There are cases where URL shorteners are useful. E.g. some websites would parse a link you embed within a text you post and replace it with the actual video if

There are cases where URL shorteners are useful. E.g. some websites would parse a link you embed within a text you post and replace it with the actual video if that's a link to YouTube. A shortener may be the only way to post a classic hyperlink to a YouTube video there. Shortened URLs may also help when you need to put them on paper/merchandise or on TV or say them in a voice call. That's sad goo.gl has been discontinued - it was what you could rely on. IMHO archive.org should make their own.