How to Make a Hyperlink Shorter for Twitter

You can use link-shortening services or Twitter to shorten links in your tweets.

Twitter is designed to let you stay in touch with people through short text messages called tweets. Because tweets are limited to 140 characters, it can be difficult to pass a long hyperlink or URL through Twitter, even when the URL is the only text in the tweet. Free URL-shortening services from Google, Bitly, TinyURL and others provide a free short URL that redirects from their servers to the longer URL. Twitter also has a built-in link-shortening feature of its own.

Instructions

Twitter

1. Open a browser and navigate to Twitter.com. Sign in with your account name and password.

2. Type your URL and accompanying text in the tweet box.

3. Click "Tweet." The link is automatically shortened to 19 characters in your tweet.

Google

1. Open a browser and navigate to goo.gl.

2. Type or paste the long URL in the "Paste Your Long URL Here" text box. Click "Shorten."

3. Press and hold the "Ctrl" key and press "C" to copy the short URL, and then press "Ctrl + V" to paste it into your tweet.

Bitley

1. Open a Web browser and navigate to Bitley.com.

2. Type or paste a long URL in the text box. Click "Shorten."

3. Click "Copy" to copy the short URL. Paste it into your tweet.

TinyURL

1. Open a browser window and navigate to Tinyurl.com.

2. Type or paste a URL in the "Enter a Long URL to Make Tiny" text box. Click "Make TinyURL."

3. Highlight the short URL and copy it. Paste the short URL in your tweet.

Tips & Warnings

• Test your long URL with different short URL services to find the one that generates the shortest URL. The Twitter link-shortening service URL will always be 19 characters long.

References

• Twitter: Frequently Asked Questions
• Twitter: How to Post Links (URLs)

Resources

• Google URL Shortner
• Bitley
• TinyURL