Getting a URL for your Facebook name allows you to direct people to your Facebook profile easily. This can be useful for sharing your profile on other websites or directing traffic to your Facebook page. Here are the steps to get a URL for your Facebook name:
Check Your Username Settings
The first step is to check your Facebook username settings. Facebook automatically assigns you a username when you create your account, but you can change this later if you want a custom URL.
To check your username on Facebook:
- Go to your Facebook profile
- Click on the down arrow in the top right corner
- Select “Settings & Privacy” from the dropdown menu
- Go to the “Username” section
This will show you your current Facebook username. If you want to change it, simply click “Edit” next to your username and enter a new one. Your new custom username will create a URL like www.facebook.com/yourusername.
Get Your Profile URL
Once you have your desired username set, you can get the URL for your profile. To find your profile URL:
- Go to your Facebook profile
- Copy the URL from your browser address bar
This will give you a URL like www.facebook.com/yourusername that directs people to your profile. You can share this on websites, business cards, or anywhere else you want to link to your Facebook page.
Customize Your Profile URL
If you want to customize your profile URL even further, Facebook offers a feature called a vanity URL. This allows you to create a customized URL like www.facebook.com/yourname or www.facebook.com/yourbusiness.
To get a vanity URL:
- Go to your Facebook profile
- Click on “Add profile web address” under your profile picture
- Type in the custom URL you want and click “Create web address”
Facebook will check if your desired URL is available. If so, it will become your new profile URL. Having a customized vanity URL makes your profile much easier to find and share.
Use Your Page Username
If you have a Facebook Page for a business, brand, organization, or public figure, you can also get a URL based on your Facebook Page username.
To find your Facebook Page URL:
- Go to your Facebook Page
- Click on “About” on the left sidebar
- Go to the “Name and Web Address” section
This will show your Page username. Your Page URL will be www.facebook.com/yourpageusername. You can share this URL anywhere you want to drive traffic to your Page.
Change Your Page URL
As with personal profiles, you can customize your Facebook Page URL with a vanity URL. To change your Page URL:
- Go to your Facebook Page
- Click “Edit Page Info” in the top right
- Go to the “Web Address” section
- Enter your new custom URL and click “Save Changes”
Once approved by Facebook, your new vanity URL will become your permanent Page URL. This creates a simple URL that’s easy to remember.
Conclusion
Getting a dedicated URL for your Facebook profile or Page makes it much easier for people to find and remember. By setting a username and customizing with a vanity URL, you can create a clean URL to use anywhere you want to link to your Facebook presence.
Some key tips include:
- Check your profile username settings and change it if desired
- Copy your profile URL from the address bar
- Create a custom vanity URL for maximum memorability
- Use your Facebook Page username or set up a vanity URL
With your new Facebook URL, you can easily promote your profile or Page on websites, resumes, business cards, and any other platforms. A customized URL presents a professional image and makes it simpler for people to find you on Facebook.
| Profile URL Options | Page URL Options |
|---|---|
| www.facebook.com/yourusername | www.facebook.com/yourpageusername |
| www.facebook.com/yourvanityURL | www.facebook.com/yourpagevanityURL |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a URL for my Facebook group?
Unfortunately you cannot get a direct URL for a Facebook group the way you can for profiles and pages. However, you can link to a group by going to the group, clicking the “About” tab, and copying the URL from the address bar. This will direct people to the group’s About page.
What if my desired Facebook URL is unavailable?
If the URL you want is taken, try adding numbers or extra words until you find something available. Or use initials instead of your full name. If you have a common name, get creative until you find a URL that Facebook will approve.
Can I change my Facebook URL in the future?
Yes, you can change your Facebook profile or page URL at any time. Just go through the steps to create a new vanity URL and your profile will update to the new address once approved.
What’s the maximum length of a Facebook URL?
Facebook allows URLs up to 50 characters. However, shorter URLs tend to be easier to remember and share. Try to keep your custom Facebook URL to 20-30 characters or less if possible.
Can I forward my domain name to my Facebook URL?
Yes, you can forward your own domain name (like www.yourname.com) to redirect to your Facebook URL. This allows you to promote your Facebook profile or page using your own branded domain.
More Tips for Custom Facebook URLs
Here are some additional tips for getting the perfect URL for your Facebook presence:
- Make it short, simple, and catchy for better memorability
- Consider using your name, business name, or important keywords
- Use dashes to break up long names or phrases
- Test it out by sharing it with friends before selecting
- Double check for typos before setting your URL
- Avoid strange spellings or hard to pronounce names
Your Facebook URL serves as your digital identity and brand on Facebook. Take the time to create a URL that represents you or your business in the best possible light.
Some example Facebook URLs:
- www.facebook.com/johnssmith
- www.facebook.com/EmmaDFitness
- www.facebook.com/xtreme-adventures
- www.facebook.com/freshsmoothiecafe
In most cases, you’ll want your name or your brand to come through in the URL. Make it easy to remember so people can find your Facebook presence.
Benefits of a Custom Facebook URL
Getting a clean, professional URL for your Facebook profile or page has many benefits:
- Easier to remember and share
- Looks more branded and official
- Allows you to promote on websites, business cards, etc.
