FIU introduces new URL-shortening service

Create custom, manageable URLs at http://go.fiu.edu that make it easier to communicate with the university community.

Ever had a URL that was too long to put in a poster, Web site or email? Everyone has to scroll right/left in order to be able to read the entire link. Who’s going to remember your URL?

Ever tried to copy and paste a super long URL, only to have it break once you try to copy it? There’s way too much room for error.

FIU’s Web team has developed a simple, quick solution: GoFIU, a service that offers three alternatives to very long or multiple URLs creating shorter aliases that are more manageable, not to mention easier to copy and paste. Visitors are redirected from the tiny URL to the original long URL automatically.

In addition, GoFIU, an alternative to commercial services such as TinyUrl and bit.ly, provides FIU branding on the link.

GoFIU services include:

• shortening long URLs
• customized URLs
• URL bunches

Here’s how it works:

Shortening long URLs: plug in a long URL, for example, our Campus News section – http://newsarchives.fiu.edu/category/campus-news/college-and-school-news – and get something less messy and much more manageable – http://go.fiu.edu/1e2.

Customized URLs: Descriptive URLs rather than randomly generated addresses are also an increasingly popular and effective tool. GoFIU allows users to create custom, more meaningful aliases. For example, if someone in the College of Business Administration is planning a networking event, they could create a Web page and then shorten the link to http://gofiu.at/biznetworking.

URL bunches: Users can package multiple URLs together in an easy to navigate bunch. Professors, for example, can use this to provide their students with one address where they can access numerous links on a subject or assignment.

FIU’s URL-shortening service is free. Anyone can create a basic URL such as http://go.fiu.edu/1e2. To create a customized URL or to bunch, users must be FIU faculty/staff and log in using their My Accounts username and password.

In addition, users can edit, delete or renew their links as well as see basic stats such as the popularity of their shortened links.