Bit.ly (the URL shortener that most people use on Twitter and Facebook) has raised $10 million more in startup funding and announced its links have been clicked 40 billion times! [Source]
Pretty cool how a simple service like this can catch on. Just imagine if they put an ad on every link, $$$$$.
well now that google is also entering in the same market we dont know if this could decrease the traffic of bit.ly
Well they have the power to be a monopoly so why shouldnt they after all they are here to earn profits too
Google's is better - interface is faster, and provides more information JMHO. Go to: Goo.gl and check it out. -e
probably google will take over in this area as i noticed bit.ly has been slow for me lately...either way, that's incredible.
How the hell are they making money ? Taking some percent of traffic or what ? I never understood that part
1. They collect a lot of statistics which is valuable to certain companies. They can sell that information (why do you think Google is making their own service - they want their own data). 2. They can set up premium and branded bit.ly services for big companies so you can have your own URL shortener with all the fancy bit.ly features, but that will cost money. So far they have not pushed very hard with making money and have focused on the product like many successful start-ups do.
That's cool that they focused on the product. It's like Facebook did - they stayed away from monetizing the site until it had a critical mass because they were so afraid of it not being "cool" anymore. Good job.
Yeah, it's like Google doesn't already have enough of our data. Still, I prefer bit.ly. Got used to it, I suppose.
bit.ly FTW. Google's is nice and it's integrated into their other stuff, but it's bare bones compared to what bit.ly offers.
that's pretty awesome. stories like this are what makes you work harder since anyone can build a site like that, really.