Security. If the shortener you use gets hacked, your existing links could end up pointing to different destinations and could perpetrate phishing attacks on would-be visitors to your site. Branding.

I host my own URL shortener, and while it may seem niche, it has its uses.

You can shorten a URL by using an URL shortener website, which will shrink your URL for free. Popular link shorteners on the internet include Bitly, TinyURL, and Rebrandly. You'll need a premium ...