If you haven't already, go create a Facebook Page for your business! With now over 1 billion monthly active users, Facebook is a powerful network to tap into to expand the online footprint of your business.
The next step in personalizing your business page is to get a username to create a vanity URL (customized web address). By default, your Facebook Page will get a randomly assigned number and URL, like facebook.com/pages/yourbusiness/123456789. But did you know that it's possible to customize your Facebook Page URL to something like facebook.com/yourbusiness?
Choosing a username is totally optional, but it adds an extra level of professionalism and gives you a shorter, more memorable web address for your business page. Don't hesitate -- you want to ensure that you get your business name before someone else does!
Here's How to Create a Facebook Page Vanity URL
1.) Visit facebook.com/username to walk through the wizard and choose the username for your vanity URL.
2.) Choose a username for your personal profile. Before choosing a username for any of your business pages, you must choose a username for your personal profile. If you don't have a personal profile yet, you'll need to create one. Facebook will give you a few suggested options based on your name. Select one of the suggested options or write out your own. Check the availability and confirm your choice.
3.) Choose a username for your business page. It's best to simply choose your business name. You are commiting to this username forever, so you want to make sure it will stick with you as your business grows and changes. If you have multiple pages, you can choose a username for each.
What Are the Requirements?
As you're deciding on your username, consider the following requirements from Facebook:
- Usernames can only include alphanumeric characters (A-Z, 0-9) or a period (.).
- You can only have one username per page.
- Your page must have at least 25 fans to establish a vanity URL. This is to prevent name squatting.
- Usernames are not transferrable or editable (so think carefully about your username choice!).
- Some generic words (such as "flowers" or "pizza") are not available.
- If your trademarked name has already been taken, you can notify Facebook of this intellectual property infringement.
- For more FAQ, check out the Facebook Help Center.
Have you created your Facebook Page vanity URL yet?
Image Credit: Cea.
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Steve Braund 8:54 AM on June 22, 2010
Very handy blog. I'd previously done this, but spent about an hour trawling through Facebook's non-user friendly help section trying to find out how to do it.
I think it's an absolute must for businesses!
Nathan King 8:56 AM on June 22, 2010
This is something I wish Facebook would display a link for on profiles and pages. Whenever I create a new page, I'm always searching their help section for that URL.
SARAH GOODALL 9:23 AM on June 22, 2010
Fantastic - thanks for sharing - keep the tips coming!
Mckinley Media Group 10:15 AM on June 22, 2010
Yes, facebook along with any other social media site is a must for companies. I don't understand why some companies are so resistant to social media sites. If CNN has one it's time for your company to have one.
Barrett 11:02 AM on June 22, 2010
Ugg. Make sure you spell it correctly. Anyone know if they will offer the ability to edit it if it is spelled wrong?
Amy 2:00 PM on June 22, 2010
What about "Group" pages, can a URL be set for those?
Tyson Smith 2:51 PM on June 22, 2010
I agree with Steve B., Vanity URL's for businesses are a "must.
Be careful, Barrett learned the hard way. From Facebook: "Think carefully about the username you choose for your Page as once it has been selected, you will not be able to change or transfer it." I don't know if that will change later on.
Dipankar 2:06 AM on June 23, 2010
I have a FB fan page with over 1,000 fans at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Singapore-Part-Time-Jobs/151363290844 and assuming that I create a vanity URL for the page. Will the old URL redirect automatically as most of my fans are accustomed to the old URL.
Ellie Mirman 8:38 AM on June 23, 2010
@Amy - I don't believe this is available to groups... yet. Facebook is doubling down on business and community pages and focusing less and less on groups.
@Dipankar - Yes, your original (long) url for your page will redirect to your vanity url once you set it up.
Chris 9:04 AM on June 23, 2010
Facebook is no longer allowing you to pick a business page URL. It might have to do with their recent plans to start charging for premium services.
Patti 9:15 AM on June 23, 2010
THANK YOU! I had been trying to set my business name and was frustrated that it would only set my personal page name. Now I know that I needed to do that one first! Phew! THANKS!
Dipankar 10:37 PM on June 23, 2010
Chris > I think there must be at least 100 fans (if I'm not wrong) before they allow vanity URLS.
