Why Google sunsetting goo.gl shortlinks isn’t as bad as it sounds

Ah, Google. Making headlines once again for adding yet another service to the famed Google Graveyard. This time around, it’s the goo.gl URL shortener that is now set to stop working on August 25th, 2025. As always, the web is abuzz with discontent: many decrying Google’s penchant for “killing” useful tools. But this time around, is the outcry really justified? Not so much in my opinion.

How we got here

Google first announced the deprecation of goo.gl back in 2018, giving users a generous 7-year heads-up before pulling the plug. In 2019, new link creation and analytics stopped, signaling the beginning of the end. Fast forward to today, and we’re just a year away from goo.gl links becoming obsolete.

So, the real question must be asked: is 7 years enough time to transition away from a service that many have come to rely on? I’d argue that it’s a reasonable timeframe, allowing individuals and businesses ample opportunity to update their links and find alternatives. Others contend that 7 years is still too short, particularly for those who heavily utilized goo.gl for marketing or tracking purposes, but I’d simply have to disagree.

Time to move on

Let’s face it: Google, like any other company, has the right to discontinue free products and services that no longer align with their business goals. In this case, it really feels like they’ve provided ample warning and there are countless other (better) alternatives that have been available for years at this point.

I get it. The Google Graveyard is a thing for a reason and it is understandable to feel frustrated when a solid tool is taken away. But it’s important to remember that change is inevitable and if Google had taken this away with just a year’s worth of warning, I’d be crying foul alongside those of you who feel slighted. But 7 years? I think that’s plenty of time to have moved away from these links – even if it is a pain in the butt to recreate them.

I highly doubt that my sentiments in this post will help anyone be less angry about all of this, but I assure you I was pretty aggravated when I first saw the headlines. My first thought was here we go again. But once I actually researched this (we don’t really use goo.gl links) and realized they made this move quite clear 6 years ago, stopped new links from being made 5 years ago, and are still giving users another year to prepare, my outrage vanished. We have enough to be angry about in our world. My hope is the facts around this particular frustration help you be upset about one less thing today.