There are many reasons why we shorten web addresses and URLs; for emails, forum posts, blogs etc. which cannot handle long URLs and usually wrap them, making them un-clickable. With this type of short URL maker, you can also hide your real email address from bots that harvest them for spamming purposes. Clean up bookmarks for social bookmarking sites or sites with low character limits like Twitter or just use shorter URL’s to make them more search engine friendly.

Naturally there are those that use this kind of service for spamming purposes, which ruins things for those that use them properly. We just hope that the services have a check on this behaviour and are able to stop it. But for those that do intend to use these services with good intention, there are plenty of alternatives for those that want a bit of flavour mixed into the equation, many of which have tracking facilities. This list (in no particular order) will give you plenty of scope to create shorter URL’s:

Twearl

Newest addition: Twearl might be the solution you are looking for if you want to make your long URL’s shorter as Twearl takes your original URL and converts it into a short, unique and easy to use new URL; a Twearl. This Twearl can than be used instead of your original URL.

Tiny9

Easy to use service that creates tiny URLs that are easier to remember, shorter links that don’t get truncated in emails, or hide affiliate IDs in URL links. Just enter a URL, your desired tag (keyword) and click “generate”. No registration necessary.

Metamark

User friendly and simple to use shorten URL service, that allows the user to use an optional ‘nickname’ and ’secret’ to login and check tracking of each link. Although you do have to register with Bitcard and login to check your link stats.

Metamark has a choice of two bookmarklets 1) Open in new window 2) To use when you have popups blocked. Drag either of these to your browser toolbar to shorten links quickly and simply.

AZQQ

Extremely simply to use shorten URL service. Type or paste in your long URL, click on ‘convert’ and that’s it. The shortened URL doesn’t expire, but there doesn’t appear to be an inbuilt tracking service, which is a pity, but for just shortening URLs this is a really simply service to use. AZQQ comes with Firefox plugin link, to add to your list.

DwarfURL

User friendly and simple to use service. To shorten your long URL, just enter it, type in your password if you want to track the link, place a hack if you want the link to be publicly viewed, click ‘dwarf it baby’ and that’s basically it.

You can enter an optional password to use when you want to see the statistics on how many clicks and where the clicks came from for your dwarfURL. It’s absolutely free to use, and your links will never expire.

DwarfURL also has a Firefox add-on extension to download and add to your firefox tool-box, which sits up in your browser. To Use - make sure you’re on the page/URL you want shortening, click on the ‘d’, fill in your password and your done. No registration is necessary.

Trace URL

This is a free service that tracks calls to a URL and makes long URLs shorter and more manageable. Naturally using any of these services for spamming or illegal purposes is forbidden.

You need to have a standard Web Browser with JavaScript enabled. If you want to to see the dynamic maps you need a Java Virtual Machine. If no JVM is present on your PC you can get one at http://java.com/en/download/index.jsp. To use the View in Google Earth feature you need to have Google Earth installed. Google Earth is a cool cost-free program that displays the whole world in 3D.

NutShell - seems to have disappeared

A very simple and easy to use service, that will create a tiny URL (a nutshell) that will not break in email postings. URL’s set up at Nutshell do not expire, but as far as we can see cannot be tracked. No registration is necessary.

SI9 - ditto here not available

This shorten URL service will take your long URL’s and make them short and search engine friendly. No registration is necessary.

NotLong

A service for long URL’s that have problems wrapping in email messages, in chat rooms, forums or URL’s that are impossible to read over the phone.

Simple to use service, where you copy and paste your long URL in the normal way and the service will make a shorter link which will use redirection to send users to the longer URL and where you are able to track your links. Look around at this site as there are a number of extras.

Pikola

This shorten URL service couldn’t possibly be easier to use. Type in or paste the long URL you want shortened or ‘pikoized’ - suggest your short URL by placing a keyword, press submit and voila. No registration necessary. The site is in English and Polish.

XAddr

This service too makes long, complicated web addresses into short urls. The service is free and no registration is necessary. It works with web addresses, ftp addresses and email addresses. Make a long address into a short url that’s easy to type, email, write down or speak over the phone.

Options: Add an xaddr.com short url maker to your browser toolbar. Install the xaddr.com Windows client in your task bar or get the Tech-Pro.net toolbar with built-in URL shortener.

