How to Create a Vanity URL in Google+
The Buzz about Google+ is out doing the Buzz about Google Buzz – and for good reason. There’s no doubt in the minds of many experts that ‘this time’ Google did something right. There’s features in Google+ that are so undeniably wonderful that there’s even a list floating around of Facebook Employees Using Google+.
But one thing that isn’t pretty yet with Google+ is how ugly the url looks – and unlike Facebook, where you can get a Vanity URL for your pages when they’ve reached a certain number of Likes, right now, in the beta mode, the Vanity URL feature within Google+ has yet to be enabled.
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Here’s the regular Google Plus url that was assigned to me:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/114643909324424941225/posts
This is indeed – a wretched and ugly url to behold. And where’s there’s a need, there’s often someone who will step up and fill the need. Enter, gplus.to – a url shortening service – exclusively for Google+, but not owned or affiliated with Google+. This is the apparent bit.ly for the Google+ crowd – and until Google+ itself creates its own vanity method – you may want to go and get yours from gplus.to while your preferred nick name is still available.
You could use the Google shortener – http://goo.gl/ – but, it doesn’t offer customization – so no vanity there – and all the analytics are public.
Here’s my vanity URL
http://gplus.to/heidiwhite
Isn’t that nice?
On the other hand, compare that URL to the default:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/114643909324424941225/posts
and ask yourself – which would you rather click?
So, to get started
a) You need to have a Google+ account*
b) Go to http://gplus.to
c) Enter your Google+ID # (just the long number towards the end) and
d) add a preferred Vanity Name or Nick Name.
gplus.to vanity url for google+
If you haven’t already done so, I suggest you try to grab your real name or business name ASAP while the service is relatively unsaturated. I just set this up today and there are a lot of Heidi White’s out there – trust me.
*Don’t have a Google+ account? Sign up for The Zizish Guide RSS feed or Opt-In to our newsletter and watch for future post on how to get a Google+ invite, plus more Google+ and other internet marketing tips)
You can use http://gotoplus.me , it’s make vanity URL for your Google+ Profile like http://gotoplus.me/yourusername
Thanks Michael – that’s another good option. Especially if your preferred Vanity Name is already taken at the shorter GPlus.to.