Does your Facebook page’s URL look something like this?
www.facebook.com/My-Facebook-Page/303188632181849
By default, your Facebook page’s URL is made up of your page’s name plus a long number. If you want to put the URL on your business card, or spell it out over the phone, this is obviously not ideal.
The good news is that you can create a custom URL (sometimes called a “vanity URL”) with a username and no number, like this:
www.facebook.com/myfbpage
If you want to learn that then welcome to my guide on changing your Facebook page URL. I’ll take you through the process step by step, showing you how to create a unique web address for your Facebook page. A custom URL not only gives your page a more professional appearance, it also enhances your brand’s recognition on Facebook. So let’s get started.
What Exactly is a Custom URL?
A custom URL is a unique web address for your Facebook page. Instead of the default series of random characters assigned by Facebook, a custom URL is a unique and memorable link that reflects the identity of your page.
Step-by-Step Guide to Changing Your Facebook Page URL
If you haven’t already done so, the first thing you need to do is create a Facebook page. Once that’s done, you can start the process of creating a custom URL. Here’s how I do it:
- Check My Page’s Eligibility: I open my page’s settings and go to the “Username” section to see if my page is eligible for a custom URL.
- Ensure I Meet Facebook’s Criteria: If my page is eligible, I make sure it meets Facebook’s requirements for a custom URL. This could involve having a certain number of likes, being active for a certain period, and following Facebook’s community guidelines.
- Go to the “Username” Settings: I go to my page’s settings, click “Edit Page Info”, and look for the “Username” section.
- Choose a Custom URL: I pick a URL that represents my brand or business clearly and succinctly. I try to avoid using too many hyphens or random characters to keep it simple and easy to remember.
- Save My Custom URL: Once I’ve chosen my custom URL, I click “Check Availability” to make sure it’s unique. If it is, I save the changes, and I have my new custom URL.
How I Change My Existing Custom URL
I can change my existing custom URL by following a similar process:
- Go to the “Username” Settings: I open my page’s settings and find the “Username” section.
- Check if I Can Change My URL: Before changing my URL, I check if my page is eligible for a URL change according to Facebook’s rules.
- Request a New Custom URL: If I’m eligible, I enter my preferred custom URL and click “Check Availability”. If it’s available, I save the changes, and my page has a new custom URL.
- Confirm and Save the Changes: After I’ve chosen and checked the availability of my new custom URL, I save the changes. My page’s URL is then updated. Make sure you’re happy with your username (and double-check the spelling) before confirming it. Once you’re sure you’re happy, click “Confirm”. Your old URL will redirect to the new one, so you don’t need to worry about updating your previous links.
Solving Common Problems I Encounter
Here are some common issues I’ve faced when trying to set a custom URL:
- Eligibility: If my page isn’t eligible for a custom URL, I focus on increasing my page likes and engagement.
- Availability: If my preferred URL isn’t available, I think of other options that still reflect my page’s identity.
- Conflicting URLs: If there’s a conflict with my desired URL, I try to come up with unique variations or I contact Facebook support for help.
How I Make the Most of The Custom URL
After I’ve secured my custom URL, here’s how I maximize its benefits:
- Promote My Page: I share my custom URL through my marketing channels, like my website, email newsletters, and other social media platforms.
- Brand Consistently: I make sure my custom URL aligns with my overall brand strategy.
- Track Performance: I use Facebook Insights or other analytics tools to measure the impact of my custom URL on page performance.
It only takes a couple of minutes to secure your custom URL, so do it today if at all possible: the longer you delay, the higher the chance that someone will take the username that you want!
I have just tried for a new page I created days ago and according to Facebook, “your page needs at least 25 fans to have a web address”.
I just got the one for google plus after 10 fans… So pls edit your post
@Shawn – I know, I was totally shocked 😛
@Shahzad – Hey, you’re one step ahead of us! 🙂 I actually have a couple of guest posts in the works from an SEO expert who can cover more advanced topics with us — we’re planning to have one about the Google Hummingbird algorithm changes, for instance.
Are there any bloggers you’d like us to bring on board, or any particular topics you’d like us to cover? I’m really open to suggestions! You can reach me at [email protected] if you’d rather email than leave a comment.
(That goes for everyone, not just Shahzad, obviously; please do send your suggestions in.)
@Mariusz – glad this helped!
Thank, I had a lot of problems finding this since Facebook changed a lot in their interface. Thats very helpful.
Hi Ali,
Was expecting a strategy change since you guys conducted the survey.
How about accepting solicited guest posts like ProBlogger does instead of just being you and Daniel? It would be better if you could bring and publish some expert voices here. How about weekly case studies??
Like the name DBT suggests, we are daily readers here not occasional 🙂
@Ali – Leave it to Facebook to make big changes and not tell anyone about it – LOL! 😀
Thanks folks!
@Shawn — I don’t think it’s been very well publicised.
@Shahzad — Our survey showed we’ve got a mix of beginners and much more advanced readers, so we’re aiming for a good balance of posts! We’re still tweaking the balance so maybe it’s not quite right yet.
Are there any specific more advanced topics you’d like us to cover? We’re very open to suggestions.
Hmm,
This week DBT has been publishing very basic posts focusing on beginners. Is this a part of the new strategy of DBT?
Thank you so much for creating this post, Ali! I had no idea that Facebook lifted the 25-likes requirement! I have a lot of pages on there that need their own custom url. 🙂
I want to say thank you about the wonderful post, really helpfull
Cheers 😉
Now a days, it is so simple to create a Facebook vanity url. Thanks for sharing the step by step guide.
I used to grab pretty URLs for all my Facebook Pages years ago. But that was long ago before this new update…
Recently, I had the chance of using Pretty URLs in my Google+ Account and Page too. Hope Google will not charge for those URLs in the future.