I’ve been using Twitter for awhile now, but just discovered a really cool tool that is so easy to use that a blonde like me could figure it out!

Shortening Links
Since you are limited to 140 characters on Twitter, why would you want to use so many characters on the URL of the link you are sharing? That’s what I said. So I noticed a lot of people were using tinyurl.com. I used that for several months, but then I discovered bit.ly.

Tracking Links
And that is where it is happening! I mean you can not only shorten the link, but you can watch in real time and see how many clicks you are getting and from where they come. I mean it will tell you what country they are from and if it is from Twitter, Facebook, or Friendfeed.

Getting Started
Anyway, here’s how easy it is to use. Open an account at bit.ly. Enter your Twitter address and password so you can Tweet it directly from bit.ly. Then, enter your long link and press “shorten.” It automatically goes into the Tweet box and you can write your text before or after it. Press “Send” and out it goes it into the Twitterverse. Now, scroll down the page and click on “info” beside your link which will now have a screen shot of your web page you linked to. Now, watch as your audience clicks!

I was amazed that I averaged 20 clicks per link I posted on Twitter. It really made me feel better about the amount of time I have spent on Twitter.

For the first time, I can track the effectiveness of Twitter for # of clicks per link posted. I can track my ROI.

Other Uses
But that is not all. You can also copy and paste the shortened URL and insert it in your emails, on your webpages, etc. and track them too. As a matter of fact, I will now shorten my bit.ly links posted here and track them!

So pull down a new tab in your brower, and get started at bit.ly.

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If you are looking for ways to attract more customers to your Twitter Page, then I highly recommend you download this FREE report called, Attraction Marketer’s Manifesto.