Google’s Redirects to Cease Functioning for Billions of Users in 2022
In a significant move, Google has announced that its URL shortener service will stop serving completely on August 25, 2025. This decision will result in billions of redirected URLs to stop working after that date. Although Google stopped allowing users to create new redirects with this service back in March 2019, the impact of this decision is still significant.
The Google URL shortener service, also known as goo.gl, was initially launched in 2009 and has been widely used ever since. However, starting from August 23, 2024, users clicking on these redirected URLs will be greeted with an interstitial page notifying them that the link will no longer be supported after August 25th, 2025. This interstitial page will continue to be displayed until the shutdown date, after which all links served will return a 404 response.
The shutdown of goo.gl will have a major impact on the web as billions of these short URLs are still in use. According to Majestic, a third-party link tracking tool, there are currently 3.6 billion goo.gl links on the web, with a historical count of 36 billion. This means that countless websites and content will be affected by this change.
Glenn Gabe, an industry expert, shared a report from Majestic highlighting the scale of this change. He emphasized the need for website owners to update their links and advised reaching out to those who are linking to their content using goo.gl redirects to ensure a smooth transition. While it may be a daunting task to update all the links, it is crucial to maintain the integrity and accessibility of content on the web.
Google has provided additional details regarding this service shutdown. They mentioned that over time, the percentage of links showing the interstitial page will increase until the shutdown date. This is intended to help users track and adjust any affected links that need to be transitioned. However, it is important to note that the interstitial page may cause disruptions in the current flow of goo.gl links. For example, if other 302 redirects are used, the interstitial page may prevent the redirect flow from completing correctly. It may also affect embedded social metadata on destination pages, causing them to no longer show up where the initial link is displayed.
To mitigate these disruptions, Google advises transitioning these links as soon as possible. If the interstitial page is causing issues, users can suppress it by adding the query parameter “si=1” to existing goo.gl links.
The announcement of the goo.gl shutdown has raised concerns among website owners and marketers who heavily rely on URL redirects. It is crucial to ensure that all necessary adjustments are made before August 25, 2025, to prevent broken links and maintain a seamless user experience.
In conclusion, the impending shutdown of Google’s URL shortener service, goo.gl, will have a significant impact on billions of redirected URLs. Website owners and content creators are advised to update their links and transition away from goo.gl redirects as soon as possible to avoid disruptions. With about a year until the redirects completely stop working, it is essential to take action and ensure the continued accessibility of content on the web.
