Archive for category Facebook

Facebook Vanity URL’s The Debate Continues

Posted by admin in Facebook on June 14th, 2009

FacebookSo is it really necessary to have a  Facebook username that is actually your own name?

That question will be debated on thousands of blogs and probably produce thousands of different answers. Those that argue that it is not important will be heavily weighted with those that were too slow to actually secure their name.

Those that argue that it is important will be weighted with those that were quick enough or lucky enough to secure their name.

We are sure that whilst it would be nice to have your own name as a username, your world will not collapse  if you didn’t get it.  After all your brand success will be determined by who you are and not by a Facebook URL.

The main advantage as we see it is your name may be mentioned in some offline discussion and participants may later look for your facebook page by typing www.facebook.com/yourname and if your username is your name they’ll find you.

But then that’s probably not going to happen too often because they’ll more than likely Google you and find you at your website via your domain.

You do have a your domain don’t you?

Well known blogger Chris Brogan has started the Vanity URL debate rolling with his post Whats Not In a Name ,  we’re not sure if Chris was just too slow to secure his name but he registered dotchrisbrogan to prove the point that the name is not important. The debate will be fascinating to follow.

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Facebook To Provide Usernames

Posted by admin in Branding Tools, Facebook on June 10th, 2009

If you have logged  into  Facebook recently you may ar may not have seen this notice on the home page.

Facebook Username

If you can lockup your own name as your Facebook username it will become a valuable online asset to you because of the following reasons:

  • It will be unique, no one else will have the same username.
  • It may become your second most valuable cyber asset next to your domain name, probably the first if you haven’t registered your name as your domain name.
  • Your Facebook address will look like http://www.facebook.com/username
  • Google will index Facebook URL’s so people will be able to “Google you” and find your Facebook link at the top of Google search results.
  • You’ll be able to use your Facebook address to help develop your own personal brand.

Facebook are attempting to prevent cyber squating on usernames by stopping anyone who didn’t have a Facebook account prior to May from immediately registering a username. This is good policy but we’re unsure how they can prevent current users from registering a popular name because allocation will be on a first come first served basis.

When the clock ticks down to registration kick off,  those Facebook servers will be tested to their limits while possibly millions of people try to secure their usernames.

Good luck with yours and be sure you’ll regret it if you don’t try.

Read more at the Facebook blog

I would also like to hear your views on Facebook usernames, please express them in the comment box below.

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