Overview

The Google URL Shortener at goo.gl is a service that takes long URLs and squeezes them into fewer characters to make a link that is easier to share, tweet, or email to friends. Users can create these short links through the web interface at goo.gl, or they can programatically create them through the URL Shortener API. With the URL Shortener API you can write applications that use simple HTTP methods to create, inspect, and manage goo.gl short links from desktop, mobile, or web.

Links that users create through the URL Shortener can also open directly in your mobile applications that can handle those links. This automatic behavior provides the best possible experience to your app users who open goo.gl links, no matter what platform or device they are on.

Get app deep links with the URL Shortener

The URL Shortener also offers the capability of having short links deep link to content in your mobile apps. In order for this to be enabled, you must integrate with App Indexing for Android and iOS. After integrating, any short link which redirects to a web link that you have provided to Google through App Indexing will open automatically in your native app for your users.

Once you've integrated with App Indexing and your deep links are enabled with goo.gl, you can integrate the URL Shortener API into your app or website's share flow to allow your users to share links that provide the best possible experience on every platform.