Vanity URLs are brand-specific web addresses that replace the long, generic URLs frequently connected to social media accounts or websites.
Vault URLs are very popular in marketing because they are shorter names and are easy to remember. You can enhance your website’s traffic in search engine results by putting keywords in your vanity link.
Search engines such as Google hugely consider keywords in the URLs to determine legitimacy and relevance.
So, if you are interested in converting your URL into a vanity URL then this article is for you.
Here, in this article, I will wrap together what a vanity URL is and 5 simple steps to turn a URL into a vanity URL. Continue reading this article till the end!
What is a Vanity URL?
A vanity URL is a simplified version of a common URL Vanity URLs are personalized web address that replaces the long, and randomly generated URLs.
Vanity URLs are effective for branding and help remember one particular URL. A vanity URL is essential for the online presence of a brand.
Many URLs are long, complex, and making difficult for the users to remember. In the short form, we can say that a vanity URL is a long URL converted into a customized URL.
Vanity URLs are incredibly useful for a business’s online presence because more audiences will visit your website through remarkably shorter URLs.
5 uses of Vanity URL:
Vanity URLs have various uses, from making it remember the audience to enhancing your brand, and much more. Here, I will provide 5 uses of vanity URLs, just have a look:
- 1. Creating a memorable and easy-to-remember web address for the businesses
- 2. To track the success of marketing efforts
- 3. Simplifying the user experience
- 4. In improving SEO
- 5. In building a professional online presence
Here are 5 simple steps to turn a URL into a vanity URL
Step 1: You need to choose an easy and memorable name for your vanity URL:
The first step involves selecting a unique and distinctive URL name that goes perfectly to your business. You should remember that the vanity URL name must be easy to recall for the audience. The name can comprise your product, service, or any target keyword.
Some of the best practices for choosing a vanity URL for your business include:
- Making it shorter
- Keeping the name to the point
- Ensuring that the name of the vanity URL is easy to spell
For example, if a brand offers sustainable fashion clothes then it can use the vanity URL name “sustainable fashion”, or something like that.
Also, you should remember that you must avoid characters such as hyphens, dashes, or underscores so that it can be easier to type and remember.
Step 2: You can check the availability of the URL’s name on popular social media platforms:
As I have mentioned earlier your vanity URL name must be unique. That is why, you should check whether the name you choose for your vanity URL is already in use.
If you use the same user name across all social media channels then it will be simpler for the users to locate and engage with your web page online.
If you see that the name is already in use then you can consider putting the name of the region of your business in the keywords.
Thus, you can make your vanity URL name unique and distinguishable. If you want to build a great brand identity for your business, it is essential to consider consistency across all the platforms.
That is why, researching is a must and you should find out a memorable and simple name for your vanity URL name.
Step 3: Shorten your URL using a link-shortening tool:
It would help if you shortened your original URL to make it more reachable and sharable too.
If you simplify your URL, it will be easier for your target audience to be more accessible. Sharing content on social media platforms will become easier. Also, you can track your clicks.
You can modify the URL link and track clicks through link-shortening programs such as TinyURL and Bitly. You can also research it because some website builders also offer link-shortening features.
Now, shorten your URL. Once you have shortened your URL, it is time to check whether it functions properly. You can build a strong brand identity through a consistent online presence.
Step 4: You can customize the vanity URL as per the guidelines of each social media platform:
After shortening your URL, it is time to modify it according to the guidelines of each social media channel.
You should investigate the guidelines of different social media platforms before optimizing your URL because the guidelines vary.
For example, Facebook requires at least five characters and forbids using specific symbols or phrases. Instagram requires a character limit of 30, but it does not allow any spaces or special characters.
While Twitter requires 15 15-character maximum for the user name. LinkedIn has a unique requirement for vanity URLs including restrictions to letters, digits, and hyphens.
Clinging to these standards ensures that your vanity URL is consistent across all social media platforms.
Step 5: Promote your new vanity URL to your website and various social media channels:
Finally, to enhance your brand awareness and exposure, promote your new vanity URL link to your website and various social media platforms.
Your audience will readily accept and remember your vanity URL through your consistent online presence.
You can promote your brand by including your vanity domain, business cards, and other marketing aspects in your email signature. Consider putting your vanity URL in your advertising efforts to raise boosts and conversions.
Conclusion:
A URL is a web address on the internet that specifies the location of a resource. On the other hand, a vanity URL is a branded or custom version of a URL that is shorter, more memorable, and tailored to a specific purpose for brand recognition.
Vanity URLs are crucial for marketing and branding purposes of a business and making it more accessible to your target audience.
So, if you are planning to turn a URL into a vanity URL, here is the solution. You can follow the above-mentioned steps to form a vanity URL from your existing URL.
Hope, this guide will help you to raise brand awareness, boost search engines, and enhance traffic to your website through creating a vanity URL.
