Customized
URLs for Google Plus - Expecting To Posses One Very Soon
Improve your SERPs, thereby influencing SEO and SEM
Awesome news rolled
out for Google+ users on August 23, 2012. Forecasting the future of social media marketing and its influence in SEO, SEM and internet marketing, this announcement
by Google is much refreshing. Google plays its part in encouraging its social
media outlet, Google+ and to make its reach viral among people, through this
initiative. Saurabh Sharma of Google publicized the launch of custom Google+
URLs to "more" verified brands and individuals, in his Google+ page. As
you know, Google plus vanity URLs would be free of cost; we are still not sure about
the eligibility criteria of Google for one to get a vanity URL? Perhaps, 50+ members in a circle? OR 100+ Fans
to the profile? Only time will tell!
Notable comments on this news are as follows:
·
"got
google.com/+Forbes thanks! now i need to work on my own profile.
how do i get verified? how many thousands of circles does it take?"
·
"I'm
really sad at Google doing this again to only SELECTED groups or individuals. I
really hated it."
·
"The
Page/Profile numbers are unique identifiers and in a lot of cases its easier to
work with the numbers then the "translated/redirected" vanity urls.
API's, contact management or extensions/apps working well with the unique
identifiers. I hope that there is always a easy way to see the Profile/Pages
numbers..."
·
"those
are all celebrity profiles. I don't seen any "regular" people on that
list. I don't consider it a lot unless
anyone can get one."
Being collective, those were
all mixed reviews. Most of them showered their depression over Google not lending
vanity URLs to commoners. This makes it crystal clear that everyone is badly in
need of one.
Who all are lucky enough?
Anyone can claim for a custom
URL. Only “claim”! Unfortunately they have limited this offer to only few
Google+ profiles currently. Google opines that anyone's custom URL which passes
the Google+ 'User Content and Conduct policies' could avail this service but
not for all at present. Obeying 'User Content and Conduct policies' refers to
three conditions:
- If the custom URL has already been claimed, it is no longer available. Only one Google+ page or profile can have any specific custom URL.
- The term you're attempting to use for your URL is generic, such as water or hamburger.
- The term you're attempting to use for your URL is unique to another entity (e.g. Google, YouTube).
Keep your fingers crossed that you receive
one! And, no one can posses’ more than
one custom URLs for a particular profile page in Google+. Also, the custom URL
should have either your name or your brand's name. If this policy is violated,
Google has got the power to reclaim such URLs. Another important point to note
is that, all Google+ custom URLs should have a length more than 5 characters.
One more to add, custom URLs are not case-sensitive. It could any form among -
"google.com/+Chrome" or "google.com/+chrome" or
"google.com/+ChRoMe".
Steps to follow to receive Google's custom URL:
1. You will be able to see a notification at the top
most part of your Google+ homepage, saying - "Your page is preapproved for
the custom URL: google.com/+PageName". Nearby this message will be
displayed two tabs, one "Claim URL" and the other "Learn
More".
2. Click on the "Claim URL" button and
this leads you to a page displaying your desired URL there. Click the radio
button there and check the box near - "I agree to the 'Terms of
Service'".
3. Once approved you will not be given an option to
change your custom URL. So better be careful when you proceed with the process.
4. Otherwise, if you are not satisfied with the
pre-approved form of custom URL, you have the option to change it.
5. At the bottom end of the same page will be two
tabs, "Claim URL' and 'Not now '. Nearby will be displayed a text -
'Request a different custom URL'
6. There pops up a new page with space allotted for your
requested URL, and you can type-in your desired form. Also select the reason
for this change from the drop-down box provided below.
7. Once approved you may not be able change your custom URL.
8. If your URL was not approved, you will receive an email notification saying - 'The Google+ custom URL you requested was not approved.' or look at the top of your Google+ homepage at the grey area for a sentence as such - 'The Google+ custom URL you requested was not approved.' In such a situation, you do have an option of claiming one of the pre-approved URLs that were initially provided for you.
9. This is done by clicking on "Claim URL" button in the email notification letter or the one in the grey area of Google+ profile page.
10. 10. Check your status at your profile page now. Go to the 'About' tab and check your status which says "Google+ URL". If your request is in pending, then "Google+ URL" will be shown in grey color. If not listed, then your request is been declined.
Benefits for SEO:
How the newly set vanity
URLs is going to influence SEO? A brand or person with customized URL will be
more popular and reachable than the others who lack one. Obviously SERPs will
be steep high for one who receives vanities improving their online presence. I
am not saying that possessing a vanity URL will build your brand name or
popularity; it paves way for you to enlarge and grow your circles. It should be
like fertilizer to a plant that enhances growth. Having a live presence on
Google+ combined with possession of vanity URL leads you to influence Google's
personalized search results. The good news is that many companies have already
added this feature as one of their social strategies. It’s been roughly
estimated that by 2013, more than 400 million people will become active users
of Google+ and more than 50% will have customized URLs for the same.
Cast your votes as comments on
the following opinions on custom Google+ URL:
- I am badly in need of one
- I never care for having one
- Even if I have one, I am not sure how far it is going to improve my purpose
- It’s all Google’s trick to increase Google+’s popularity
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