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How to Get a Custom URL / Username for your Google Plus Profile

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Google Plus is the new social network by Google established since 2011. It is reported that Google+ now has a total of 300 million active users every month.

If you have been active on Google+ now, you possibly notice that the URL of your profile looks quite ugly, for example, here is my profile URL:

https://plus.google.com/113914713777855840452/

Google+ is now using a long ID at the end of URL which is difficult for people to remember. Here are some solutions to set username to shorten your Google+ URL so that it would be cleaner and more recognizable.

1. Google+ officially offers custom URLs

Update: Google is offering vanity URLs for verified accounts and normal accounts. You just need to type in short URLs like “google.com/+techwalls” or “plus.google.com/+tuando” to reach those pages.

Google Plus launches vanity URLs for verified accounts.
Google Plus launches vanity URLs for verified accounts.

The feature is not available widely for normal users yet. Google announced that they are introducing custom URLs to a limited number of verified profiles and pages. Google has rolled out the feature and it is available to most users. You will just need to have a profile photo, at least 10 followers and an account that is at least 1 month old. Then Google will send you an email to confirm that you’ve got a custom URL for your Google Plus profile. You will also see a notification when you log in to your account. After clicking on the button “Get URL”, you will see the following screen:

get-custom-url-google-plus

In most cases, you will have to accept the URL they offer, however, some established accounts will have to option to request a different one.

Notice that you won’t be able to change your username once you set it. You only can change its format by going to Profile -> About -> Links and choose Edit, then you will see the option like below.

google-plus-change-url

Recently, Google has announced the a search-specific feature called Google+ Direct Connect. The feature gives visibility for Google Plus pages as the pages will show up when people type query in Google+ Search, for example, when people type in “+TechWalls”, they will see the icon and link to the Google+ page of the brand. To make your page eligible for this feature, you just need to install the Google+ badge on your website, read this post on custom URLs for Google+ Page for more details.

Google will determine your page’s relevancy and popularity based on its algorithms, you will be able to get a custom URL if your page qualifies. We can understand that Google encourages us to be more active on Google Plus by engaging people, updating posts regularly and driving people to add your page to their circles. You absolutely get a better chance when your page becomes more popular.

2. Google Profiles

Google Profiles is now redirecting your profile page to Google+ Profile if you have one. So you can create a profile URL like this:

https://profiles.google.com/TuanDoViet

However, you can set the username of your own because Google Profiles uses your Google username for this URL. This is also a drawback of this solution, you might have to create a new Google account to get your desired Profile URL.

You just need to go to this page to create your profile, then click on the option Edit your profile – Profile URL. Google will give you 2 choices of Profile URL, you can choose the one with your username and save these settings.

google-profile-url

Update: Google don’t allow access to this page anymore, but you still can get a vanity URL using your own Google ID. So, your URL will be https://profiles.google.com/your_username.

3. Gplus.to

Gplus.to is a service that shortens your Google Plus profile into a neat, easy to remember link. To create your shortened URL, all you have to do is giving Gplus your Google+ profile ID, it will generate an URL in the format gplus.to/yourusername. You can set whatever name you want as long as it is still available. Here is my custom URL:

http://gplus.to/tuandoviet

gplus-profile

However, notice that this service is not related to Google, so you are not guaranteed to own the ID and this is also not a 301 permanent redirect.

Do you use the solutions above or any other ways to set your own URL?

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Reader Interactions

Comments

    • Patrick says

      Does it improve your site SEO? Since Google considers sites with G+ links better

    • AllinJac says

      Major Security ISSUES with this with tiny url as apposed to gplus.to The gplus.to requires ONLY your ID number which is not possible to create a Script or Inappropriate Links with this service!

      Consider it!!!

      AllinJac

    • Matthew Hall says

      Great idea – G+ has too many loops and hoops to jump through just to have a custom URL.

  4. CayoBuay says

    The Google Plus option does not work… Is there something more specific to it? When I click the link, it takes me to my profile not to the page you show in the article.

    Please help.

    • Tuan Do says

      Hi Cayo,
      It is because you didn’t create a Google Profile before joining Google Plus, now it is directing you to the Google+ Profile and you can’t change it anymore. If it is necessary, you can create another Google account and edit your URL then.

      • tadpole says

        i think i am in this same situation. i can not find an option to link to my profile with my name like in your screen shots.
        I just got a google+ recently, and i have no problem with deleting my profile…recreating a profile, then re-joining google+, and then finally linking it to my profile so that i have a custom url.

        do you think this is possible/will work? i dont have many friends/followers yet because i just signed up for google+ yesterday… but i dont want to try this if it will not work.

        Please let me know your thoughts…

      • Tuan Do says

        Hi Tadpole,
        I am not really sure but I guess that your solution should work. If you really want a custom profile URL, you should try it.
        Good luck and let me know if you succeed. :)

      • Alex says

        Hi Tuan,

        So glad I found your site!

        I have been hunting for a way to change my google profile URL name.

        I had also created my gmail and google + account and there was no way to change get a “pretty URL”. I did not like the gplus way…

        So I took the risk and DELETED my Google + account but still keeping the same gmail account.

        Then I signed in under that gmail account at https://profiles.google.com/me

        Once in, the Profile URL showed the numbered URL but when I clicked on that, it allowed me to change and save a “pretty URL”.

        AFTER that, I recreated my Google + account.

        Then to test, I pasted the “pretty URL” into a new browser page and it re-directed to my recreated Google + account.

        YOU ARE A GENIUS – no one else seems to know this on the http://www...

