Here is a selection of redirection services. What is a redirection service? These allow you to create a "better" domain name (usually a subdomain within a domain name) than the one you've got. Thus, you could create "clickto.com/internettips" or "internettips.clickto.com" or something like that.
Why would you want to do this? Perhaps your site is hosted on a free server with a URL such as "http://www.hostingcompany.com/ user/silconvalley/ab546/index.asp". This is very difficult for your visitors to remember so you could use a redirection service to make it easier.
Why do these companies provide free redirection services? Because they want to sell advertising, of course. In return for the service, your visitors will be shown an ad in one of the following ways (depending upon the service terms and conditions).
- In a pop up window when the page loads
- On a delay page that appears before the user is redirected to your page
- You can choose a position on your page that you would like to place the banner
- A 88x31 button somewhere on your page
- A banner on top of your page.
There are some good reasons NOT to use this kind of service, however.
- The names are usually considered "tacky" or unprofessional by many people.
- You must show additional advertisements to use the services, or pay to remove the ads. If you are going to pay, why not just get a domain name?
- The search engines really frown on these domain names, since they are often used in attempts to spam the search engines (by making a site look like two or more sites and thus getting listed more often).
- Since the companies are usually advertising based, they tend to be unstable. Thus, you could heavily promote the redirected URL only to find it suddenly gone.
Some popular redirection services are listed below.
Atmypage http://www.atmypage.com/ These guys will give you "you.atmypage.com" in return for an advertisement in your choice of format.
BeamTo http://beam.to/index.asp BeamTo offers "you.beamto.com" in return for an ad.
Bravenet Web Services http://www.bravenet.com/ Offers the following redirected URLs: clix.to, clik.to, wakeup.to, trax.to, trak.to, get-me.to, takeoff.to, dear.to, slingshot.to, destined.to, devoted.to, committed.to, continue.to, embark.to
Short URL http://www.shorturl.com/ Provides the URLs listed below. All you need to do is include a small 88x31 button on your site. You may choose one of the following URLs: you.shorturl.com, you.2ya.com, you.vze.com, you.filetap.com, you.mirrorz.com, you.alturl.com, you.spyw.com, you.funurl.com
Unless otherwise noted, all photos and text is Copyright © Richard G Lowe, Jr.