Google+ rolled out their custom URL program last week, to the delight of all of us at Local Fresh.

Why are we so pleased? This means that Google+ can be so much easier to manage for our clients! A custom URL for the Google+ page of a small business makes it much easier to build a following through this social media outlet and garner positive reviews for businesses of all sizes.

What is a Google+ Custom URL?

A custom URL is an easy way to remember a web address. If we want people to visit our website, we simply tell them to go to “Localfresh.com”. A URL that is easy to say and to spell makes it simple for current and potential customers to find you and remains consistent with your branding message.

For example, Facebook has been using custom URLs for a long time, allowing small business owners to format a URL that looks like this:

http://facebook.com/LocalFreshMarketing

Now our Google+ page can be formatted in a similar fashion:

https://plus.google.com/+Localfresh/

What Does This Mean for Your Small Business?

This development is important for small business owners, as participation in Google+ has been shown to help drive sales. Additional benefits of creating a custom Google+ URL include:

• Providing consistency of branding through Google+ outlet
• Links your business website to your Google+ page, building credibility with Google and other search engines
• Makes Google+ page more accessible to potential and current customers
• Makes it easier for these customers to connect with this social media outlet
• Allows customers to more easily find your page to leave reviews

Building credibility with Google as a search engine through claiming your Google+ URL is essential, as is building reviews for your small business. It’s time to do both!

How to Get Your Google+ Custom URL

I personally have always had a love-hate relationship with Google. While this social media outlet is an amazing resource, navigating Google+ profiles and pages and linking them to your small business website can feel a bit overwhelming.

If you want to claim your small business custom URL, your Google+ profile for your small business must meet the following criteria per Google+:

• A profile photo is displayed on the Google+ page
• Your page has at least 10 followers
• The Google+ account for your small business is at least 30 days old

Any brand or business that has a linked website or is a verified local business can claim a custom URL for their Google+ page. Link and verification info is available in the Google+ Help Center.

If you want to save some sanity and avoid potentially pulling out all of your hair in the process of claiming your custom URL for your Google+ page, Local Fresh Marketing can help – contact us here!