Facebook Launch Vanity URLs

What is a ‘vanity url’ you might ask?! It is an opportunuity to have your name or some other clearer indicator of your public profile on Facebook. Up to now to give someone a direct link to your Facebook profile has involved some convoluted typing, lots of numbers and a very good memory on the part of both parties!

Other social media companies have allowed this all along, e.g. you can follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jododds. As you can see this is much easier to remember and type than a series of random number and letters. It will also help you to be found more easily by the seach engines.

As of 13 Jun 09, you can now log into Facebook to claim your vanity URL.

I’ve read a few blog posts over the weekend about well known internet marketers having their names ’stolen’ by cybersquatters who were waiting until a minute past the launch time to claim a name other than theirs to try and benefit from some of their popularity/traffic. This must be really frustrating and they sound like they are lobbying Facebook for some support in this. For us ‘mere mortals’ (!) I suppose the idea is to get on the case as soon as you can and claim the name that you want (it doesn’t have to be your actual name, but choose carefully as you can’t change it once it is set) before someone else does.

If you want to join me on Facebook, you can now find me with my new vanity URL – www.facebook.com/jododds. Don’t forget to claim yours.

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Tagged as: Facebook, Social media, Social Networking, twitter, Vanity URL