A Facebook “Vanity URL” is a custom URL that you can assign to your personal profile or any of your Facebook Pages. By default, the URL of your profile or page will be a random string of numbers, such ashttp://facebook.com/pages/page-name/123456789. But you can change this URL to be more professional and SEO friendly, like http://facebook.com/page-name. It’s just not so obvious how to go about updating your Vanity URL.
Why Create a Facebook Vanity URL?
There are several reasons why you should create a vanity URL for both your personal profile and your business page.
- Increase your Facebook page’s SEO value. Not only will your brand’s website rank well for when your company name is used as a search query, but your Facebook page will appear as well.
- Make your page easier to find. Facebook users will be able to find your Facebook page by simply typing http://facebook.com/company-name in their URL bar.
- Make your page more professional-looking.
- Make sure nobody else swipes your company name as their Vanity URL!
How to Create a Vanity URL for your Facebook Profile
1. Visit http://facebook.com/username
2. Choose or create a username for your profile. You can choose from one of the suggestions Facebook provides based on your name, or you can create your own.
3. Click “Check Availability” button
4. Confirm your Vanity URL choice.
How to Create a Vanity URL for your Facebook Page
Before creating a Vanity URL for your Facebook page, you must create a Vanity URL for your personal profile. If you have not already done so, then follow the instructions above first. Also, you cannot create a Vanity URL for your Facebook page until your page has at least 25 “likes”.
1. Visit http://facebook.com/username
2. Select the page you want to create a Vanity URL for from the dropdown all all pages you administer.
3. Choose the business name for your Vanity URL. It’s best to simply choose your business name. Because you cannot change or edit a Vanity URL (yet… it’s rumored that you will be able to update your Vanity URL soon), make sure it’s a name you’d want associated with your business for the long-haul.
4. Click Check availability.
5. Confirm your Vanity URL choice.
Remember that you can only create a Vanity URL if your page has at least 25 names; this is to prevent name squatting (just like URL squatting). If your company name has already been taking, you can fill out Facebook’s form: Notice of Intellectual Property Infringement.