        For others trying this, please note my deleted first Google+ account was still quite bare so I took the risk to try this.

        So be very careful if your G+ account is chock full of precious posts already.

        When I clicked delete G+ account, google warned that my details will be LOST. So, weigh carefully between these details and the need for a “pretty URL.

        For completeness, I must say that the “pretty URL” displays for only a couple of SECONDS and then it re-directed to display the Numbered URL. It’s not like in Facebook where the “pretty URL” stays displayed.

        Thanks,
        Alex
        https://profiles.google.com/alexanderalexis.daredateme

      • Tuan Do says

        You are so welcome, Alex.
        I am very glad that you help me confirm the trick is still working. :)

      • nav says

        Hi Tuan,

        Pleasure meet you virtualy.Can you please help me out to set up custom url for google + ?

        I am having hard time to figured out. I juste create new google + Business page ( nitan Events).

        I though you have good experience on this, since you have the custom url, maybe you could me, that would really appreciated.

        Thanks
        Nav

      • Rob Johnson says

        Sadly, I deleted my google plus account following the exact steps outlined above:
        Deleted google plus account, but kept existing gmail account active. Then tried to go to the https://profiles.google.com/me link to try and change the numbered URL to something less ridiculous, but google keeps redirecting me to a plus page prompting to “upgrade” to google plus, with no option to “not upgrade.” Anyone else have any suggestions?

      • john says

        I cannot the option Edit your profile

        when you say:

        then click on the option Edit your profile – Profile URL. Google will give you 2 choices of Profile URL, you can choose the one with your username and save these settings.

        I cannot the option Edit your profile

  5. Adrienne says

    I’m confused… I had a google profile, then joined, still can’t find the option…

  8. Vic @ Business Tips Blog says

    HI. Thanks for the useful information. I’m just exploring the Google plus and this is what I need.

  10. Mahendra says

    I tried to make my google + vanity url but it seems that google has removed this feature. I am not able to find out “Profile URL” anywhere under Edit profile.

    Please suggest me what should i do now to create a Vanity url for my Google + profile.

  12. Russell says

    In my Google+ profile page I see nothing at all about the profile URL. Right now I don’t care what it is, I just need to find out what it is and use it, but I can’t find it anywhere. Google is getting more and more screwed up all the time!

    • Tuan Do says

      Could you check again? I’ve just tried visiting the site and it is still working well.

  18. David Bergeron says

    Is it still possible to change Google Plus url? I don’t really want to use Gplus.to . I read Kevin Mullett from Mashable wrote:

    1) the services could redirect everyone’s URLs at a later time to a place of their choosing and there still isn’t a TOS to say otherwise.
    2) they are using a HTTP status code of 302 instead of proper 301 permanent redirect
    3) The service could just stop working, have a denile of service attack, etc etc, which is why it is dangerous, possible foolish, to use for business purposes on any profile or printed material.

    • Tuan Do says

      Hi,
      If you created your username with Google Profile earlier, you still could use the old username for your Profile link. As you can see in my link above, the profile link with my username still redirects to Google Plus page.
      And yes, you are right about the gplus service, you shouldn’t use it officially because it can stop anytime. It’d better to use your own redirect such as yourdomain.com/plus until Google allows customizing Google Plus username.

  19. Steven Wright says

    Thank you so much for this quick and easy instructional guide. Wish I would of secured some Google + domain space earlier this year but its still nice either way.

  20. Om Thoke says

    I’m not able to convert my profile URL into that format… It still shows some /112065440593040890096 rather than my desired username… And, moreover i don’t see any option to change the URL now! I guess they don’t give that option anymore!

  21. Uddhab says

    There are no profile URL option.
    But gplus.to was very helpful to me…. thanks..

  22. Anuj says

    There is no PROFILE URL option available in Google Plus. Please describe where is it?

  23. Amanda says

    Pretty sure that Google has expired this option for custom Google profile URLs.

    I just created a new google profile and when you go to https://profiles.google.com/me which should be the page to edit your profile URL it is now set to permanently redirect to https://plus.google.com/up/accounts/upgrade prompting you to sign up for G+ with no options to edit your profile beforehand.

    Frikin sucks. So look like your only option now is to go with gplus.to.

  25. azhure says

    i already did created a google plus profile but seems that link for editing username is no where to be found now, maybe google plus is doing some changes on their web concept

  26. Waqas Nasir says

    Good but i am not that impressed with Google Plus… it is boring. Lets see how Google Glass Project integration with Google Plus will be in reality. I hope it will improve but chances are not much … Facebook will remain on top i am sure.

    • Tuan Do says

      Then you just need to try to use the URL with your name, that will redirect to your GPlus profile.

  30. desius says

    i deleted my gplus profile but retained my google account, then created aa gplus profile using that email adress (clicking ‘upgrade’). and there is no option to create a custom url!
    basically i tried what Alex explained and this doesnt work for me! any help?

  35. Cement Science says

    I think Google will offer customized link service for all the users.

  36. rosie says

    it donr work. can you be more specific where it is.
    can you post the link please?

  37. Dan says

    I don’t think they offer this anymore? I couldn’t find any place to change the URL in the profile edit section.

  38. Malena says

    Hi. I am glad to have found this page. I tried to set my customized url of google+ step by step according to your guidance. But interesting, I couldn’t see the same page of “profile url” on mine. I am wondering why… :(

    • Tuan Do says

      Hi Malena,
      Check out the comment by Alex above. He still can set custom URL but you will need to delete your Google Plus account first. It is risky if you have already had a good network there.