On Tuesday morning Google announced at an online event streamed live on YouTube - ‘Morning with Google+’ a list of updates to Google Plus, their promising social network. These include significant improvements to Google+ Hangouts and Photos that aspire to take a lot of the work out of messaging, video calling and photo editing.

While these are all focused on user experience and aimed at ‘integrating with the everyday life’ of the user across Google products and devices; the announcement that has caught the attention of all – users and businesses alike, is the vanity URL for Google+ profiles and pages.

So what is a Vanity URL?
In simple words a vanity (or custom) URL is the address of a webpage that has your name (or your business name) in it. Something that is short and easy to remember, read and write instead of the default long string of numbers.

Like - https://plus.google.com/+LarryPage
Instead of - https://plus.google.com/106189723444098348646

How can I get it?

For user profiles: 
If you have a profile photo, at least ten followers and an account that is at least 30 days old, you should either receive an email or an option on your profile that will let you choose your brand new vanity URL.

Usually Google will have guessed your name and will suggest your full name as your vanity URL but they are allowing you to choose what you want. Once you are happy with your choice you will require to verify the change through an sms code verification system.

Make sure you are satisfied with what you choose before you hit the ‘claim it’ button because you might not be able to change it in the near future.

For Business Pages:
For businesses your Google+ business page should be linked to your website or be a verified local business page to claim a branded custom URL.

If you manage a business page you will notice an option to claim your vanity URL on top of your page (or under ‘Links’ of the ‘About’ section) when you login as your page.

What we have seen so far is that Google will automatically let you claim your branded URL based on the domain name of your website. While Google is not letting business pages choose their URL, it is allowing you to play with the format slightly.

Example: plus.google.com/YouTube instead of plus.google.com/youtube.

If you have not got your custom URL yet, don’t worry because Google is rolling out the update to more accounts throughout the week.

So what is the big deal about vanity URLs?
The greatest advantage of a vanity URL is that it is custom-created and branded making it easy to read, remember, write or share with friends or customers.

In the age of social media, businesses need to incorporate their web address of their social pages within their marketing communications. So finally brands and businesses can mention +businessname along with their Twitter handles and Facebook page URLs on their online, TV print and outdoor advertising to drive their users to their Google+ page.

What we really like about the Google+ vanity URL is that you can use it in a number of different ways:
1. Google search for +businessname gets redirected straight to your Google+ page
2. You don’t need to use plus.google.com any more. The /+businessname works for any Google domain.
Example www.google.com/+businessname or www.google.co.uk/+businessname are redirected to your Google+ page.

Is that all?
While it is easy to remember and share (with vanity), a branded URL has more than what meets the eye and can be used creatively to promote your social presence.

1. Builds Trust
In the age of hacked accounts, malicious malwares and PPC scams, people are getting more and more aware of what links they are clicking. With a vanity URL, users will be more inclined to click a link with your business name on it rather than a garbled string of numbers.

2. Empowers easy online sharing
Now that you have something that you love to share and is easy to write you can put it down practically anywhere on the web like newsletters, white papers, press releases and even on your Twitter bio.

3. Enables offline sharing
Your Google+ page address can now find itself a place next to your other social profile addresses on all marketing communications – like brochures and flyers, magazines and newspaper ads and even outdoor hoardings.

4. Word-of-mouth and verbal sharing
Could you imagine reading out a long string of numbers to recommend following your favourite brand on Google+? Let alone advertising your latest social campaign on TV or radio.

But now driving your users to your Google+ page cannot be easier, all your need to say is: ‘Google Search +BusinessName’ or ‘go to google.com/+businessname’.

 

By Firdaus Haque, Search and Social Strategist at The Search Agency. 

Connect with on Google+

PrivSec Conferences will bring together leading speakers and experts from privacy and security to deliver compelling content via solo presentations, panel discussions, debates, roundtables and workshops.
For more information on upcoming events, visit the website.

comments powered by Disqus