Yes, it is possible to customize your Facebook page URL on both personal profiles and pages you manage. The default URL for a Facebook profile is typically a long string of numbers, but you can change this to be more customized and use a name or phrase instead.
Why would you want to customize your Facebook URL?
There are a few key reasons why customizing your Facebook URL can be beneficial:
- It makes your profile or page URL more memorable and easier to share – A customized URL looks more professional.
- It helps with search engine optimization (SEO) – URLs with relevant keywords can improve search visibility.
- It reflects your brand or identity better than the default URL.
- It is shorter and simpler than the default URL generated by Facebook.
Having an easy to remember, customized URL makes it simpler for people to find and reference your Facebook presence. It gives you a more professional looking web presence and improves the sharability of your profile or page.
How to customize your personal Facebook profile URL
To change your personal Facebook profile URL on your timeline:
- Click on your profile picture at the top of your Facebook homepage.
- Select “View Profile” from the dropdown menu.
- Click on the “Edit Profile” button.
- Click on the username box that contains your current profile URL.
- Type in the new custom username you want for your URL. This can include letters, numbers, periods and dashes.
- Click “Save Changes” at the bottom of the page.
Facebook will let you know if the new username you entered is available. If so, your profile URL will be updated immediately. You may need to try a few variations if your initial username choice is taken.
Customizing a Facebook Page URL
The process is slightly different to customize the URL for a Facebook Page, rather than a personal profile:
- Go to your Facebook Page and click “Settings” at the top.
- Select “Page Info” from the left sidebar.
- Click on the category for the Page username, located under the Page name.
- Type in your new desired Page URL – this functions similarly to a username.
- Click “Save Changes” to confirm and change the URL.
As with a personal profile URL, you may need to try a few variations if your first choice is not available. Facebook will inform you if the new Page URL you entered can be set. Once saved, the updated URL will go live.
Tips for customizing a Facebook URL
Here are some tips when setting a custom URL on Facebook:
- Use a relevant name or keyword in the URL – This helps identify your niche, brand or name to visitors.
- Keep it short and simple – Avoid overly long or complex URLs when possible.
- Add a middle name or initial to stand out if your name is common.
- Use dashes (-) to separate words rather than underscores or periods.
- Avoid numbers if possible – Spell out numbers like “two” rather than “2”.
- Check URL availability – Facebook will indicate if your desired URL is taken.
- Try variations – You may need to try different spellings or words if your first choice isn’t available.
Can you change your Facebook URL after customizing?
Yes, you can change your Facebook profile or page URL even after customizing it. Just follow the same steps outlined above to enter and save a new URL at any time. However, there are a couple limitations to be aware of:
- You can only change your URL twice within a 90 day period.
- Previously used customized URLs may not be available for recycling right away. They remain associated with your account for a period of time.
So you do have flexibility to update your URL down the road if needed. Just keep in mind the two times per 90 days limit and potential wait for URL recycling before making multiple changes in quick succession.
Does a custom URL improve SEO?
Using a customized, keyword-driven URL can potentially improve your Facebook profile or page’s search engine optimization (SEO). Here are some of the key benefits:
- Signals to search engines what your content is about – Words in the URL help associate keywords and topics with your page.
- Creates unique URLs for each page – Custom URLs are more distinctive than default Facebook numerical URLs.
- Cleaner, simpler URLs may improve click-through rates – Easier for users to remember and return to your page.
- Shorter URLs stand out in search – A concise URL with relevant keywords can catch users’ eyes in SERPs.
So optimizing your Facebook URL to be easy to remember, identify your brand, and contain strong keywords can help search visibility. But it’s just one small piece of an overall SEO strategy.
Should I add my name to my Facebook URL?
Adding your name to your Facebook profile or page’s URL can make it more personalized and easier for people to identify you. Here are some pros and cons to consider:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| – Associates the URL with your identity | – May not contain relevant keywords |
| – Easy to remember | – Less distinctive if you have a common name |
| – Looks more professional | – Can’t rename the URL if you change your name |
If your name is quite unique, adding it to create a URL like “facebook.com/johnuniquesmith” can be a good identifier. But if you have a more common name, you may want to consider adding a middle name, initials, or combining it with a relevant keyword that reflects your niche or content focus.