SnipURL

SnipURL is a free service to make it easier to deal with long URLs. Registration is necessary to use this service.

A bookmarklet is available to place in your browser toolbar, for quick conversion from long to short URL. There’s also a handy ‘multi-snip’ application for converting multiple URL’s at once, as well as the possibility to use SnipURL in your app.

Doiop

As some web addresses (URL) are very long and complicated. doiop creates a short URL with a keyword of your choice, making it easy to remember. This link will not break in emails and never expire.

No registration necessary.

Memurl

Memurl creates short, memorable URLs for any page. Links and keywords are stored permanently with this service, where keywords are generated to be easy to memorize and pronounce.

Typing keywords in the input box reveals full destination addresses. Permanent HTTP redirects let’ proxies and browsers cache links.

Shorl

Shorl is similar to the other sites being shown in this post.Simply enter your long URL in the form field above. Then click the “Shorlify!” button, or press Enter on your keyboard. At this point you’re basically done and a shorl (short ULR) is created.

Write down or memorize the password if you want access to the usage statistics for your shorl later on.

QurlyQ

Great service if you don’t want the bells or whistles. This short URL maker, offer a bookmarklet and up to 1500 characters.

Li’lURL

Li’lURL offers short URL, forwarding, redirection and masking i.e. Affiliate link masking, hiding free hosting URLs, tracking individual offers, password protecting a resource.

Is.gd

Their goal is to allow shortening URLs to the maximum extent technically possible. No registration necessary. Is.gd offers bookmarklet for user convenience. No URL tracking as far as we can see.

Simply type or paste the URL that you want to make smaller. Press the “Compress That Address!” button, and is.gd will make the address smaller, and give you a new link. You can then copy this new URL wherever you’d like to use it.

UrlTea

This is a very simple short URL maker, that also offers a bookmarklet to sit up in your browser toolbar for convenience.

Tweetl

The popularity of Twitter was sure to bring a service like Tweetl sooner or later. Its slogan is “Little Links Built for Twitter” is apt as the links are short - about 17 characters long, that fits in with Twitter’s 140 character count limit very nicely.

Moourl

If you’re into cute and you have a really loooong URL, just paste it in the text field below, Moourl will milk it, and create a shorter link, that lasts forever. No registration necessary. Bookmarklet is available.

ICanHaz

Like SnipURL and MetaMark, you can select a nickname to be added after the URL. The disadvantage of this service is that you must use your email address when you want to edit the URL at any time. Bookmarklet available.

TinyLink

TinyLink was developed by a French Medical Student. The shorten URL maker service is free and links don’t expire. Bookmarklet available.

Minilien

French version of the TinyLink shorten URL maker service. No registration necessary.

Miny

Very straightforward shorten URL service. No registration necessary.

URLCut

URLcut is a free, no-ad service that will let you shorten long, confusing URLs, has the optional possibility to use a password for each URL.

6URL

A small URL could be easily said over telephone, easy to remember, easy to write. Easy to use shorten URL service. No registration necessary.

Fyad

Simple short URL Maker. No registration necessary. Bookmarklet available.

Spam Free Directory

Simple short URL Maker. No registration necessary.

Link Bunch

LinkBunch lets you put multiple links into one small link which you can share over IM, Twitter, email or even a mobile phone SMS.Often you find several links on the web that you want to share on services such as instant messengers (Google Talk, Windows Live Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger, etc.) or microblogging platforms such as Twitter and Pownce (which only has one link field).

With LinkBunch, you take all those links and put them into one “bunch”, which is just one single link, that looks similar to a TinyURL or SnipURL link. Saves space.

Simpl.es

This service provides a shorturl for your links and with the possibility to share it with your friends directly from Twitter. No registration necessary. Bookmarklet available.

Truly.am

Easy to use shorten URL maker service. Registration optional.

Shorty

Shorty is a simple tool for creating shorter, humanly readable links from long URLs. You install Shorty on your server, so the links you create with it never go away. You can also manage and track your links and see how often people click on them.

New additions:

Tweetburner

There are probably more, but have fun with these and see if they work for you. Incidentally here’s a very comprehensive list of 68 URL shortening services - some of the above list may be included here too.

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Tags: free short URL, short URL maker, shorten URL service, shorten URL's, tinyurl, URL redirect, URL redirection service