# Twitter URL shortening service to raise funds for charities - Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2009/05/18/twitter-url-shortening-service-raise-funds-charities/ - Published: 2009-05-18T11:52:51+01:00 - Author: Howard Lake Online affiliate marketing company Skimlinks has launched a URL shortening service that will raise funds for selected charities.   The London company’s good.ly service allows you to shorten any URLs (links to web pages) that you might want to recommend on Twitter, Facebook, email, etc. If the recipient then makes a purchase having clicked on a shortened link, Skimlinks will pass on 55% of the commission it earns from the retailer to one of the three charities supported by Skimlinks. ## Advertisement   The company says on its [blog](http://blog.good.ly/2009/05/11/the-voice-of-good/2)“ the rest goes to the running costs of Good.ly, we promise!”   Shortening URLs is an essential element of sending messages via Twitter, given that users have a maximum of 140 characters in which to write their message.   Of course, [Skimlinks](http://www.skimlinks.com)‘ service only applies to links to shopping or transactional sites, so it works when an individual, charity or other social media user links to and recommends a particular book, CD, DVD, or other product or service for sale from a participating retailer.   Skimlinks will feature three beneficiary charities each month. They ask charities to contact them if they would like to be featured.   http://www.good.ly   | [Good_1242648320.ly](https://www.fundraising.co.uk/files/images/news/Good_1242648320.ly) | 4.6 KB | * **[Twollars – a Twitter based fundraising currency](https://fundraising.co.uk/2009/05/31/twollars-twitter-based-fundraising-currency/)**( 31 May 2009) * **[Computer Aid Twitterthon aims for 1,000 PCs donated in four hours](https://fundraising.co.uk/2009/06/12/computer-aid-twitterthon-aims-1000-pcs-donated-four-hours/)**( 12 June 2009) * **[Good.ly to donate 100% of income for 24 hours on #charitytuesday](https://fundraising.co.uk/2009/06/15/goodly-donate-100-income-24-hours-charitytuesday/)**( 15 June 2009)