CINXE.COM

<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en" prefix="og: https://ogp.me/ns#"> <head> <link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com" crossorigin><link rel="preconnect" href="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com" crossorigin><link rel="preconnect" href="https://blog.tiny.cc" crossorigin><link rel="preconnect" href="https://tinycc.com" crossorigin> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /> <meta http-equiv="Content-Language" content="en-us" /> <meta name="verify-v1" content="EYh1wYvSVBlP6qMdVHmP/V0frXZUmxBn1R+CTZBVoc4=" /> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0"> <meta property="og:site_name" content="Tinycc" /> <meta property="og:title" content="What's a URL shortening and how to use it?" /> <title>What's a URL shortening and how to use it?</title> <meta name="title" content="What's a URL shortening and how to use it?" /> <meta itemprop="name" content="What's a URL shortening and how to use it?" /> <meta property="og:type" content="website" /> <meta property="og:image" content="/public/images/newlogo2.svg" /> <meta itemprop="image" content="/public/images/newlogo2.svg" /> <link rel="canonical" href="https://tiny.cc/about-tiny-urls" /> <meta name="keywords" content="Tiny, tinyurl, QR codes, url shortener, URL redirect, tinylink" /> <link rel="icon" type="image/x-icon" href="/public/images/favicon.ico"> <link rel="icon" type="image/png" href="/public/images/favicon.png"> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/public/images/apple-touch-icon.png"> <link rel="meta" type="application/rdf+xml" href="/tiny.rdf" /> <script>function ready(fn) {if(document.readyState!=='loading'){fn();}else{document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded',fn);}} function tcc_offset(el){box=el.getBoundingClientRect();docElem=document.documentElement;return{top:box.top+window.pageYOffset-docElem.clientTop,left:box.left+window.pageXOffset-docElem.clientLeft};}</script> <style> *{box-sizing:border-box}html,body{padding:0px;margin:0px}.l-h-align-right{text-align:right}.l-h-align-center{text-align:center}.l-narrow-content{max-width:900px !important;min-height:400px}.l-medium-content{max-width:1200px;min-height:400px}.l-wide-content{min-height:400px}.l-columns{display:flex;justify-content:space-around;flex-wrap:wrap}.l-columns-gap-4{gap:4%}.l-columns-nowrap{flex-wrap:nowrap}.l-column-auto{flex:1 1 auto}.l-column-15{flex:1.5 1.5 45px;min-width:100px}.l-column-20{flex:2 2 60px;min-width:200px}.l-column-25{flex:2.5 2.5 75px;min-width:250px}.l-column-33{flex:3.33 3.33 99px;min-width:250px}.l-column-33s{flex:3.33 3.33 66px;min-width:50px}.l-column-50{flex:5 5 150px;min-width:300px}.l-column-50s{flex:5 5 100px;min-width:100px}.l-column-66{flex:6.66 6.66 132px;min-width:300px}.l-column-75{flex:7.5 7.5 225px;min-width:300px}.l-column-100{flex:10 10 100%;min-width:300px}.l-columns-nowrap .l-column-50,.l-columns-nowrap .l-column-66,.l-columns-nowrap .l-column-33{min-width:auto}</style> <style>*{box-sizing:border-box}html{background:#fff}body{font-family:"PT Sans",Sans,Arial;--header_font:"PT Sans",Sans,Arial;font-size:18px;background:#9d979e url(/public/images/pattern.png);background-size:100px;margin:0;padding:0;color:#fff;--header_color:#fff;--header-height:85px;--content_color:#787475;--cta-color:#fff;--cta-background:#61e294}img{border:none}.clearfix:after{content:" ";display:block;clear:both;visibility:hidden;line-height:0;height:0}.clearfix{display:inline-block;display:block}a{color:#f3ffbd;font-weight:bold}input[pattern]:not(:placeholder-shown):invalid{background-color:ivory;outline:2px solid red}input:valid + .shown-after-invalid,input:placeholder-shown + .shown-after-invalid{display:none}ul:not(.keep-list-marks){padding:0}ul:not(.keep-list-marks) li{list-style-type:none}#content{max-width:1200px;margin:0 auto;padding:0 4px;min-height:80vh}#content.full-page{max-width:100%;padding:0 2em}#left{display:inline-block;width:60%;padding:2em 1em 2em 0;vertical-align:top}#sidebar{display:inline-block;width:38%;padding:2em 0em 2em 1em;vertical-align:top}#content.full-page #left{width:75%}#content.full-page #sidebar{width:23%}@media all and (max-width:950px){#left,#sidebar,#content.full-page #left,#content.full-page #sidebar{width:100%;padding:2em 4px}}@media all and (max-width:600px){#content.full-page{padding:0}}.button1,.button{background-color:#61e294;color:#fff;border-radius:10px;line-height:1.5em;display:inline-block;margin:.6em 0;padding:.5em 1em;min-width:10em;text-transform:none;text-align:center;cursor:pointer;border:4px solid #61e294;transition:300ms all;text-decoration:none;font-weight:bold}.button1:hover,.button:hover,a.button1:hover{background:#fff;color:#9d979e}@media all and (max-width:900px){.center-on-mobile{text-align:center}}@media all and (max-width:1200px){.button1{min-width:auto}.hide-on-mobile{display:none}}input[type=text],input[type=email],input[type=url],input[type=password]{padding:.7em 1em;border:1px solid #000;border-radius:4px;max-width:100%}.loading{background:url(/public/images/loading.gif) no-repeat center center;cursor:default;text-align:center}.widget{background-color:#f1eef2;color:#000;border-radius:40px;padding:1.5em 2em;box-shadow:7px 10px 0px 0px #726e73;margin-bottom:1em}.widget a{color:#000;text-decoration:underline}.secondary{opacity:.65}img[id="busy-indicator"]{display:none;position:absolute;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;top:300px;left:45%;background:transparent;z-index:10000}.l-narrow-content{margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;min-height:70vh}.success{color:green}.error{color:red}#content .info{background-color:#fff;color:#787475;border-radius:40px;box-shadow:7px 10px 0px 0px #726e73;text-align:center;font-size:.8em;padding:1em 3em 1em 3em;margin:1em auto;max-width:380px;border:1px solid #726e73}</style> <script type="text/javascript"> var surl = "https:\/\/tiny.cc\/tiny\/"; </script> </head> <body> <style>#main-nav{background-color:#fff;color:#333333;position:sticky;top:0;z-index:10;display:flex;gap:10px;align-items:center;justify-content:space-between;flex-wrap:wrap;padding:0 .5em}#main-nav > *{flex:1 1 auto}#home-link{transition:300ms transform;max-width:100px;height:auto}#home-link:hover{transform:scale(1.05)}#main-menu-checkbox{display:inline-block;width:0;height:0;opacity:0;flex:0 0 0}#main-menu{background-color:#fff;text-transform:uppercase;font-weight:bold;font-size:1.4em;flex:0 0 100%;order:10;text-align:center}#main-menu > *{display:block;margin:.5em 0;text-decoration:none;color:#000;padding:.3em 0;transition:70ms all}#main-menu > .mm-spacer{display:none}#main-menu > .main-menu-item.selected,#main-menu > .main-menu-item:hover{border-bottom:4px solid #61e294;margin-bottom:-4px}.menu-button{border:none;background:none;cursor:pointer}.menu-button img{vertical-align:middle}#main-menu .button1{margin:.2em 0;min-width:none}#home-link2{display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:end}@media all and (min-width:1200px){#main-nav{height:var(--header-height);flex-wrap:nowrap;align-items:normal;position:static}#main-menu{display:flex;justify-content:space-between;align-items:baseline;position:static;flex-basis:auto;font-size:1.1em;gap:1.5em;flex:1 1 auto}#main-menu > *{flex:1 1 auto;margin:0;align-self:center}#main-menu > .mm-spacer{display:block;flex:10 1 50px}.menu-button{display:none}#home-link{max-width:none}#home-link2{order:-1;flex:0 0 auto}#main-menu .button1{margin:0;min-width:8em}}@media all and (max-width:1199px){#main-menu-checkbox:not(:checked) + #main-menu{display:none}}</style><div id="main-nav"> <label class="menu-button" for="main-menu-checkbox"> <img src="/tiny/img/bars.svg" alt="[=]" width="40" height="45"> </label> <input type="checkbox" id="main-menu-checkbox"> <nav id="main-menu"> <a class="main-menu-item " href="/about-tiny-urls">Why us?