Ow.ly is the native URL shortener built directly into Hootsuite, one of the most popular social media management platforms. While you can’t use Ow.ly as a standalone service, it’s an incredibly convenient and powerful tool for anyone who already uses Hootsuite to manage their social media presence. Its main advantage is its seamless integration into the social media scheduling workflow.

Key Features:

• Deep Hootsuite Integration: Shorten links directly within the Hootsuite composer as you write your social media posts. The process is completely integrated, saving you from having to switch between tabs.
• Automatic Analytics: When you shorten a link with Ow.ly, its performance is automatically tracked within Hootsuite’s analytics dashboard. You can easily see how many clicks your links are getting and measure the ROI of your social media campaigns.
• Link Security: Hootsuite actively monitors Ow.ly links to protect against malware and phishing, adding a layer of security for your audience.

Who is it Best For?

Ow.ly is the obvious choice for the millions of marketers and businesses who rely on Hootsuite for social media management. If you are already a Hootsuite user, there is little reason to use an external shortener for your social posts.

Pricing:

Ow.ly is included for free with all Hootsuite plans, both free and paid.

Limitations:

The biggest limitation is that Ow.ly cannot be used outside of the Hootsuite platform. It does not offer custom branded domains, and its analytics, while solid, are confined to the Hootsuite ecosystem.