Short Url Expander Preview Tool
Use the Url Expander tool below to Preview where the final destination of that url is and where your web browser would go if you clicked the shortened url.
Simply enter the shortened url in the textbox below and click the Where the Link REALLY Goes To button.
Why does a URL get Shortened?
People use a short url service for a couple of different reasons.
Legitimate reasons people shorten a url:
- They want to insert the a really long link into an email address or some other application where they don't want the url to break/not work because it spans more than one line long.
- A shortened url is much easier and faster to type or even copy and paste than the original long url.
Semi-legitimate reasons people shorten a url:
- An affiliate marketer or someone else who is making money online who wants to hide the fact an affiliate link is an affiliate link.
Illegitimate reasons people shorten a url:
- The url points to a bad website which would end up leaving the computer of the receiver of the shortened url vulnerable to virus or trojan.
- The url that is redirected to contains tracking information, for example, the short url is in a spam email message. When you click the short url it notifies someone that the url was clicked in an email sent to you so they know your email is valid and will continue to spam you.
