Facebook About to Allow URL Usernames

[engine]

Let the land grab begin!

Facebook About to Allow URL Usernames [blog.facebook.com]

The one place, though, where your identity wasn't reflected was in the Web address for your profile or the Facebook Pages you administer. The URL was just a randomly assigned number like "id=592952074." That soon will change.

We're planning to offer Facebook usernames to make it easier for people to find and connect with you. When your friends, family members or co-workers visit your profile or Pages on Facebook, they will be able to enter your username as part of the URL in their browser. This way people will have an easy-to-remember way to find you. We expect to offer even more ways to use your Facebook username in the future.

Starting at 12:01 a.m. EDT on Saturday, June 13, you'll be able to choose a username on a first-come, first-serve basis for your profile and the Facebook Pages that you administer by visiting www.facebook.com/username/. You'll also see a notice on your home page with instructions for obtaining your username at that time.

[btsteed]

I own my domain name which is firstnamelastname.com.

Currently, when I do a search for my name, my domain is first, followed shortly by my facebook profile page in the SERPs.

Question: if I end up creating a facebook username url such as this: [facebook.com...] will it have a higher rank than my firstnamelastname.com domain?

[petra]

It shouldn't. Domain name should rank higher unless it has no content/links

[workingNOMAD]

I have already changed my name to 'bad credit loans'

[edited by: workingNOMAD at 4:33 pm (utc) on June 10, 2009]

[LifeinAsia]

I think I was right behind you in line at the courthouse. Mine's "Free Viagra."

[carguy84]

Mine's "index.php".

[jchampliaud]

"I have already changed my name to 'bad credit loans'"

Shoot, then I'm 'bad credit loans Jr'

[maximillianos]

Hello Spam... Meet Facebook. Facebook, meet Spam...

[dailypress]

I will use $_X. Maybe I can then get some google traffic!

[ebound]

12:01 am EDT on Saturday, June 13
Facebook Opens User Name Registration
12:02 am EDT on Saturday, June 13
Facebook Server Crash

[greenleaves]

jezz, and I thought when I suggested this to them they would see right through it...

Time to suggest to youtube to name each video "youtube.com/videoname"... maybe they too will fall for it.

[Hugene]

Isn't this simply SEO on the URL level by Facebook ;) Maybe their pages aren't ranking high enough on the SERPS. Maybe they're about to stick adsense on their pages, a new MFAS strategy.

[LifeinAsia]

Maybe they're about to stick adsense on their pages,

Great- can't wait to watch all the noobs when they see all the "Find Firstname Lastname on eBay" ads (especially when it's THEIR first and last names!). :)

[Critter]

This is facebook continuing to supplant Twitter functionality--expect Twitter to be gone in a couple years, tops.

[mbauser2]

I don't think it's about simple keyword-stuffing, Hugene. In the short term, they're making it easier for users to link to their own profiles (which in the long run, probably will mean more links to Facebook pages, so there will be some effects, even if that's not the point).

Long-term, it's probably about making Facebook's messaging system more IM- and Twitter-like. Currently Facebook's SMS commands [facebook.com] depend on users getting their friends' names exactly right, which has got to be leading to a lot of user frustration.

[workingNOMAD]

can't believe i got up at 5am for this!

[httpwebwitch]

got mine.

[inbound]

Just got an important term for me... suppose I'd better start using my account

[edited by: inbound at 4:09 am (utc) on June 13, 2009]

[httpwebwitch]

Each Page can have a username
Easily direct someone to your Page by setting a username for it. Only Pages with 1,000 fans as of May 31, 2009 are eligible for usernames. You will not be able to edit or transfer this username once you set it.

None of my FB apps have 1,000 fans. Thousands of users, yes. Fans, no. Does that mean other apps with more fans can swipe those names?

[isorg]

WHere do you get the username? Nothing showing on my home page :-(

EDIT: Found it...!

[edited by: isorg at 4:09 am (utc) on June 13, 2009]

[inbound]

[facebook.com...] is where you go

[isorg]

Uhhhhh. I kept refreshing my "Home page" for the past 8 mins. Looks like I lost my first name, but managed to get my surname. Oh well...!

[freejung]

LOL!

At this time only users who have registered for Facebook before June 9th, 2009 are eligible to obtain a username. All other users will be allowed to register a username in the near future. We apologize for any inconvenience.

I got my preferred personal name, guess I'll have to wait for business ones.

[httpwebwitch]

hey - no one has taken "oprah.winfrey" yet.

if you haven't registered yet, grab it. hahahahahahaha

[isorg]

It's surprising how many names / keywords are still available 25 mins after the start of the race. It's more likely that FB has put a block on common or famous names to prevent legal claims later on.

[StoutFiles]

Finally I can be "Mesothelioma"

[httpwebwitch]

Easily direct friends, family, and coworkers to your profile with a Facebook username. Here are some suggestions, but feel free to type in one of your own. You will not be able to edit or transfer this username once you set it.

emphasis mine

[Bentler]

It started a few minutes ago -- time to grab your name123.

[Seb7]

mm..Facebook not telling me how to set a username, option not found anywhere.
But the direct URL works :) thanks inbound.

[edited by: Seb7 at 5:05 am (utc) on June 13, 2009]

[ogletree]

I was 15 min late and my username was gone. I"m pretty sure one min into it and every first name was gone and 2 min all dictionary words were gone. I have seen people on other forums buying up facebook accounts for $2-$3 in bulk. Spammers were ready for this.