Custom Google+ URLs for almost everyone? Well, for starters, I thought I would never see this day for us Average Joes who don’t have a million followers and the luck of being picked by Google to already have a custom URL. Recently, Google has started rolling out Custom URLs to a handful of individuals and brand pages. A year ago, having a Custom Google+ URL was something we dozed off at work dreaming about. These Custom URLs, or as some call them “Vanity URLs,” allow you to swap out that terrifyingly long URL that consists of some type of matrix number mash-up into a short and sweet URL. The URL, once claimed, will look like something along these lines: https://plus.google.com/+Fatguymedia (instead of the old one, which looked like this: https://plus.google.com/108560008847426210132/). By allowing users to have Custom URLs, sharing content is now even easier.
How to Claim Your Custom Google+ URL
To claim a Custom URL on Google+, your account must be at least 30 days old, you must have a profile photo, and you must have at least 10 followers. If you meet this criteria, there is a good chance you will be given the option to claim your custom URL. If you don’t see it, try logging out, then back in, and it might help to initiate the process. When we received notice of our Custom URL being made available, it was through our Gmail under the “social” tab, and there was also a notice on Google+ when you view your profile. This Custom URL goes for brands and business also. Those who have their website linked or a verified local business can claim their Custom Google+ URL, too. Although you cannot fully customize your URL, as you can on Facebook, Google+ gives you a pre-approved URL that is pretty close to what you’re looking for, if not exactly what you want. With that said, you are able to add extra letters and/or numbers to make it more personal.
After Claiming Your Custom Google+ URL
Now that you have opted to get a Custom URL, you can only change the capitalization or accents of your URL, but not the URL itself. Make sure that your Custom URL is exactly the way you want, because once your URL has been approved, you cannot request to change it, at least not yet. If you have any questions about Google+ Custom URLs and claiming them, feel free to reach out to us on Twitter, Facebook, or Google+!