How do I shorten a URL for free?

How do I shorten a URL for free?

Back in 2018, Google shut down its URL Shortener service, but users are still looking for the perfect replacement for this simple URL shortener service. With so many options available, it’s hard not to filter down and find the best alternative to goo.gl. T.LY is the best link management service to track, brand, and share short URLs. T.LY offers the ability to create the shortest URLs compared to alternatives. Many of the features are provided for free and require no account. Below are a few of the features you can use for free that T.LY offers.

T.LY Website

The easiest way to generate a short link for free is to visit T.LY and paste in your long link. Next, click Shorten. This will create a short URL also known as a “Vanity URL,” that will automatically copy to your clipboard to make it easy to share.

T.LY Homepage

T.LY Analytics

Tracking your clicks and analyzing your traffic data is essential when using a URL shortener. This will help you understand where your visitors are coming from and what links are most popular. By tracking this information, you can adjust your marketing strategy accordingly. There are a number of ways to track URL shortener analytics. T.LY provides detailed click data, including each click’s metadata. You can use the data to know what links are performing well. To view the stats of a short URL, add a + sign to the end. By understanding your URL shortener analytics, you can make sure your marketing campaigns are as effective as possible.

T.LY analytics

How to Shorten Social Media Links

Creating short links for popular social media sites such as TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, X formally Twitter, WhatsApp, Pinterest, and more is a breeze, and it’s essential for boosting your social media engagement. To accomplish this, visit T.LY URL Shortener where you can utilize its link shortening tools. Simply copy the social media URL paste it into the provided field, and hit the shorten button. Within seconds, you’ll receive a shortened link that’s perfect for sharing on any other social media platform. This short link not only saves characters but also enhances the aesthetics of your posts while driving more traffic to your content.

T.LY QR Code Builder

You also can generate a QR code for the short link using T.LY’s QR code generator. You can customize the code and add an image to the QR code. When exporting your new QR code, you can choose between a JPEG, PNG, SVG, or WEBP file type.

QR Code Generator

T.LY URL Shortener Extension

In just a few clicks, you can have the T.LY extension added to your browser’s toolbar so that all of those long URLs are easily replaced with short ones! The extension icon will automatically create, shorten and copy any URL you currently visit in your browser. You can also right-click on any link and make a short URL. Along with short links, a QR code is also generated, which might come in handy if you need to share the link on printed materials.

Link Shortener Extension

Anyone who spends any time online has probably seen a shortened URL, and there are many different reasons why someone might choose to use a URL shortener. For one thing, shortened URLs can be easier to share, especially if you’re sharing them verbally or in a situation where space is limited. Shortened URLs can also be less likely to break when copied and pasted, which can be a common problem with long URLs. In addition, some URL shorteners allow you to track how many people click on your links, which can be helpful for marketing purposes. And finally, using a URL shortener can simply make your links look nicer and more professional, which can be helpful if you’re trying to build up an online presence. There are many different reasons to use a URL shortener, and the decision of whether or not to use one is ultimately up to the individual. If you haven’t tried T.LY, we recommend you give it a shot and let us know what you think.


Author Tim Leland

Tim Leland

With over 15 years of experience, Tim Leland has been developing software that millions worldwide rely on. In 2019, he founded T.LY, aspiring to create the world's premier URL-shortening service. Recently, the platform has witnessed a remarkable increase in its popularity. Under Tim's expert direction, T.LY has transformed into one of the industry's most reliable and esteemed URL shorteners, serving millions of users globally.

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About T.LY
T.LY is the best link management service to track, brand, and share short URLs. Install our free Browser Extension with over 450,000 users from the extension store to automatically shorten links in one easy click! We support Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Opera.