Google’s URL Minimizing Service

URL shortening — a niche service that exploded into the mainstream along with Twitter — has suddenly become a hotly competitive market, with a handful of new offerings. Market leader Bit.ly, as well as TinyURL and scores of other smaller players, now have to contend with Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) and Facebook.
The Google URL Shortener (goo.gl) is currently available only in updated version of the Google Toolbar and FeedBurner.

Facebook reportedly is readying its own service for launch.
Bit.ly isn’t standing still; it just rolled out a new service called “Bit.ly Pro,” which allows publishers and bloggers to use their own short domain names to point to pages on their sites. As part of the initial beta program, Bit.ly is making custom URLs available to AOL, Associated Content, Bing, Clicker, The Daily Telegraph, foursquare, GDGT, Hot Potato, The Huffington Post, IGN, kickstarter, Meebo, MSN, /Message (Stowe Boyd), MTV Networks, The New York Times (NYSE: NYT), OMGPOP, Oneforty.com, The Onion, Slideshare, Someecards, TechCrunch, The Wall Street Journal Digital Network — which includes WSJ.com and MarketWatch.com — and blogger Baratunde Thurston.