Facebook just launched another new feature. You can now log in to your account using either your Facebook username or your email address. If you haven’t set-up a username (a.k.a. vanity URL) for your personal profile, go to http://www.facebook.com/username/ to create yours.
From the Facebook website:
Usernames can only contain alphanumeric characters (A-Z, 0-9) or a period (“.”), for example — john.smith55. It is important to note that a period (“.”) does not count as a part of a username; therefore, names like johnsmith55, john.smith55, john.smith.55, etc. all constitute the same username.
Usernames also must be at least 5 characters long. Usernames are not case sensitive. Facebook also prevents certain words from being included in usernames.
Once you set-up your username, people will be able to access your personal profile by going to www.facebook.com/yourusername. Be sure to create a short username (preferably your real name) that is easy to remember so you can tell people how to find you on Facebook or use it as your login if it’s shorter than your email address.
You can also set-up a username for each Fan Page that you have. You only need 25 Fans in order to claim a Fan Page Vanity URL. Click link to learn more about this.
Kimberly Yow
Marketing That’s Easy.com
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The history of the Facebook Fan Page Vanity URL – Fan Minimum:
June 13th: Facebook started allowing users to claim a Fan Page Vanity URL if they had a minimum of 1000 Fans.
Facebook announced that the 1000 fan minimum would be lifted on June 28, 2009. (I thought this meant the new minimum would be zero.)
June 27th: I noticed that the Facebook website said there was a minimum requirement of 25 Fans.
June 28th: Facebook suddenly changed the Fan minimum from 25 to 100…just minutes before Fan Page administrators would be logging on to claim their Fan Page Vanity URL! Here is the exact text from the Facebook website as of June 28th:
All Pages created after May 31, 2009 or that had less than 1,000 fans on that day will be eligible to claim usernames on Sunday, June 28, 2009 if they have more than 100 fans.
I’ve checked the Facebook website numerous times since June 28th and the Fan minimum was still 100 Fans. I think I even checked on 8/31.
September 8th: OMG! I checked again today and the only info I could find on Facebook said the Fan minimum was 25 Fans!! I have a client who has a new Fan Page with 52 Fans. I tested the fan minimum with his Fan Page…and guess what…I was able to claim a Fan Page Vanity URL for his page!
If your Fan Page has 25 or more Fans, go to www.facebook.com/username to claim your Facebook Fan Page Vanity URL before someone else does!
Sometimes vanity can be a good thing…LOL.
Kimberly Yow
Marketing That’s Easy.com
