Requesting New Custom URL for Google+ Local Business Page

[gbkevin]

This question is about the new custom URLs for Google+ Local Business pages:

Has anyone heard any success stories with requesting a custom URL different than the two reserved ones offered by Google via contacting a Google Rep by phone?

And what advantages might there be for a local business to go with a very long custom URL such asgoogle.com/+rosenbergAndDalgrenLLPFortLauderdale as opposed to just google.com/+RdLawyers?

Does having the city name in the URL offer any <acronym title="Search Engine Optimization">SEO</acronym> benefit?

Thanks!

[vmialik]

I was just "offered" is a good word, a custom domain by Google last week. At first I thought great let me choose my username that I like (+vmialik) and use for things like Facebook, etc. to keep the consistency.  But Miriam and Mike Blumenthal are right when they say Google did not give me an option to customize my domain.  But having a full name as a custom url at least for my name works well. For businesses and organizations, I understand its a different story, with DBA's etc.

Maybe in the future ... who knows.

Hope this helps

[MiriamEllis]

Hi GBKevin,

Unfortunately, the term 'custom' may be a bit misleading. To my knowledge, these URLs are assigned. Mike Blumenthal recently wrote an excellent post on this topic (see: http://blumenthals.com/blog/2013/10/31/google-custom-urls-facts-tidbits-and-concerns/) in which he states:

“Custom” is a misnomer. Assigned is more like it. Custom implies that you have some input into the process which is fully automated. You pretty much have to accept the URL given or keep your number.

Recommend you read the whole post. It's a good one. Hope this helps!

[EveronSEO]

Hi Kevin

You got two suggestions? Wow lucky you, we only received one and it was terrible. We are holding out until a better one is suggested, we haven't tried a rep as yet.

I don't think having the city name in the URL will matter too much with Google being very local-search friendly. I personally would go for a shorter URL, it definitely has more marketing advantages.

J