A shortened link is like a good haircut. It’s neat, it’s tidy, and it just looks so much better. Not only are shortened links easier to share, but they also look way more appealing.
Plus, they save a lot of room when you’re dealing with character limitations, like on Twitter.
And speaking of Twitter, did you know? Twitter’s character limit was originally set to 140 to match the length of a text message. Wild, huh? (Fun Fact #1)
You might be wondering, “Can I change the Google Drive URL?” Short answer, yes, you can.
In a manner of speaking, we’re not changing the actual URL but creating a neat and tidy “nickname” for it, sort of like when “Benedict Cumberbatch” becomes “Benny” among his friends.
Method 1: Using Google’s Built-In Shortener
Imagine we’re in the world of Harry Potter and have our own invisibility cloak. That’s what Google’s built-in shortener does to your long, unruly Google Drive link. It hides all the messy parts and gives you something clean and straightforward to work with.
Step-by-Step Guide
Here’s the easy guide on turning your Google Drive link from a dragon to a friendly house-elf!
- Open your Google Drive: Fire up your Google Drive, locate the file or folder you want to share, and click on it. We’re off to Hogwarts, folks!
- Get a shareable link: Right-click on the selected file or folder, then click “Get shareable link”. A long link will pop up, which will probably look as complicated as casting the “Wingardium Leviosa” spell correctly!
- Shorten the link: Click on “Copy link”, then head over to the magical Google URL shortener, which you can find at goo.gl. Paste your long link into the box and hit “Shorten URL”. And voila! You’ve got a neat, compact link with no magic wand required.
Fun Fact #2: The Google URL shortener was first introduced back in 2009! So, it’s been helping folks tidy up their links for well over a decade. Cool, huh?
Method 2: Utilizing Bitly
Next up in our journey through the land of link shortening, we arrive at Bitly town. Bitly is like the Swiss Army knife of link-shortening tools. Not only does it shorten your link, but it also provides analytics so you can see how your link is performing.
Pretty nifty, right? So, “How do I shorten a Google Drive link with Bitly?” you might ask. Let me walk you through it!
Step-by-Step Guide
- Copy your Google Drive link: Just like in our last adventure, you’ll start by getting the shareable link from your file or folder in Google Drive.
- Visit Bitly: Head on over to Bitly’s website. It’s a cool place with many gadgets and gizmos to help you.
- Paste and shorten: In the “Shorten your link” box, paste your Google Drive link, then click “Shorten”. Just like that, your link is shortened! It’s as easy as flipping a pancake.
- Customize (optional): Want to rename your link? Click “Edit” and give your link a catchy new name. It’s like giving a pet a name, only without the fur and cute eyes!
