Over the last few years, we’ve seen the emergence of numerous URL shortening services, such as TinyURL, Ow.ly, and bit.ly to name a few. Longer isn’t better when it comes to web links these days, especially with the popularity of social media sites such as Twitter. Shortening a link saves space, leaving that space for something more important, but not everyone uses these shortening services. Some claim it’s too complicated and time consuming, while others rely on the service for better communication.

Why are URL shortening services a good thing and why should you use them? A simple answer would be “because they just make life easier.” This is true, but there are other, more detailed reasons. Below is a short list:

1.) Shortening a URL that is regularly three lines long is convenient, especially when space is in short supply.
2.) Longer links are more likely to break that ones that are shortened, especially in communications where they can be “recycled,” such as through email.
3.) Some URL shortening services offer the opportunity to personalize the shortened link. This is especially convenient if what you’re linking to is a new product you’re selling, or a new article you’ve posted.
4.) Most of these services offer users a way to view what are known as “click through statistics,” which is a way to see how many people clicked through your link. This is a must for those who like to track visits to their web sites or product pages.

If you’re interested in using a URL shortening service, there are quite a few to choose from, including the following:

1.) Bit.ly (http://bit.ly)
2.) TinyURL (http://www.tinyurl.com)
3.) Ow.ly (http://ow.ly)
4.) DwarfURL (http://dwarfurl.com)
5.) URLKiss (http://urlkiss.com)

Some popular web sites, such as Google and Twitter, have created their own URL shortening services. With the simplicity of shorter URL’s being such a popular item all over the Web, some of our favorite sites may have URL shorteners built in. There’s only one way to find out!