</a> <a class="main-menu-item " href="https://tinycc.com/" rel="nofollow">Want more?</a></li> <a class="main-menu-item" href="/tiny/login">My URLs</a> <a class="main-menu-item " href="/help">Help</a> <div class="mm-spacer"></div> <div> <a class="button1" href="/tiny/login">Log in</a> <a class="button1" href="/tiny/signup">Sign Up</a> </div> </nav> <a id="home-link2" href="https://tiny.cc/" title="Home page"><img id="home-link" alt="Tiny.cc logo" src="/public/images/newlogo2.svg" width="129" height="45"><img alt="" src="/public/images/sloganbg.webp" width="155" height="85" class="hide-on-mobile"></a> </div> <style>.promo-sequence{line-height:12em}.promo-sequence .arrow{margin:1em;vertical-align:middle}.promo-sequence .step{margin:.5em;vertical-align:top;display:inline-block;line-height:2em;font-size:1.3em;text-align:center;font-weight:bold}.fit-in-page{max-width:100%;height:auto}.client-logos{text-align:center}.client-logos img{margin:.8em 1.5em;vertical-align:top}.client-logos .mask{background-color:#fff;border-radius:100px;height:59px;overflow:hidden;display:inline-block;vertical-align:top;margin:.8em 1.5em}.client-logos .mask img{margin:0}.promo-page q{display:inline-block;margin:0 1em 1em 0;width:45%;vertical-align:top;font-size:2em}.promo-page q:before,.promo-page q:after{content:''}.promo-page cite{color:#00e391;display:block;font-size:.9em;font-weight:bold;margin:.6em 0;font-style:normal}.promo-page cite:before{content:'\2014 '}.promo-page h2{font-size:2em;margin-top:1.7em}.promo-page p,.promo-page dl{font-size:1.4em}.promo-page dt{color:#00e391}.promo-page dd{margin:0;margin-bottom:1em}.cta-panel{display:block;background-color:#ff9500;color:#fff;padding:.7em;font-weight:bold;font-size:1.3em;box-shadow:12px 12px 0px 0px #726e73;text-decoration:none;text-align:center;margin:2em 0}.cta-panel-1{display:inline-block;width:25%;vertical-align:middle}.cta-panel-2{display:inline-block;width:50%;vertical-align:middle}.cta-panel-2.list{text-align:left}.cta-panel-2.list ul{padding-left:3em;margin:0}.cta-panel-2.list ul li{list-style-type:disc}.cta-panel-3{display:inline-block;border:2px solid #fff;vertical-align:middle;padding:1em 2em}@media all and (max-width:1150px){.cta-panel-3{display:block;width:100%}.cta-panel-1,.cta-panel-2{width:50%;margin-bottom:1em}}@media all and (max-width:900px){.cta-panel-1,.cta-panel-2{display:block;width:100%}}.panel2{font-size:1.7em;display:inline-block;padding:0 .6em;width:24%;height:10em;vertical-align:top;text-align:center;color:#fff;text-decoration:none}.panel2 img{margin:1em 0;background-color:#fff;border-radius:100%;width:30%;height:auto}.panel1{background-color:#fff;color:#787475;border-radius:0;box-shadow:12px 12px 0px 0px #726e73;text-align:center;font-size:.85em;padding:2em 3em;margin:1em 6% 1em 0;max-width:26%;font-weight:bold;display:inline-block;height:450px;vertical-align:top}.panel1 img{margin:1.5em;width:65%;height:auto}.panel1-header{font-size:2em}.features-list{font-size:1.5em;margin:2em 0;padding:0;font-weight:bold}.features-list li{display:inline-block;width:45%;list-style-type:none;padding-left:1.7em;position:relative;vertical-align:top;margin:0 0 1em 0}.features-list li:before{content:'\f00c';color:#fff;background-color:#ff9600;border-radius:100%;width:1.4em;height:1.4em;font-size:.8em;display:inline-block;text-align:center;line-height:1.5em;position:absolute;top:.2em;left:0;font-family:"Font