Should I use my business name?
Using your business name or brand can make a lot of sense in your Facebook URL when representing a company page or profile. This clearly identifies the business, differentiates from personal accounts, and increases overall brand awareness. Some examples include:
- facebook.com/foodietruck
- facebook.com/acebookkeeping
- facebook.com/thatdoggroomingsalon
The downside is that business names are sometimes long or difficult to fit neatly into a URL. But overall, matching your Facebook presence to your business identity can be beneficial.
Can I use a hashtag in my custom URL?
Unfortunately, Facebook does not allow hashtags (#) to be used within custom profile or page URLs. Only standard letters, numbers, dashes and periods are supported. Some examples of URLs with hashtags that would not be allowed include:
- facebook.com/john#1fan
- facebook.com/acebooks#bookkeeping
- facebook.com/animals#aregreat
If you replaced the hashtag in the above examples with a dash or removed it, those would become valid URL options. So while hashtags are popular within Facebook posts and captions, they cannot be utilized in the customized URL itself.
Can I use a photo or emoji in my URL?
Unfortunately, Facebook does not support using photos, emojis, or other special characters within your profile or page’s customized URL. Only standard numbers, letters, and select punctuation like dashes and periods are allowed. Some examples of URLs with unsupported elements include:
- facebook.com/john😎
- facebook.com/✌️peaceandlove✌️
- facebook.com/😺😺kittycity😺😺
So any special visual elements like emojis, photos, icons, symbols etc. cannot be added into a custom Facebook URL. Sticking with regular alphabet letters, numbers, dashes and periods is required.
Do custom Facebook URLs work on mobile?
Yes, any customized Facebook profile or page URL will work seamlessly on both mobile and desktop experiences. Changing the URL does not impact the mobile functionality or usage at all. Some key points:
- Custom URLs will redirect mobile users to the correct Facebook profile or page.
- URLs function the same whether accessed from a smartphone, tablet or computer.
- No changes need to be made to accommodate mobile – Facebook handles this automatically.
So customized URLs provide a consistent experience and easy access across all devices and platforms. You don’t have to worry about mobile compatibility when updating the URL – Facebook is designed to handle it smoothly.
Should I forward my old URL?
If you change your Facebook profile or page URL, it can be a good idea to set up forwarding from your old URL to the new one. This helps anyone who bookmarks or remembers your previous URL. To set up forwarding:
- Go to your previous profile/page URL on Facebook.
- Click on the “Edit Page Info” button.
- Select “Update Public Address” in the info box.
- Enter your new customized URL.
- Check the box to “Forward links from old address to new address” and save changes.
After following these steps, when people visit your old Facebook URL it will automatically redirect them to the new URL. This helps minimize disruption from the change and maintains connectivity with your audience. Any existing links or references to your old URL will still function properly.
Can someone else take my old URL?
In most cases, once you customize your Facebook profile or page URL, your old default URL is no longer accessible by other users. However, there are a couple scenarios where your old URL could potentially be claimed by someone else down the road:
- If you delete your Facebook account, the previous username becomes available.
- If you create a new account after deactivating, someone may be able to claim your old URL if enough time has passed.
To help prevent this, consider maintaining your original account if possible and simply updating the URL. You can also set up forwarding from the old URL as a safety net. But in general, Facebook tries to keep old URLs associated to your account as much as possible.
Conclusion
Customizing your Facebook profile or page URL is easy to do and offers many benefits. Unique, keyword-driven URLs are more professional, help build your brand, improve sharing and engagement, and contribute to search optimization. Just keep in mind the URL guidelines and limitations on Facebook.
Be sure to check URL availability and try different variations until you find one that works. While you can change it again down the road if needed, limits apply. Set up forwarding from old URLs for the smoothest transition.
With a customized, memorable URL that reflects your identity or brand, you can take your Facebook presence to the next level!