A Vanity URL Makes Your Facebook Page Look Pro!

By default, the URL that your newly created Facebook Fan Page has assigned to it is a rather obnoxious looking combination of numbers and the page name.

It’s long, unwieldy, and cumbersome. Good luck trying to memorize it – you won’t manage!

So how do you go about magically turning that bugger into something fancy and memorable like: http://facebook.com/Ask.Kim?

Easy!

Let’s Set Up Your Facebook Fan Page Vanity URL!

First: You need to get 25 likes on your page. (Exception: If this is your very first fan page, you may be able to skip this. Facebook has been experimenting with removing this requirement for first time page owners.)

Second: Hop on over to http://facebook.com/username for the webform we will use.

It’s important to know that a “custom URL” is known as a “username” and also as a “vanity URL”. Don’t let these terms confuse you. They are all the same. They do not affect the name you log into Facebook with.

Third: Select your page name from the drop-down box.

Fourth: Enter your proposed url extension into the editable box to the right. Then click “Check Availability” to see if the url is available.

It’s important to know that you CAN use a “period” (.) in the Username to enhance readability. However, the period, while displayed in the address bar, is actually ignored. So the username of “Ask.Kim” is actually identical in functionality to “AskKim” and they both go to the same place. Type it in as you want it to display in the address bar of the browser when people arrive.

Fifth: Once you find one that is available, you will get a popup box with further details. When you are absolutely sure that this is the URL you want, click confirm and you’re done!

It’s important to understand that just because a URL does not seem to exist on Facebook does not mean it is – or ever will become – available. There is a chance that the page using it was deleted months prior and it MAY eventually return to the system. Usually this is the case. However, Facebook now claims they are not releasing URLs so there is no promise that the URL you want will ever be freed up.

You’re done!

Now, you have a brand spankin’ new sexy URL to use on your sites and elsewhere!

The original long URL will actually continue to work as it referenced your page by the page ID number.

You’re all set! Congratulations on your new vanity URL!

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