How to Claim a Google+ Custom URL

There are some eligibility requirements. A personal Google+ profile must:

• Be at least 30 days old;
• Have at least 10 followers;
• Have a profile picture.

For business pages, you must meet one of these two criteria:

• If you own a Local Google+ page, your business but be a verified local business.
• If you own a Non-local Google+ page, your page must be linked to a website.

If your account meets these requirements you should see a notification at the top of your profile or page next time you log in telling you to claim your custom URL. If you meet these requirements but haven’t been notified yet, be patient. Google says the feature will roll out gradually to eligible users over the next week.

Google will make at least one recommendation for your custom URL. You must select one of the options you are given, but may need to add a few letters or numbers to it to better personalize your URL. Once you’ve set your URL, it cannot be changed, so choose wisely!

For more instructions on claiming your Google+ custom URL, read here.

Why is a Vanity URL Important?

A vanity URL, or “custom URL,” allows you to personalize your Google+ web address, making it easier for your audience to find you.

Until the feature was made available, your Google+ URL may have looked something like this: https://plus.google.com/115743773314949345696. (That’s the Frozen Fire Google+ URL before we customized it.)

But now, the days of Google+ obscurity are over.  Your new URL may look something like this: plus.google.com/+FrozenFire.

Pinterest, Twitter, and YouTube automatically customize your URL based on your selected username. But the default on Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+ is a essentially computer generated identification code. If you stick with the URL you’re given when you sign up, how will you easily tell your audience where to find you online? Chances are, you aren’t handing out business cards with your 40+ character URL listed on them for every social network you are on.

It may be called a vanity URL, but it surely isn’t in vain. There are several good reasons you should claim your Google+ custom URL (and Facebook and LinkedIn too, if you haven’t already!)

 

Three Key Benefits of a Custom URL

1. Simplicity

Easily direct your customers and clients to your Google+ profile.

2. Brand Consistency

Set a brand standard by choosing the same usernames and URLs for every social profile you own, (if possible). For example, you’ll find us on Facebook at facebook.com/frozenfirechat and on Twitter at twitter.com/frozenfirechat. We’re on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/frozen-fire and YouTube at youtube.com/FrozenFireFilms.

You may run into a situation where another individual or business has already claimed your number one preference for a custom URL. As much as possible, keep your URLs consistent across all platforms.

3. SEO

The easier it is for your customers and clients to find you online, the easier it is for the search engines to find you.

 

Frozen Fire is a Dallas internet marketing and video production company that helps companies harness the most powerful aspect of modern marketing—the internet—to engage customers in memorable and meaningful ways. Ways that ignite sales and business growth. Contact us to learn how we can help your business.