UPDATE TO THIS POST SEPTEMBER 16, 2011: HOT NEWS – You can get a Facebook Page Custom URL WITHOUT 25 Likes! Just follow the steps I outline below! Continue reading…
I know this may seem basic, but it surprises me how many people who own a small business and are on Facebook don’t know that you can choose a short personalized or branded username for their Personal and Business Pages.
So what does this mean? Instead of having a ridiculously long and ugly default Facebook URL that ends in a bunch of random numbers, and is impossible for anyone to remember, you can choose a short, snappy name that is easy to share, easy for people to remember and easy to be used in your marketing communications, company website and business cards.
For example, when I set up my new Facebook Business Page, the default URL was http://www.facebook.com/pages/Yasmin-Bendror-yMarketingMatters/128432310505075
OMG! So long and cumbersome to give to anyone! I changed it to yMarketingMatters – so the URL is now http://www.facebook.com/yMarketingMatters. Much, much better, right?
I changed the long default URL for my Personal Page too. It is now http://www.facebook.com/yasmin.bendror
CAVEAT #1: For a Business Page, you have to have 25 “fans” or “likes” to claim your special username. These are Facebook rules!
CAVEAT#2: Once you choose your username for your Business Page, you CANNOT change it and it is NOT transferable. So think carefully! For a Personal Page, you CAN change your username, but only ONCE (from the Settings tab of your Account Settings page, scroll down to “Username” and click “change”, then follow the on-screen directions).
(Also, usernames are available only for Facebook Personal profiles and Business Pages. You cannot claim a username for a group or event)
If you are an administrator of a Facebook Page, you will be able to choose your username at http://www.facebook.com/username. Its easy, just follow the directions.
Consider the following when creating a username for your Personal or Business Page:
- Create a username that is as close as possible to your personal name or business name
- Usernames can only contain alphanumeric characters (A-Z, 0-9) or a period (“.”)
- Choose a username you will be happy with for the long term, think carefully
- Check spelling before you hit “OK”
FYI: When an account is removed from the Facebook, its username is not be made available again!
See how easy it is? So go ahead, and get rid of that long ugly URL, and get a sexy short one – TODAY!
Don’t hesitate to ask me a question about this via email, Twitter, Facebook, or leave a comment right below!
Happy Marketing!
Yasmin
Hello Yasmin, I read your blog on FB user names. Question: If I change a client’s user name for their business page, do I have to tell the client to contact their FB contacts that the FB URL has changed? This question has been an on going debate at our office…your answer is much appreciated! Jan.
Hi Jan,
Thanks for your comment! No, not at all, you do not have to tell your FB users that your URL has changed. It’s transparent to your fans on your business page and your friends on your personal page. They will still stay connected to your business page or personal page once you change the URL.
I hope this helps. Let me know if you need anything else on the socia media front. Best Yasmin
Hello Yasmin, I have a weird problem. We set up a vanity page (user name) for a client and the link was to be used on their website, linking from the FB icon on the site…to their page.
Something like: http://www.facebook.com/clientusername However, upon clicking the link, the url appears briefly in the address bar of the browser, then quickly switches over to the facebook login url. Any ideas? Thank you! Jan