URL shorteners are useful tools that allow a huge URL to be transformed into a short, neat link that looks nice and works better for marketing. When URLs are too long, they can look messy and therefore repulsive to potential customers.
Also, they can be very difficult to remember, which is another disadvantage. So why not work on your links and make them optimal for the purpose you are using them for. While there are many advantages to using URL shorteners for marketing purposes, there are also some cons that you should keep in mind. Here is some more information about it:
Pros of using URL shortener for marketing
1. They make your link very attractive
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When you see a short, organized URL, it’s as if it is calling you to click on it and discover what’s behind it. While this may sound funny to some people, it really makes a significant difference. Long URLs that look messy have been shown to repel people and do not show the same efficiency as short ones, even though the same content is hidden behind both.
Besides, long URLs often contain numbers and random letters, so it is not possible to immediately understand what they are really about. This can lead you to miss a lot of readers or customers who would be interested in your offer, but in this way, they skip your content because they don’t know what it’s about. In the case of URLs, less is more. Paying attention to such details can lead you to more conversions and profits, so why not do your best to make your links look neat and attractive.
2. Track your analytics
One of the very useful things about URL shorteners is that they allow you to track your analytics. URL shorteners like bityli.com allow you to keep track of how many times someone clicked on a link, as well as who are the people who entered your content. This is very important for forming an image of what works for your clients and what content attracts them the most.
You can use analytics for further ideas on what content to create and which target group to focus on. And also to better understand what content doesn’t work for your customers, so you need to eliminate it. Measuring the success of your marketing is of great importance and that is why this is another great advantage of using URL shorteners.
3. Your SEO is safe
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Optimal SEO is something we all fight for and we are not ready to give it up, even among the other benefits that URL shorteners offer. But we have good news for you. You can take the best of both worlds! Almost all URL shorteners nowadays use a 301-type redirect. This means you retain all the SEO benefits you have, even when your URL is shortened.
Cons of using URL shortener for marketing
1. Fake news, spam, and viruses
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As we all know, a lot of fake news has appeared on the Internet in the last few years, hiding behind short URLs. Besides, it is not uncommon for a short link to contain some spam or virus that can disrupt the functioning of our device and lead to serious obstacles and downtime. And we have to admit that this is not insignificant at all. Over time, this has instilled a lot of mistrust in people so short links become repulsive to them and they avoid clicking on them.
This is one of the reasons why short URLs sometimes don’t work and even lead to counter-effects. If you already have a community of people who trust you, then this will not be a big obstacle, but if you are just starting and finding your way through, short links can be very risky and undesirable.
2. Slowing down the process
A short URL generally involves several redirects to get to the desired web page. This can be one of the potential problems because sometimes it takes a lot more time for a person to reach the desired content compared to using long URLs. And we all know that patience is a rare trait in the 21st century. When we have to wait longer than a few seconds to get to what interests us on the internet, we quickly lose enthusiasm and move on.
And if this is often the case with your potential customers, it means that your business will suffer and that marketing must improve. If you do not work on these problems, it is possible that your potential customers will go to your competitor and look for a solution to their problem there. And that is certainly the last thing you want. Make sure short links are effective and lead to your content as quickly as possible.
3. They are no longer helpful on Twitter
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Twitter has long been one of the networks where URL shorteners played an important role. And that was the case until 2016 when significant changes were made. In the period until 2016, when Twitter continued to limit videos, images, and links to 140 characters, short URLs were of great importance. They provided more space for other content and were very practical. However, as is no longer the case, URL shortening companies no longer have as much of an advantage as they used to. Short links still look nicer and tidier, but that is not crucial anymore on this social network.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many advantages and disadvantages to using URL shorteners. They are often more appealing to clients, keep your SEO benefits and allow you to track your analytics. But also, people are sometimes repulsed by them and they tend to slow down the searching process. If we want to conclude this story, we can say that short URLs have their meaning, especially on social networks, and should be used for those purposes.
On the other hand, sometimes short links achieve a counter-effect, so it is desirable to use longer ones. If you use URL shorteners meaningfully and rationally, they will bring you more success and more profit. Make sure you use them optimally and watch your conversions grow as a result.
