There are literally hundreds of URL shorteners out there on the interwebs, some claiming shorter URLs than the rest (but at the expense of expiring links), some with those annoying bars along the top, and others that just don't feel short enough. But there is one that is fast becoming the de facto standard for link shortening; Bit.ly

The service has been going from strength to strength over the past few months, and has exploded since being integrated as Twitter's standard URL shortening platform for tweets with long links in them. It is also the default service in TweetDeck and other clients as well.

One of the main reasons why the service is more useful than others though, is the data generated when a user simply clicks on a bit.ly URL, it enables publishers to keep a close eye on what's happening with their article across the social media spectrum.

There is also a growing scene using the API that Bit.ly provides, so developers can create even more functionality for the service.

Therefore, if you need a link shortened, RandomlyAccessed can highly recommend Bit.ly.