The 3 best URL shortening services

Twitter has been instrumental in increasing the popularity of URL shortening service, such as TinyURL. However, many offer more than just a shortening service. Here's our 3 favourite URL shortening services that offer more.

After all, the help ensure users of the micro-blogging service can say what they want to and share URLs without exceeding the 140-character limit.
Simply copy a link, paste it, click, and you've got a URL to share with your Twitter followers. A URL shortener is a simple, no-frills tool.
Now though, URL shortening services are drawing a new crowd of users who aren't necessarily interested in just saving space on Twitter - users including bloggers curious about who's linking to their sites and businesses interested in tracking their social media efforts.
A number of URL shortening sites have added or are adding new features ranging from detailed analytics about who's clicking your links and geographically where they're coming from, to features that 'unmask' shortened URLs - so you know where a link will bring you before you click.
The tools also provide easier ways to shorten and Tweet, without leaving the web page you're viewing.
Here are our top three picks for URL shortening services that do more than save space.

Bit.ly

Cli.gs

Idek.net

More on pcadvisor (by Kristin Burnham)