Vanity URLs are Coming to Facebook!

Finally, on June the 13th at 12.01 EDT, we will have the option of choosing our own vanity URL for our Facebook name. This will affect both personal profiles, so I’ll be able to change mine from:

http://www.facebook.com/id=654612384

to something like:

http://www.facebook.com/kate.reuvers

So the random sequence of numbers which was my URL, can now be changed to easily recognisable words. This will apparently make it easier for friends and family to find me. Excellent.

The good news for brands is that this change is not going to be limited to profiles, so pages will also be able to be named. From a branding perspective this is an opportunity that should be actioned immediately, as it will not only make your brand easier to find, but will also stop spammers from taking and trying to use your brand.

How to Name Your Page:

Naming your page is easy. Simply go to the Facebook Username page and select the username you want. According to the Facebook blog this name has to be longer than 5 alphanumberic characters in length, and the only character allowed is a full stop.

So I would personally choose either:

http://www.facebook.com/kate.reuvers or

http://www.facebook.com/katereuvers

depending on which was available. They are on a first come first serve basis so it’s important to get in quick and grab the name you’re after.

There are a few important factors to keep in mind when selecting the name for your page:

1) Choose your profile/page name carefully as this cannot be changed later down the track. 
2) Is your brand global? If so, from a usability perspective, it may be better to regionalise the names. So if I was the brand Coke, I would potentially use either http://www.facebook.com/coca.cola.australia or http://www.facebook.com/coke.australia
3) You can protect your name if it’s trademarked by visiting this page

4) If you only have a new Facebook account (as of the 31st of May) you may not be able to register your name immediately as Facebook is attempting to prevent squatters.

So set that alarm clock for June the 13th and be ready to grab your name! And if you have any questions about the Facebook Username changes check out their FAQ’s.

Tags: brand management, brand reputation, Facebook, social media, URLs