What is goo.gl?

The Google URL Shortener at goo.gl is a service that takes long URLs and squeezes them into fewer characters to make a link easier to share, tweet, or email to friends. For example, the short URL goo.gl/ggmi is a convenient shorthand representation for the long URL theme10.com/google-url-shortener-goo-gl-and-wordpres-plugins.

goo.gl Features

Goo.gl short URLs are randomly generated, and the mappings of short URLs to long URLs are publicly accessible. Additionally, the short URL to long URL mappings are:

• Immutable – once created by you, no one else can change them
• Irrevocable – once created, they do not expire. Note, however, that Google reserves the right to remove any goo.gl short URL, for example for spam, security or legal reasons

Why use the Google URL Shortener?

People share a lot of links online. This is particularly true as microblogging services such as Twitter have grown in popularity. With character limits in tweets, status updates, and other modes of short form publishing, a shorter URL leaves more room to say what’s on your mind.

goo.gl primary goal in making this service publicly available to all users is to harness Google’s global production infrastructure to provide users with the following benefits:

• Stability – reliable service with good uptime
• Security – warning message if the short URL points to a suspected malware, phishing, or spam website
• Speed – fast resolution of short URLs (in a few milliseconds)

How do I use the Google URL Shortener?

Go to goo.gl and paste the long URL you wish to shorten into the input box at the top of the page. Click “Shorten” and to the right of the box you’ll see a short goo.gl URL that can be copied and pasted anywhere you’d like to share it.

If you’d like to track the analytics of your shortened URL, please sign in to your Google Account before shortening your URL. Your shortened URL will automatically be added to your goo.gl history.

WordPres Plugins for goo.gl

If you are blogger who use WordPress, there are two WordPress plugins which can let you generator goo.gl short url for your WordPres blog.

Googl Generator

Googl Generator Returns short URL based on Goo.gl using Matthew Flaschen web service. It can return the short URL as text, link, input type or a QR Code.

goo.gl URL Shortener for WordPress

goo.gl URL Shortener for WordPress allows you to publish links in your posts or comments using goo.gl short URL service. With [goo.gl="name"]link[/goo.gl] or [goo.gl]link[/goo.gl] in your posts. In comments, you donot have to write such special codes. wp-goo.gl will change the links automatically. The cURL functions must be available on your server. WARNING: This plug-in will permanently change your input link!

Browser Extension for goo.gl

Chrome Extension

goo.gl URL Shortener is an Chrome extension which allows you to shorten the current website URL with the new Google URL Shortener service goo.gl/

Firefox add-on

goo.gl lite is a simple Firefox extension which can let you use Goo.gl, Google’s URL shortener. After installation, right-click your Firefox toolbar, click “Customize”, and drag the Goo.gl button to a toolbar. Clicking it will make a goo.gl URL and copy it to your clipboard.

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