Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Shorter URLs

There are many websites that offer the service ofsmall as possible to allow for more text.
making any url shorter. The process works by2. Easier to type or remember. Some URLs can be
entering your url on the website and it will store thisvery lengthy. Cutting them down to size makes your
entered url in a database. Upon entering the url youforum post, email, etc look a lot cleaner.
will receive a new web address that will have a3. Deception. People will try to conceal the link you
unique ID at the end of it to designate your enteredare clicking. Perhaps affiliate links are not allowed in a
url. (Example: website.com/UniqueID) When theparticular forum. The link can be concealed using a
provided url is clicked it will rewrite to the stored urlshorter url service. In an advertisement you may be
you entered. Not every website can offer thisled to believe that you are going to XYZ website
service. It is essential that the generated url is short.when instead the link was disguised and you were
This service works best on websites that have asent to an adult content website or a website with
domain of 5 characters or less. You would not wantmalicious content.
to use this service on a website called since theTo prevent abuse of the short url service a new
generated url would contain that long domain.type of website has been created. A service to
Now that I briefly described the concept of how theexpand shortened urls to display the actual url that
process works why would you want to use such awas concealed.
service?While there are both advantages and disadvantages
1. Twitter updates. Twitter allows a limited number ofof using short URLs it is always advised to use
characters when posting a tweet. If you arecaution when clicking any link.
tweeting about a url you will want to make the url as