ow.ly

Trusted High Traffic Tranco #4,381

ow.ly operates primarily as a URL shortener, focusing on link shortening. OW.ly is a popular URL shortening service that allows users to create short, trackable links. It is operated by Hootsuite, a social media management platform, and is often used for sharing content on social media. It is operated by Hootsuite.

Industry Category

URL Shorteners

Services that create shortened URLs for easier sharing.

Related Topics

url shortenerlink managementsocial media toolshootsuite

Well Established

ow.ly is a well-established platform operated by Hootsuite. Top 100,000 global website, 17 years old. Standard web safety practices apply.

Top 100,000 global website17 years old

Security Considerations

While ow.ly is an established platform, these capabilities require extra vigilance.

URL Shortener

ow.ly converts URLs into short codes that hide the actual destination. Before clicking shortened links, use a URL expander tool or hover to preview where the link actually leads.

Remember: The platform itself is established, but even established platforms can be abused.

Related Security Guides

Learn about common risks for this type of website

Real-Time Investigation

Investigate a Specific URL

Run a live threat scan to detect phishing, malware, and suspicious content on any URL from this domain.

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Recent Threat Analysis

URLert analyzed recent scan activity for ow.ly and found 1 result.

Developer API

Integrate Domain Intelligence

Access this classification data programmatically via our API.

GET /api/v1/classify?domain=ow.ly
{
  "domain": "ow.ly",
  "confidence": "high",
  "category": {
    "purpose": "url_shortener",
    "specialization": "Link Shortening"
  },
  "identity": {
    "headline": "URL shortening service by Hootsuite",
    "summary": "OW.ly is a popular URL shortening service that allows users to create short, trackable links. It is operated by Hootsuite, a social media management platform, and is often used for sharing content on social media.",
    "operator": "Hootsuite",
    "parent_entity": null,
    "topics": [
      "url shortener",
      "link management",
      "social media tools",
      "hootsuite"
    ]
  },
  "functions": {
    "is_ugc_platform": false,
    "is_file_host": false,
    "is_url_shortener": true,
    "is_public_idp": false,
    "is_crypto_platform": false,
    "allows_user_subdomains": false,
    "is_form_builder": false,
    "is_document_host": false
  },
  "facts": {
    "registered_date": "2008-11-20T00:00:00Z",
    "rank": 4381,
    "hosting_provider": "AMAZON-AES"
  }
}

Hosting

AMAZON-AES

Registered

Nov 20, 2008

Last Updated

Jan 7, 2026

Domain data sourced from WHOIS, Tranco rankings, and URLert's classification engine.