so many URL Shorteners on the internet, how do you know which one to use? There are many factors to consider when selecting a URL shortening service: the number of characters in a given URL when compressed, does the service have custom URL capability, tracking statistics, stability, and 3rd party client support i.e. TweetDeck, Twitterfeed. When it comes to stability, there is nothing more annoying than clicking on one of these shortened URLs and arriving at a Link Is Not Working page. You also have to keep in mind, that as frequently as new URL Shorteners arrives, it very possible they can disappear just as fast. You should choose a URL shortening service that either have a strong revenue model behind it or have the financial banking to sustain the service. As recently as two month ago, I was surprised when I saw a message on tr.im stating that they were going shut down it service as of December 31, 2009. The thought of my links vanishing into an abyss was not pleasant and would hurt my search engine ranking. This scare made me think about creating my very own private URL Shortener (str.bz which I recently made publicly available) so I could at least guarantee that my compressed URLs would stay online. Tr.im has since retracted and promised to keep the service running for now.
Are URL Shorteners feasible? Tinyurl.com has been around since 2002, which implies they are doing something right. We can assume that the revenue model they have in place is working for them to be in the game this long. Without a proper infrastructure and an adequate revenue model, it is my opinion that is improbable that a URL shortening service can survive. In order for Shorteners to be monetized, they will have to be very creative in their approach. We could see some of these services go in the direction of being more audience focused.
I would love to hear your thoughts on the future of URL Shorteners – Feel free to leave your comments.
