Techy? Sometimes. Funny? Often. Relevant? Always.

A group of investors just poured $2 million into bit.ly, the second-most popular URL shortening service after TinyURL.com. These services take long URL’s and condense them in really short URL’s (bit.ly/3ScBfd). This URL shortening business is turning into a real business. It’s cool and it’s necessary to maximize services like Twitter, but is it good for the Internet?

Besides shortening URL’s,  some services let you track clicks to see how far your URL has spread. Since sharing URL’s with friends is the oldest and most popular form of viral activity on the internet, these services are pretty addictive.

There is a dark side.There are some very definite drawbacks to using a shortener. Think before you shorten. Here are my principles for URL shortening:

1. Make sure it is reliable. URL shorteners add one more level to a very complex world wide web. Without a shortener, you already need your ISP, browser, DNS, and the website to work instantly (I know, Jared, I’m oversimplifying). When you add a shortener to that equation, you increase the number of potential points of failure. Choose a shortener that is here to stay and passionate about reliability. If you’ve created a bunch of links and your shortener of choice decides to shut down or loses its database, you’re in big trouble. Worse yet, the very fiber of the Internet begins to break down because the fundamental hyperlink is broken! See why I worry about shorteners?

2. Make sure it uses 301 redirects. This tells search engines the short URL is a “permanent redirect” to the long URL which gives the original (long) URL credit for the shorter redirected link. Many shortening services use a 302 redirect code — thus telling the search engine it is a “temporary redirect.” Search engines won’t credit your original (long) link when a shortener is using a 302 redirect. As we all know, link popularity is key in your SEO campaign. Search Engine Land gives a great analysis of which shorteners use which redirect code.

3. Make sure it doesn’t use a frame. Some URL shorteners (such as TwitPWR.com, Digg’s new Diggbar and others) don’t send you to the original website. Instead they display the original website in a frame surrounded by their own junk. This is a personal pet peeve of mine. It is bad for the user and breaks down the fundamental framework of the internet since you can’t even see the original URL. This is bad. Very, very bad.

It remains to be seen if shorteners are good for the Internet as whole. However, if we each carefully consider our use of them, we can avoid many of the pitfalls. Please, please, think before you shorten. The Internet thanks you.