Remember when URL length wasn’t a big issue? Twitter changed that with character constraints on messaging (much appreciated btw @ev and @biz) but it was all about tinyurl.com. So the idea of a “shortlink” never really existed before twitter, but it was really changed the way we share and measure links. Then this “bit.ly” group came along and seemed to do the same basic service, but was faster with the API/browser extensions and their “PRO” product. They’ve also done soon cool stuff with maintaining dying shortURL services and opening up their pro service for free.
I saw a podcast from Bit.ly’s lead scientist, @hmason talk @ FOWA 2010, and it really blew me away with the information, real-time tracking and interesting stats that bit.ly tracks. Amazing stuff.
Google snatched Feedburner to own RSS feeds, measurement and monetization…isn’t bit.ly a similar strategic fit?
