Why use short URLs for online marketing?

Internet Marketers often use shortened URLs (Uniform Resource Locator) or shortened web addresses (for example, http://tr.im/MHPT, in place of the full web address http://www.aztecnetworkmarketing.com/); especially when re-tweeting these links in Twitter or when posting links in articles, in social networking site messages, on blogs or on other websites.

But why bother? Why do Internet Marketers go to the trouble of shortening their URLs, when it may just seem like extra work to some?

Here are some important reasons why shortened URLs can be good or necessary marketing practice:

1. The most obvious answer (and one you already know, I’m guessing!) is that especially when tweeting in Twitter, only 140 characters maximum are allowed per message. So if you want to also include a catchy introduction in each tweet, you’ll need a shorter URL link to fit everything in.

Here’s an example of a real tweet using this method (this tweet is just short of 140 characters long):

“Looking to automate your Internet Marketing in one system, with affiliate sales, auto-responders, marketing tools? – http://tr.im/MHPT“.

2. Another important related reason for using shorter URLs is that shorter and more precise marketing communications are more easily read and assimilated by online customers. Especially when using online media such as Twitter or social networking sites for your marketing messages, web users won’t want to bother with reading laboriously long messages. They need something short, sweet, and to-the-point, and these quick-comms are much more likely to get clicked on than longer ones.

3. Some Internet Marketers prefer to hide their true web addresses by using shortened URLs, to keep the suspense. Web users who are attracted by introduction messages might be inclined to click on the shortened web-link because their curiosity has been piqued.

In some cases if the full URL was included they would know what the link was about, and there would be no surprise element. Also if they recognize the link, some internet surfers might be less inclined to click through to it, especially if they’ve seen it before.

Affiliate Marketers also often prefer to hide their affiliate web addresses by using shortened URLs, in case they lose commission if web users go directly to the parent site rather than through their affiliate link.

4. Perhaps the most important reason is that shortened URLs, hosted by URL shortening service websites, usually include click statistics, in a fair amount of detail, with the shortened URL service. This means Internet Marketers can track the popularity and detailed analytics of their shortened URL links, no matter where they posted them, all in one place.

Of course there are always disadvantages too, but using shortened URLs allows marketing messages to be kept simpler and more accessible to potential customers.

For more information about some of the top URL shortening services/websites, read http://www.toprankblog.com/2009/01/11-best-url-shortening-services-vote-your-favorite/.

By the way, I use http://tr.im as my URL shortening service, and subsequently http://bit.ly/ or http://budurl.com/ - all are free.

Kathryn Wilson

Online Network and Internet Marketing Mentor

http://www.WorkTheMarket.net - get your free Internet Marketing training newsletters here, delivered every few days to your Inbox, so you can earn while you learn!

Please note that I will no longer be updating this blog. Instead please visit the new home for this blog, http://AztecInternetMarketing.com - for all these articles, plus many more recent articles and updates. See you there!

Twitter picture: http://www.mediabistro.com/mediajobsdaily/freelance/need_a_job_become_a_ghost_twitterer_112596.asp

Hide and seek picture: http://leadingandlovingit.wordpress.com/2008/08/12/hide-and-seek/

Website statistics graphic: http://www.adeptmarketing.co.nz/2009/09/things-you-should-know-about-your-website/