Google entered the URL shortener game with it's own goo.gl to complete with the existing and thriving players like bit.ly and tinyurl.com. Twitter certainly provided a foundation for the shrunken URL game with the popularity of it's service, but there are other obvious outlets as well, which is immediately apparent as you see mini URLs posted on retail store windows and in magazines.
As goo.gl tries to refine it's service and build a stronger following, it has encouraged users to submit feedback. Recently it used feedback collected from it's forums to develop a number of new features, including:
- Easily copy to the clipboard: When you create a new mini URL, the new address will automatically be highlighted, allowing the user to simply CONTROL+C (copy) the content to their clipboard
- Remove old and wanted URLs from your dashboard to see only the most important addresses that you wish to track
- Report spam - Certainly the proliferation and acceptance of mini (disguised) URLs can provide a safe haven for SPAM and even worse security problems. Google has created a reporting center for policing violators: goo.gl/spam-report
- Speed: Google has been focusing on improving the speed of it's service and minimize latency