So, you’ve set up your Facebook Business Page and want to start actively promoting your Facebook presence; however, the default URL assigned to your page is a jumbled concoction of numbers and letters that no one will ever be able to remember.  If you have over 25 fans, you’re in luck!  You can register a username for your Facebook page and get a “vanity URL” to use in your marketing communications, on your company web site, business cards, and more.

What Is a Vanity URL?

A vanity URL is simply a short URL or domain name created to point to something that is related to or indicated in the name of the URL.  By specifying the vanity URL for your Facebook business page (e.g. Facebook.com/YourBusinessUserName), your new page URL becomes an extension of your brand and makes your page address easier to remember than a more random link.

Why Should You Register a Username for Your Facebook Page?

Now that you know you can, why wouldn’t you???  By registering a username for your Facebook business page, you can easily promote your business’ presence on Facebook with a shorter URL that is easier to remember and is consistent with your brand. Plus… registering your username allows you to claim a little piece of social media space as your own.

Registering a Username for Your Facebook Business Page

In Facebook, creating a Vanity URL for your business page is simple. If you’re the Admin for your Facebook business page and your Facebook business page has 25 or more fans, go to http://www.facebook.com/username. On this page you will see an option to set a username for your pages. Select the page you want to register a username for from the drop down menu and enter your selected name.  Here are some helpful tips to consider when selecting your username:

• Your Facebook username can only include numbers, letters, and periods – no hyphens or underscores.
• Facebook does not allow you to edit or transfer the username once you set it. So, make sure you are happy with the username you select before you finalize the registration.

A Real-World Example

Let’s examine our own Facebook business page to illustrate the relationship between your Facebook username and vanity URL.  When we set our username in Facebook, we used our full company name “chasmcommunications”.  Facebook then placed our unique username after the Facebook domain to create our vanity URL: http://www.facebook.com/chasmcommunications.
By using our company name – which is also our company URL (http://www.chasmcommunications.com) – promoting our Facebook business page is simple and intuitive for people.  And, on a side note, if you are reading this article and aren’t currently a fan of our Facebook page, we invite you to visit it (http://www.facebook.com/chasmcommunications) and become a fan. From time to time, we post tips, resources and inspirational designs on our page and would love to interact with you.

Interested in taking your Facebook business page to the next level?  Chasm Communications offers a comprehensive portfolio of Facebook Customization services, including custom designed Profile Pictures and custom Facebook iFrame tabbed pages to welcome visitors, highlight new products/services, build your e-mail list, and promote your brand.  Contact us to request a free consultation and see first hand how Chasm can help you design a robust user experience for your Facebook fans.