If you have a Facebook page for your business, have you got a “Vanity” address for it? Up until recently you had to have 25 fans before you could apply but now you can select one at setup, though it would seem that for existing pages you still require 25 fans.
What is it?
Instead of the default address which looks like this:
www.facebook.com/pages/realpointgroup/1234567890
you get to choose the bit that goes after Facebook.com so it can look like this:
www.facebook.com/realpointgroup
Why get one?
- Easy to remember
- Easy to add to electronic or printed literature
- More difficult to mistype
Things to think about
Once you select your new address you can’t change it, so:
- Make sure you type carefully and triple check it before clicking OK!
- That it is suitable for long term use; you can’t change your mind tomorrow.
- That from hearing it to typing it will be straightforward; no clever or unexpected spellings
In effect it is very like choosing a domain name. Many of the same issues apply, so think through the selection in the same way.
How to get one
If you are setting a new page up from scratch you can now select an address as part of the creation process. If you’re looking to update an existing page then just go to:
http://www.facebook.com/username
Select the page you wish to create your vanity address for and then enter the name you want to use, click ‘check availability’ and all being well you’re good to go! You can also create a vanity address for your personal profile there.
Problems you can face
- Someone is already using your ideal address
- Your name contains a well know brand name, which can be on a protected list and is therefore prevented from being used in a vanity URL
- Your ideal username is a “generic” word which is on Facebook’s denied list.
If this is the case and you feel that you have a valid case for the address you’ve chosen then you can contact Facebook, more information is available in Facebook’s help section or file a username infringement complaint.
Of course if you want any help with this or need to know more about how to make best use of Facebook for your business then you know who to call. We also run Social Media training courses, which include Facebook, if you would like to know more about how to use Facebook more effectively for marketing your business.