Comments on: Why I Don’t Need a Facebook Vanity URL

By: Joshua Guffey

Joshua Guffey — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:00:07 +0000

This is a great reminder Marshall. Thanks.

By: Online Business Management Software and Services » Blog Archive » Sponsor Post: Build a Better Personal Brand With Your Own Domain

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:18:03 +0000

[...] essential part of your online identity, without you having to rely on numerous online profiles. As Marshall Kirkpatrick puts it, “I’m in charge here at Marshallk.com and that’s the way I like [...]

By: Vanity URLs – Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and more…

Vanity URLs – Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and more… — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 07:37:42 +0000

[...] There is a lot of talk about the specific aspects of Facebook. Allen Stern has – Brand Yourself/Your Business- Not Facebook, Anil Dash has – The Future of Facebook Usernames, Marshall Kirkpatrick has – Why I don’t need a Facebook URL, Chris Messina has – Facebook Usernames and the battle over your digital identity, and the official Facebook blog with the announcement here. [...]

By: Linda Mae

Linda Mae — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 02:37:54 +0000

Marshall, I get that you think the one site name is enough. However, how will you feel when you discover someone else capitalizing on your name and success?? Did you know that the urls are permanent and cannot be changed later? You’d have zero hope of getting your name later if you failed to act now. Just a thought, buddy.

By: annalaura brown

annalaura brown — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 12:38:18 +0000

I see you point. However, I own annalaurabrown.com but I still took facebook.com/annalaurabrown in part because I don’t want someone else to take it which they could although I doubt they would and it just does make it easier for someone to go directly to your facebook profile.

By: PaulSweeney

PaulSweeney — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 11:14:28 +0000

If search works, you don’t need a vanity url. The imperative is to be presented to others “in the flow”, and in the “suggestions”… Those that know me, already have me as a friend, those that will find me, will do so through the suggestion, and flow. But, here’s another question: is anyone doing anything interesting with that flow and phonebook function on FB?

By: Andy

Andy — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 03:42:36 +0000

Just get a .tel domain and aggregate all of your contact information and social media links in one place.

Facebook could make a killing selling these directly.

By: Larry Anderson

Larry Anderson — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 03:40:32 +0000

I’ll try to grab my Facebook URL, just because I can, although with a name as common as mine it might be taken already. But if I don’t get it, I won’t be terribly upset, since as you point out, as a domain owner my digital identity is controlled by me and no one else. I never give out site usernames, anyway. Seems kinda silly when I have a perfectly good domain name.

By: Joni Mueller

Joni Mueller — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 03:33:27 +0000

I own my own domain and have for years. But I like consistency in my life and all my accounts are jonimueller. Makes things nice and easy. Fortunately for me the other jonimueller who is somewhat online but not nearly as much as I am, is asleep at the wheel so I’m likely assured to get that URL. If I can get it, I will. Why? Makes things easier for ME to remember.

By: Bhavishya Kanjhan

Bhavishya Kanjhan — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 03:21:32 +0000

Marshall I own my own domain at kanjhan.com as well. Similarly I can also be found at all those websites by googling my name (which is absolutely unique) but I’m still making an effort to get my Facebook Vanity URL.
Why? Because it’s not just about being found on the internet it’s also about trying, as much as possible, to make your presence available. Besides, if someone’s going to have facebook.com/bhavishya, I’d rather have it be me.

Your point about control over Digital Identity is right though. The control that we gain over our digital life (identity, email etc) with a custom domain is far greater than that available by services online. Something anyone serious about an online presence should definitely look into.

By: Taylor Marek

Taylor Marek — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 03:20:50 +0000

True, and I see your point. I own my own domain as well, which is more important to me then having it anywhere else on the web.

Thing is, I want people to find me on facebook as well, so I’ll make it easy for them to find me. I want to be everywhere, partly because I want to join in conversations elsewhere, but also to direct back to my website.

Just another thought for ya.

By: Wade Dorrell

Wade Dorrell — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 19:19:31 +0000

Another beaut about domains is email service provider portability.

By: Vanity URLs - Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and more… | 123 Social Media

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 17:30:40 +0000

By: Linkwertig: Google Fusion Tables, Versandhandel, Last.fm, Exit Points » netzwertig.com

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 07:00:52 +0000

[...] » Facebook usernames and the battle over your digital identity » Why I Don’t Need a Facebook Vanity URL [...]

By: Brand Yourself/Your Business Not Facebook | CenterNetworks

Brand Yourself/Your Business Not Facebook | CenterNetworks — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 02:52:09 +0000

[...] Does that mean you shouldn’t create a presence on Facebook or MySpace or wherever your customers are? Of course not. And I think it makes sense to grab your brand’s vanity URL if it is available. I agree with Marshall about as he says his domain name is better than any vanity URL will ever be. Chris Messina takes a more technical look at the vanity urls. [...]

By: Dario Salvelli’s Blog » Blog Archive » Feedmastering #144

Dario Salvelli’s Blog » Blog Archive » Feedmastering #144 — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 19:52:13 +0000

[...] – A Facebook sono tutti eccitati perchè da sabato mattina entrerà in vigore la possibilità di registrare un proprio username e quindi molti li stanno prenotando: in pratica il link al tuo profilo diventerà del tipo facebok.com/alcapone. Vanity URL, li chiamano: Marshall spiega perchè non ne avevamo bisogno. [...]

By: Not Everyone is Excited About Facebook Vanity URLs | GroupHelp.NET - Easy everything!

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 18:37:52 +0000

[...] So goes the argument. It’s better to grab your own domain (I have Marshallk.com, for example, and wrote about this there as well) and to use that link to then point people out to whatever social networks you happen to be participating in at the time. You’ll always own your own domain and you set the rules. [...]

By: Not Everyone is Excited About Facebook Vanity URLs | koala eye

Not Everyone is Excited About Facebook Vanity URLs | koala eye — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 18:34:48 +0000

By: Chris

Chris — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 17:24:12 +0000

I take it you didn’t get a Google profile address either, ay Marshall?

By: Chris Baskind

Chris Baskind — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 16:39:58 +0000

“Serf’s address at Twitter” is the best chuckle I’ve had so far this morning.

I’ve had a Facebook vanity URL for months:

http://chrisbaskind.com/facebook

Facebook is in its proper place there. At the end.