Dipankar 10:42 PM on June 23, 2010
Chris > I was wrong, the page should have a minimum of 25 fans. See http://www.facebook.com/help/?page=900 wow, FB does hide its help pages doesn't it? :)
Dipankar 10:47 PM on June 23, 2010
Thanks Nobuhiko Shiga, now I've set my FB fan page's vanity URL as http://www.facebook.com/JobsSingapore and the previous URL http://www.facebook.com/pages/Singapore-Part-Time-Jobs/151363290844 does redirect.
I think another benefit of a vanity URL is that the ID of the fan page won't be apparent as it will no longer show in the URL.
Help Desk 1:01 AM on June 24, 2010
I plan to make a fan/business page in Facebook. Does this Vanity Url work with that too? It really does help with making short urls.
Marie 5:16 PM on June 24, 2010
Sometimes you don't wanna talk or even think about Facebook and it feels like it's taking all your time and ruining your life (I mean, like REAL life) but people still talk about Facebook so you can't really get away from it. Honestly, do you have a choice? And now behold: How to Create a Facebook Page Vanity URL. Wow! Who the heck has time for a vanity url? LOL
Marie
getonlinetx.com
vixenmedia.us
CapeTown Holidays 8:30 AM on June 25, 2010
Grr- what am I doing wrong?? I created a vanity URL for my page on FB. When I try to create a URL for my business page i keep getting this error message :
Usernames must be at least 5 characters long
I have tried all poosibl ecombimations of URl with and without the http://www, facebook.com but I can't get past this error message. Can anyone help??
Christian 1:29 PM on June 26, 2010
Getting the same message for a couple of days.
Nicole Thomas 2:03 PM on June 26, 2010
I am getting the same message! "Usernames must be at least 5 characters long" I've tried IE and FF - same thing.
Charissa 5:57 PM on June 26, 2010
I'm getting the same error message about the "5 characters..." when I'm also clearly typing in more than 5 characters. I found this blog during a google search for the error message. I already sent facebook help a message, but we all know it will take ages for them to reply. Hopefully they fix it soon!
Drawk Kwast 8:26 PM on June 26, 2010
Same error for me...
pakubhai 5:41 AM on June 27, 2010
Getting the same message for a couple of days.
Usernames must be at least 5 characters long
Charissa 8:57 AM on June 27, 2010
Yeah, Facebook. Let's fix this problem already!
Ellie Mirman 10:39 AM on June 27, 2010
Turns out this is a known bug and Facebook is working on it... in the meantime, some folks on the Facebook Help Forums have found a few tricks that work!
Try typing out the username, then delete it (the check availability button should turn grey) then retype the username.
You can follow the thread on Facebook here: http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=112858285417190&topic=171
Kuch 1:55 PM on June 27, 2010
I am seeing the same issue. Can somebody post here if Facebook fixes this issue?
Bonnie 8:11 AM on June 28, 2010
I tried retyping the username a few times (suggested by @Ellie Mirman) and it eventually worked. Thanks for the tip!
Marc 8:38 AM on June 28, 2010
I logged into facebook through Safari, went to facebook.com/username, typed in my username then deleted it and was able to enter it again and click save
Charissa 8:42 AM on June 28, 2010
Yes, thank you to Ellie. I tried it again last night as she mentioned. I typed out the name, erased it, clicked out of the box, typed again and hit enter. It worked fine with all three pages! I was using Google Chrome.
Margot 5:39 PM on June 28, 2010
Thanks! Been trying to figure this out for days! You would think Facebook would have this information somewhere in their Help.
Tim Ware 6:14 PM on June 29, 2010
I found a workaround for this for both IE 8 and Firefox and posted it on our blog: http://www.hyperarts.com/blog/facebook-usernames-must-be-at-least-5-characters-long-bug/. It worked for me personally, using the Firefox method.
CapeTown Holidays 10:34 PM on June 29, 2010
Thanks Lauren for the tip. Although using Firefox I had difficulty but I just kept persevering and suddenly I got it - http.facebook.com/horizoncottages.
We hope that it will improve our internet marketing campaign.