Setting Up Facebook Usernames

Although this functionality has been available for quite some time, many still do not take advantage of it.

Setting up usernames for your personal or business Facebook pages is a very simple process. It is also very convenient; if you want to direct someone to your Facebook business page, for example, the URL would be as simple as facebook.com/Connexins (instead of the long and convoluted default URL).

Although you can set up the username for your personal profile any time, Facebook pages (for a business or an organization) need at least 25 people to “Like” the page first before you’re able to set up a username for that page.

Login to Facebook, and visit http://facebook.com/username. Follow the instructions to set up the username for all your Facebook pages. Please note that usernames are final, i.e. once set up you cannot change them!

No More Fans on Facebook!

Starting today, Facebook made a minor change to the terminology associated with Facebook pages created for businesses (which is different than a personal Facebook profile). Facebook changed “Become a Fan” to “Like this”.

For some reason, this is gaining negative publicity (e.g. see this article in PC World and the article and comments in ReadWriteWeb). If you read these comments, it is clear that many people are very outraged by Facebook’s change. Some opponents claim that this change is confusing (since the “Like” feature is already available when someone wants to comment on his/her friends’ posts, comments, or pictures).

Instead of confusing, we think it is more consistent. In fact, in our opinion, this change will work better. Honestly, I never liked that term “Become a Fan”. To me, it always seemed a bit egotistical to ask someone to become a fan of a business.

Do you agree with us? i.e. do you like this change? Or will you boycott Facebook?

Please share your thoughts.