Awesome 5 Free";font-weight:900;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-rendering:auto;margin-right:.3em}@media all and (max-width:1024px){.panel1{height:auto;max-width:100%}.panel1 img{width:100px}.features-list li{width:100%}.panel2{width:45%;font-size:1.5em;height:8em}.promo-page q{width:100%}.promo-sequence{font-size:.8em}.promo-sequence img{max-width:30%;height:auto}.hide-on-mobile{display:none}}@media all and (min-width:1025px){.hide-on-desktop{display:none}}</style><div id="content" class="promo-page"> <br> <div class="panel1"> <div class="panel1-header">Shorten URLs</div> <img src="/public/images/about/Link.svg" width="116" height="116" alt=""><br> Make email-friendly links. Use on blogs, forums, social networks, instant messages, online publications or ad campaigns. Shorten and track it for business or educational projects. </div> <div class="panel1"> <div class="panel1-header">Track URLs</div> <img src="/public/images/about/Magnify.svg" width="116" height="116" alt=""><br> Click statistics. Get interactive charts with click analytics... trace uniques, returning clicks, visitors' country of origin, browsers used and more! No account needed to monitor stats. </div> <div class="panel1"> <div class="panel1-header">Manage URLs</div> <img src="/public/images/about/Gears.svg" width="116" height="116" alt=""><br> Edit or delete a URL. See your complete tiny link history... with tools to manage, filter, tag, search and share URLs. Statistical link analysis is now amazingly simple using Tiny! </div> <ul class="features-list"> <li>Shareable, user-friendly URLs</li> <li>Bookmarklet tool for one-click link shortening anywhere on the web</li> <li>Edit links feature for registered users</li> <li>Short links using your brand or custom domain</li> <li>Accounts for managing links</li> <li>High volume commercial URL platforms for applications such as SMS text, email, advertising or social media campaigns</li> <li>Track click statistics; and no account needed to monitor stats</li> <li>Custom option for making personalized URLs</li> </ul> <p> Insert URLs into email or Skype and never have issues with the links wrapping or breaking. Ideal for blogs, forums, social networks. Used in ebooks, online magazines, newspapers and journals. Archival uses in schools and universities. Used in QR codes - it generates a simpler code with lower dpi for printed versions. Or anytime you run into a ridiculously long URL that just won't fit the spot Tiny can make your address short, plus meaningful! See our: </p> <a class="panel2" href="/url"> <img src="/public/images/about/Question.svg" width="116" height="116" alt=""><br> How URLs Work </a> <a class="panel2" href="/url"> <img src="/public/images/about/Globe.svg" width="116" height="116" alt=""><br> All About Web Addresses </a> <a class="panel2" href="/url"> <img src="/public/images/about/Mask.svg" width="116" height="116" alt=""><br> How to Mask Links </a> <a class="panel2" href="/url"> <img src="/public/images/about/Custom.svg" width="116" height="116" alt=""><br> Custom Domains </a> <a class="cta-panel register" href="/tiny/signup" title="Click to get Free Account"> <div class="cta-panel-1" > <div style="font-size:1.5em">FREE ACCOUNT</div> (uses tiny.cc domain) </div><div class="cta-panel-2"> 500 URLs | Edit Links | Tags for organizing </div><div class="cta-panel-3"> GET STARTED </div> </a> <hr> <h2>Need marketing insight for your business?