3 Reasons to Get a Custom Facebook URL for Your Page or Profile

A custom Facebook URL is a short and unique vanity username that you can choose to replace the long link that gets automatically assigned to you by default.

For example, what looks like this:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/the-name-of-your-page/the-id-number-facebook-gave-you/

Can look like this:

https://www.facebook.com/the.name.you.want/

Now if that isn’t enough to convince you, here are three more reasons that hopefully will:

1. It’s free and only takes a minute

You don’t have to buy anything, simply claim your custom username and a minute later it’s done!

(Note: Facebook may require your page to meet certain eligibility criteria like minimum activity or followers before allowing a custom username.)

2. It’s easier to remember

Well, this is pretty obvious. A short and meaningful username is much more memorable than a bunch of numbers. Also your custom username will fit on a business card or could easily be displayed in a video or image. It would also look more professional.

On the other hand, if you use the default Facebook URL, it would probably discourage most people from typing all those numbers just to get to your page or profile. Therefore it is really important to make it as simple as possible for your clients or fans to reach your page and for your friends to find your profile.

3. Secure your brand and/or your name

Often it happens that someone will claim lots of usernames, perhaps including yours, in the hopes of selling them for money. This is called “name squatting” or “cybersquatting”. Although Facebook has strict rules to prevent this type of issue, it can still happen occasionally. So why risk it? Better be safe than sorry!

There is also the fact that it is very likely that out of the 3 billion Facebook users at least a few have the exact same name as you. Facebook’s policy in this matter can be summed up as “first come, first served”. So hurry up!

(That said, Facebook now disables inactive or spammy usernames, which has reduced the risk of cybersquatting significantly.)

Alright, you convinced me! How do I get my custom Facebook URL?

Well it’s simple. Just go to https://facebook.com/ and reserve the username you have picked. It’s a pretty straightforward process, so all you have to do is go to facebook.com/username, log into your account, and follow the on-screen instructions to choose a username for your profile or page.

Remember, custom URLs on Facebook can only contain alphanumeric characters (A-Z, 0-9) or a period. No space or special characters allowed.

It is also worth noting that not only Facebook pages can get custom URLs, but also individual profiles. However, for public presence or branding purposes, Facebook Pages are often more suitable than personal profiles.

So hurry up before someone else registers your name and/or brand!