Link shortening turns a long web address into a short one. A product URL that runs to 120 characters becomes something like tiklagit.ac/summer — around 20.
The short address forwards visitors to the original page behind the scenes. From their side nothing changes: they click, they arrive.
Shortening buys you three things. It saves space where characters are limited, such as SMS or a social bio. It makes an address readable in print, where nobody would type out a long URL. Most importantly, it lets you measure clicks — something a plain link cannot do.