Google+ getting custom, pretty URLs

Google+ has begun to introduce custom URLs to a “limited number of verified profiles and pages”, but promises platform-wide availability to all of its 170 million or so users in the future.

Custom or pretty URLs have been available on other social sites like Twitter and Facebook for some time now so it’s a natural step for Google to allow people and pages to customise their presence on its “social spine” even further.

The limited number of brands and celebrities already availing of the feature from today include Britney Spears (google.com/+britneyspears) and David Beckham (google.com/+davidbeckham), car manufacturer Toyota (google.com/+toyota) and games developer and publisher Ubisoft (google.com/+ubisoft).

“At first, we’re introducing custom URLs to a limited number of verified profiles and pages. But over time we plan to offer custom URLs to many more brands and individuals, so please stay tuned!”

Custom URLs are shorter, easier to remember and offer that little bit more by way of branding.

It’s also interesting to note that Google has dropped the ‘plus.’ subdomain from the custom URL entirely, reaffirming the fact that Google+ is the social layer behind all Google products rather than a social entity of its own.