</h2> <p> Measure the conversions for links and understand your traffic with Tiny's statistics. We can help grow your audience and increase traffic. Shorten a link for your ad campaign and track it. Hide a link. Have an address that you don't want to reveal... such as an affiliate link? Cloak and redirect it - the recipient will only see a short address containing the tiny.cc domain. Make a link to your online survey or invitation. And Tiny has more advanced tools such as a traffic filter that is perfect for marketing, surveys or research projects. </p> <h2>Track banner Ads for internet marketing</h2> <div class="promo-sequence"> <div class="step"> <img src="/public/images/about/green_browser.svg" width="155" height="152" alt=""><br> TEXT or BANNER AD </div> <img class="arrow" src="/public/images/about/right_arrow.svg" width="25" height="51" alt="→"> <div class="step"> <img src="/public/images/about/orange_browser.svg" width="155" height="152" alt=""><br> STATISTICS </div> <img class="arrow" src="/public/images/about/right_arrow.svg" width="25" height="51" alt="→"> <div class="step"> <img src="/public/images/about/blue_browser.svg" width="155" height="152" alt=""><br> MERCHANT'S SITE </div> </div> <p> An Ad is a piece of html code that includes a URL to refer the visitor to a merchants's web site. Convert it into a Tiny URL and replace it in the Ad's html code. When clicked it works behind the scenes to gather stats and redirect visitors to your seller's landing page or web site. This allows you to track Ads by viewing statistics related to user clicks. </p> <dl> <dt>Campaign Tracking:</dt> <dd>Convert referrer or affiliate URLs into tiny's and use on Ads, emails, hyperlinks and track their success.</dd> <dt>Action Tracking:</dt> <dd>Convert action links (form submissions, signups, opt-ins, survey or checkout completions) into tiny's so you know which entry pages attract the most visitors and which pages are converting them. Test ad variations, ad copy or search terms.</dd> </dl> <hr> <h2>Use Tiny to track QR Code campaigns</h2> <p> Tiny can provide tracking stats and also generate free QR codes. How our QR-Codes work </p> <div class="promo-sequence"> <img class="step" src="/public/images/about/Click.png" width="279" height="245" alt="Click on QR Code button"> <img class="arrow" src="/public/images/about/right_arrow.svg" width="25" height="51" alt="→"> <img class="step" src="/public/images/about/QRCode.png" width="279" height="218" alt="Get free QR code"> </div> <hr> <h2><u>A few of our satisfied users</u></h2> <q>I cannot believe that a FREE service (tiny.cc) has treated me with the level of customer care that I never see from our other vendors who are more than happy to take our money! <cite>TM, Allstate Insurance</cite></q> <q>So simple! Thank you very much for ALL your help! I have to say that you are one of the few companies who offer FREE services and you actually respond to my emailed questions AND in a timely manner. I GREATLY appreciate it! <cite>HP, Good Shepherd Lutheran Preschool</cite></q> <q>We starting using Tiny.cc for our in-app URLs and were extremely amazed to find the level of support from you guys. <cite>TechNyx Softlabs</cite></q> <q>Fantastic tool. The more I play with it, the more I like it! There is a lot under the surface here. <cite>Farley B</cite></q> <div class="client-logos"> <img src="/public/images/about/Amazon.png" width="195" height="59" alt="Amazon logo"> <img src="/public/images/about/AOL.webp" width="119" height="59" alt="AOL logo"> <div class="mask"> <img src="/public/images/about/Microsoft.png" width="196" height="70" alt="Microsoft logo" style="position:relative;top:-7px"> </div> <img src="/public/images/about/HP.png" width="97" height="59" alt="HP logo"> <img src="/public/images/about/TMobile.webp" width="196" height="59" alt="T Mobile logo"> <img src="/public/images/about/Yahoo.webp" width="197" height="59" alt="Yahoo logo"> <img src="/public/images/about/RBC.webp" width="197" height="59" alt="RBC Royal Bank logo"> <img src="/public/images/about/Cisco.webp" width="117" height="59" alt="Cisco