What Happened to goo.gl? Why the Shutdown Still Matters

If you’ve been online for more than a few years, you probably remember Google’s URL shortener: goo.gl. Fast, simple, and backed by Google’s infrastructure, it was the go-to choice for sharing tidy, trackable links across the web.

But in 2018, Google began to divert resources from the service. First, new users were locked out. Then, in 2019, all link creation was disabled entirely. The final blow will come in August 2025, when most goo.gl links will stop working altogether. For millions of marketers, educators, publishers, and developers, this means something worse than inconvenience — it means link rot.

What Is Link Rot?

Link rot is what happens when a hyperlink stops working. It may lead to a 404 page, redirect to the wrong place, or simply time out. Over time, as platforms shut down, pages get deleted, or domains change hands, the links embedded in old emails, PDFs, tweets, blog posts, and documentation slowly decay.

For goo.gl users, link rot isn’t hypothetical — it will be a direct hit:

• Marketing campaigns with goo.gl links will lead nowhere.
• Old QR codes will no longer resolve.
• Archived documents, reports, and educational materials will lose their references.
• Codebases and apps will break where links were hardcoded.

Even after Google fully shutters goo.gl, shortened URLs created by Google apps will still function for now. But relying on that stability is risky. Google has a track record of quietly discontinuing products, and even their previously-recommended alternative, Firebase Dynamic Links, wasn’t spared—they’re also being phased out in 2025. This pattern leaves developers and marketers in the lurch, especially those who depend on reliable link infrastructure.

Why the goo.gl Shutdown Still Matters

The fall of goo.gl was more than just the end of a free tool. It was a wake-up call about what happens when large tech companies deprecate services. It taught teams a few painful lessons:

• Free doesn’t mean forever. Relying on a big-name service doesn’t guarantee long-term reliability.
• Short links need maintenance. A short URL is an abstraction layer — and like any layer, it needs upkeep.
• Link trust is brand trust. When a customer clicks your link and hits a dead end, they don’t blame Google — they blame you.

And for anyone who used goo.gl links in things like printed materials, SMS messages, or embedded software, there’s no easy fix. The links are hard to track down and impossible to update.

What Can You Do About It?

Link rot isn’t going away — but you can future-proof your links.
There are a few smart practices you can adopt now:

• Use a dedicated link shortener that lets you update destinations.
• Consider a branded short domain you control.
• Track link activity so you know if something breaks or stops performing.
• Export and back up your links regularly.