Some of you may have read the advantages and disadvantages of URL shorten service or may have noticed that those problems cause by using URL shorten service. In one of my article I also collect some opinions what people say.
Today, I realize that some URL Shorteners may provide us advance URL shorten service. After search on Google, I find a post from +Brankica Underwood.
Here is his original post.
You probably heard of bit.ly as one of the most popular URL shorteners and you've probably used it some. But wouldn't it be cool if you had your own custom URL shortener!?
Something like http://brankica.me/oisblog
Well that is easy and I will show you how to do it in less than a minute!
First, you will need a domain name you will use as a shortener. I used the brankica.me I scored a few days ago. You can use anything, just make sure it is not some long domain name. For example, if I was a Canadian citizen, I would have bought branki.ca.
So think of variations you can use, your blog name shortened, etc. I decided to go with my name because I want to use it for all of my sites and social media and I thought it sounds cool (plus I could not think of something short and cool).
When you get the domain name, go to bit.ly and log in. Go to Settings and then Advanced.
Once there, choose the link in this option at the top of the page:
It will be tiny bit different for you (mine is already set up). Click on the link and in the next window you will be able to add the URL you want to use as your custom shortener.
When you add it, hit the button and bit.ly will give you a number you need to put in your domain name DNS record, instead of the one you already have there. It won't be hard, when you look at your domain info, there is only one number that looks similar – replace it with the one bit.ly gave you. Save changes.
Go back to bit.ly and click Verify so they can see if it is working. It took me literally about a minute to set this all up!
When you are done, make sure your new URL is set up as a default like mine is in the image above.
Shorten your links now, you are done!
Why would you do this?
Well besides the links being pretty, they can help you in branding. People notice small things like these, I know I notice every time someone has a custom URL. So why not, it will only cost you the domain name, and if you have some, it may not cost you anything.
The bit.ly service is free for this so why not use it
Just reminder: before following the instruction, there is something you should know:
1.You need to have your own domain
2. You have permission to alter its DNS records.
3. Provide your personal phone number, and one of bitly customer services will contact you.