logo"> <img src="/public/images/about/NYU.png" width="207" height="59" alt="New York University logo"> <img src="/public/images/about/ERA.png" width="86" height="59" alt="ERA logo"> <div class="mask"> <img src="/public/images/about/Verizon.webp" width="138" height="78" alt="Verizon logo" style="position:relative;top:-7px"> </div> <img src="/public/images/about/Dell.png" width="87" height="59" alt="Dell logo"> <img src="/public/images/about/Army.webp" width="86" height="59" alt="U.S.Army logo"> <img src="/public/images/about/Dreamworks.webp" width="189" height="59" alt="Dreamworks logo"> <img src="/public/images/about/FDA.webp" width="89" height="59" alt="FDA logo"> <img src="/public/images/about/Alaska.png" width="189" height="59" alt="Alaska logo"> </div> <hr> <h2>Shortcomings of URL Shorteners</h2> <img class="fit-in-page hide-on-mobile" src="/public/images/about/url_shorteners_desktop.webp" width="1275" height="1650" alt="Shortcomings of URL Shorteners" loading="lazy"> <img class="fit-in-page hide-on-mobile" src="/public/images/about/url_shorteners_desktop2.webp" width="1275" height="1650" alt="continuation of Shortcomings of URL Shorteners" loading="lazy"> <img class="fit-in-page hide-on-desktop" src="/public/images/about/url_shorteners_mobile.webp" width="1275" height="1650" alt="Shortcomings of URL Shorteners" loading="lazy"> <img class="fit-in-page hide-on-desktop" src="/public/images/about/url_shorteners_mobile2.webp" width="1275" height="1650" alt="continuation of Shortcomings of URL Shorteners" loading="lazy"> <br> <br> <br> <a class="cta-panel" style="background-color:#61e294" href="https://tinycc.com/" title="Click to get Premium Account" rel="nofollow"> <div class="cta-panel-1" > <div style="font-size:1.3em">PREMIUM ACCOUNT</div> (use custom domains) </div><div class="cta-panel-2 list"> <ul> <li>Expanded click reporting</li> <li>99.99% network uptime</li> <li>Manage multiple users / Pro features</li> </ul> </div><div class="cta-panel-3"> MORE INFO </div> </a> </div> <nav id="footer" class="clearfix"> <a href="/tools">Tools</a> <a href="/terms">Terms</a> <a href="/contact">Contact</a> <a href="/api-docs">API</a> <a href="/qrcodes">QR codes</a> <a href="/blog">Blog</a> <a href="/url">URL</a> <a href="https://tinycc.com/">Custom Domains</a> <a href="https://tinycc.com/tiny/think_tiny.html">White paper</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Tiny_URL" target="_blank"><img src="/public/images/twitter16.png" alt="twitter" style="border:0;width:16px;height:16px;" title="Follow us on Twitter"/></a> <span id="copyright"> © 2006 - 2025 TINYCC </span> </nav>  <script type="text/javascript"> window.cookieconsent_options = { "message":"This site uses cookies for advertising, social media, analytics and other site functions. We kindly request consent for using these cookies.", "dismiss":"I accept", "learnMore":"Details.", "link":"\/terms#policy", "theme":"light-bottom" }; </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="//cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/cookieconsent2/1.0.9/cookieconsent.min.js" async></script>  <style> .cc_container{ color:var(--content_color) !important; } .cc_container a, .cc_container a:visited{ color:var(--accent_color) !important; } .cc_container .cc_btn, .cc_container .cc_btn:visited { color: var(--cta-color) !important; background-color: var(--cta-background) !important; } .cc_more_info{ text-decoration:underline !important; } </style> <link type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" href="//fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=PT+Sans&display=swap" /><link type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" href="/tiny/css/tinycc/style.css" /> </body> </html>