A link compressed using a URL shortener takes up less space, is less complex and therefore easier to memorize and use. This is particularly beneficial if an address is long or contains lots of special characters, as is the case with websites that operate with database variables.
Above all, small URLs make it easier for the user to share the link – either by copying and pasting, or by manual typing. In print media like business cards and promotional materials, a lengthy link would have to be printed very small or over multiple lines; neither option is elegant or practical. By contrast, a shortened version of the same link is easy to integrate – without affecting the overall appearance – and can be accompanied by a corresponding QR code. Plus, it can be entered into the address line of a browser with just a few keyboard strokes. For the same reasons, shortened URLs have also become popular in email texts, where inserting clickable hyperlinks is unadvisable in any case due to security concerns.
What’s more, multiple variants of the same URL can be created with a link shortener. On the one hand, this lets you generate links with adapted wording for various platforms (e.g. Twitter, Facebook, YouTube). On the other, you can track each individual link to determine the effectiveness of an online or offline advertising campaign based on the click rates, for example.
Small URLs are also widespread in microblogging services like Tumblr as well as in messaging services (e.g. SMS) and social media statuses (e.g. Instagram), where space is limited to just a few characters.