- Lets you stand out from other users
- Creates consistency with other social media URLs
- Appears more credible and established
In short, your Facebook URL makes it simpler for people to engage with your profile or page. Rather than a long string of numbers and letters, you have a custom web address you control.
| Default URL | Custom URL |
|---|---|
| https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=123456789012345 | https://www.facebook.com/EmmaDFitness |
As you can see, a vanity URL like “EmmaDFitness” is far cleaner than the default URL with a bunch of numbers. This makes it easier to convey, remember, and click.
Using Your Facebook URL
Once you have a great Facebook URL, put it to use:
- Add it to your email signature
- Include on your resume or portfolio
- Display on your business cards and brochures
- Link to it from your website or blog
- Promote it on other social media networks
- Add it to guestbook/forum/community profiles
Anywhere that allows you to insert a link with anchor text is a great place to display your custom Facebook URL. The more spots you can link it from, the easier it will be for people to find your profile or page.
For example, your email signature could include:
John Smith
Account Manager, ABC Company
https://www.facebook.com/johnssmith
Whenever you send emails for work, include your Facebook URL so people can connect with you. The customized link looks far more professional than the default one.
Analytics
Once you start driving traffic to your Facebook URL, you can use Facebook’s analytics tools to see how many visits and clicks you are getting. This allows you to measure engagement and see how much your URL is being accessed.
To view analytics:
- Go to your Facebook page
- Click on “Insights” in the top menu
- Select “Overview” to see your page views, visits, and other metrics
Monitor your analytics periodically to see if mentions of your custom URL are resulting in increased profile visits. This can help you identify high-performing promotion channels to focus on.
Driving Traffic to Your URL
Here are some tips for getting more people to visit your shiny new Facebook URL:
- Update social media profiles with your new URL
- Refresh printed business cards and brochures
- Email signature – add Facebook link with custom text
- Blog or website sidebar – add Facebook icon linked to profile
- Guest posts – author bio with Facebook link
- Forum/community profiles – update with new custom URL
- Radio/podcast interviews – mention your Facebook link
- Presentations/speeches – share URL on ending slides
- YouTube descriptions & end screens – add Facebook link
The key is to systematically update anywhere you can insert a hyperlink with your new vanity Facebook address. Slowly but surely this will increase your URL’s visibility and traffic.
Facebook Link Best Practices
When adding your Facebook URL link, keep these tips in mind:
- Use a clear call-to-action like “Connect on Facebook”
- Insert on its own line for higher visibility
- Use eye-catching Facebook icon if possible
- Make entire text clickable – not just URL
- Place in highly visible areas like headings or bios
- Use consistent anchor text across platforms
This makes your Facebook link more noticeable and enticing to click. Be sure to follow Facebook’s branding guidelines if using their official icons.
Monitor Your URL Performance
Here are some ways to monitor how well your Facebook URL is performing:
- Facebook Insights – check profile/page views and traffic
- Click tracking URLs – see clicks from specific links
- UTM campaign tagging – track traffic sources
- Google Analytics – monitor external referrals
- Bitly click tracking – use shortened URLs to monitor clicks
By implementing tracking methods, you can see which referral links are sending the most traffic to your URL. You can then double down on what’s working and prune what’s not.
Try placing UTM tags on links:
https://www.facebook.com/yourpagename?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=post&utm_campaign=holidaypromo
This reveals traffic sources and assisting campaigns in Google Analytics. Get a clear picture of the ROI your Facebook URL is driving.
Refresh Your URL Over Time
While you don’t want to change your Facebook URL frequently, an occasional refresh can be beneficial. Reasons to update your custom URL include:
- Rebranding your business
- Switching professional roles
- Fixing a previous URL typo
- separators for enhanced memorability
For example, going from johnssmithsocial to john-smith-social. Or from sarahcfitness to sarahc_fitness.
Evaluate your URL every 6-12 months. If your brand or focus has changed significantly, update it accordingly. But don’t change it too often, as you want one URL to build authority over time.
Troubleshooting Facebook URL Issues
Here are some common Facebook URL issues and fixes:
URL Redirects to Old Profile
If your new URL redirects to an old or deactivated profile, try clearing cookies/cache and reloading. You may need to wait up to 24 hours for DNS changes to propagate across Facebook’s servers.
URL Unavailable
If your desired URL is taken, try different variations by adding numbers, hyphens, initials, or alternative words until you find an available option.
Accidental Username Change
If you accidentally change your username, redirecting your URL, you can request to change back to your previous one via Facebook support.
Problems Sharing URL
If your new URL won’t validate when sharing, copy it directly from your profile or page URL bar. Avoid typing it manually.
Conclusion
Getting a clean, professional URL for your Facebook profile or page makes it much easier for people to find and engage with your presence. The default Facebook URLs are complex and difficult to remember.
By setting a custom username and vanity URL, you control your brand on Facebook with a simple link you can share anywhere. This promotes credibility and gives you an identity that’s easy to remember.
Be sure to claim your desired name early before someone else does. Strategically place your Facebook URL on your website, email signatures, business cards, and more. Track performance using UTMs and Facebook/Google Analytics.
A custom Facebook URL is the foundation for driving more traffic, connecting with new followers, and expanding your reach. Distill your profile down to a simple link that captures your essence on Facebook.