Setting up (or reviewing) your username probably feels like an admin task that you never even thought of… so, I see your eyes rolling and thinking, "What?! Yet another thing I need to think about for my small business pages?" And, I can see you pushing this one right down the to-do list, into do-it-sometime-(never) territory.
But hear me out, it’s one of the simplest ways to make your business page easier to find, easier to share, and instantly more professional.
Think about it this way:
- Would you rather say:
“Search for my cat boarding business Page… it’s something like, page-4827068338…”
- Or:
“Just find me at @bristolcatsitting” ?
That one small detail removes friction – and when your audience is busy, distracted, or scrolling quickly, that really matters.
In this blog, I'll be covering…
- What is a username (and how is it different from your business name?)
- Where your username appears (and why that matters)
- Why setting a custom Facebook URL is especially important
- How to choose a good username (without overthinking it)
- Step-by-step: How to set or change your Facebook username
- Step-by-step: How to set or change your Instagram username
- How often can you change your username?
- Common mistakes to avoid
- A quick 10-minute username check – YOUR ACTION PLAN!
before wrapping up 🙂
What is a username (and how is it different from your business name?)
Your username (also known as your “handle”) is the label for your account that appears with an @ symbol in front of it. It'll also appear in the URL of your Page (and hence, every post.)
Here's where you can see your usernames on Facebook and on Instagram, seen on mobile.
It’s different from your Page's name – which is more like a title or header of the Page. The name on Facebook will show up at the top of every post, whereas on Instagram, it's the other way around… the username appears next to every post.
So, you might want use your brand name; but you might not! And every username must be unique.
Some simple examples…
- Business name: Bloom & Grow Garden Design
Username: @bloomandgrow - Business name: Clarity Bookkeeping Services
Username: @claritybooks - Business name: The Cosy Candle Studio
Username: @cosycandles
Your username is what people will:
✅ Tag when they mention you in comments, Facebook groups and their own posts
✅ Tap on when they see you posting or mentioned in comments
✅ See next to Instagram posts, carousels, Reels and Stories
✅ Use to visit your Page when they want to message you, find your website or your contact info, for example.
Where your username appears (and why that matters)
Here's where you can see any Page's usernames (and names) on Facebook and on Instagram, seen on mobile.
Your username quietly shows up in more places than you might realise – and each one is a valuable opportunity to be found.
- When someone tags you
If a happy customer wants to recommend you in a Facebook group, Instagram post or in a comment, they’ll use your username.
👉 Example:
“Highly recommend @cosycandles - their gift sets are gorgeous.” (The @username becomes clickable and, on Facebook, will display neatly as your Page's name!)
If your username is unclear or hard to remember, you've effectively put a hurdle in their way and that recommendation might never happen.
2. Every time you comment as your Page, your username is clickable.
👉 Example:
A local florist commenting on a post:
@bloomandgrow: These look beautiful 🌿
That comment becomes a direct route back to your profile. (Again, on Facebook, it displays as your Page's name.)
3. Where Facebook and Instagram are looking for keyword/s.
Anyone wanting their Page and content to be seen by the right audience… well, we need to give the platforms the right clues as to who the content is "right" for. Your username is another big clue that YOU are in control of, helping the platform/s learn what you do, therefore they're understanding more clearly who precisely to show your Page and posts to.
👉 Example:
Facebook might see username @page-478324689463 and your name 'Soothing Sounds'. With only that to go on, it'd find it really hard to know whether your business is a tots singing group, a string quartet for hire, a guided mediation app, or maybe a repair specialist for audio kit. Where would it start, in deciding who to show your posts to?!
On the other hand, looking at @soothingsounds.hearingaids, it'll see there's a big fat clue in there, to actually start sending your content towards the "right" audience of hearing-impaired people.
and, 4. In your profile link (URL).
This is where things get useful if you want word-of-mouth marketing to help you out. This is what usernames mean, behind-the-scenes:
- Facebook: facebook.com/yourusername
- Instagram: instagram.com/yourusername
👉 So compare these:
- facebook.com/page/839274928374 (really hard to share)
- facebook.com/claritybooks (simple and memorable). Winner.
Why setting a custom Facebook URL is especially important
This is where many small business owners miss a trick.
When you first create a Facebook Page, the default link usually includes a string of random numbers. Hmmm, not exactly something you want to share on a business card or in a conversation.
Example:
- Default: facebook.com/page/1029384756
- Custom: facebook.com/cosycandles
Why this matters:
- You can tag your page easily in Facebook groups
- People can type your link without needing to copy and paste
- It looks far more professional in:
- Email signatures
- Printed materials
- WhatsApp messages & more
👉 Imagine a dog trainer called Happy Paws Training:
- Without username: hard to find, hard to tag
- With username: @happypawstraining – simple, searchable, shareable
It’s a small tweak that makes word-of-mouth marketing much smoother. You (and others) will be easily able to talk about your brand, mention and comment about your brand.
How to choose a good username (without overthinking it)
This is where people often get stuck – trying to make it perfect.
The goal isn’t perfection. It’s clarity and consistency.
Simple guidelines:
- Keep it close to your business name
- Make it easy to spell and say out loud
- Keep it as short as possible
- Avoid unnecessary punctuation or numbers
If your ideal username is taken…
This is very common – and easy to work around.
Here are some simple tweaks:
Add your service… Say, @claritybookkeeping or @cosycandleshop
Add your location…. Such as, @bloomandgrowuk or @happypawsbristol
Add a relevant word… Use, @cardiffhypnotherapystudio instead of just @cardiffhynotherapy
👉 Example scenarios:
- A yoga teacher called Calm Space Yoga… Can't use @calmspaceyoga, try @calmspaceyogauk
- A photographer called Golden Hour Photography… If @goldenhourphotography isn't a go-er, try @goldenhourphotos or @goldenhourphotostudio
- A therapist called Open Mind Counselling… If @openmindcounselling is unavailable, adjust to @openmindtherapy
💡 I recommend this helpful test for any small business:
If someone heard your username once, could they spell and find it later?
Step-by-step: How to set or change your Facebook username
If you’ve never done this before, don’t worry – it’s very straightforward. Use this process, on the desktop.
- Go to your Facebook Page
- Click Settings
- Look for Page setup or Username
- Click Edit (far right)
- Enter your chosen username
- Facebook will check if it’s available… you may need to tweak it at this stage.
- Click Save
A reminder… Usernames must be unique. They usually need to be 5-75 characters long. Facebook will guide you if something isn’t allowed, eg no symbols or wEird capitalisaTIONs allowed 😉
Step-by-step: How to set or change your Instagram username
Instagram is even quicker to update.
- When logged in as your Page, go to your Page's profile
- Tap Edit Profile
- Tap Username
- Type your new username
- Tap Done
Instagram will instantly tell you if the name is available, so you can tweak it on the spot.
How often can you change your username?
This is a question that comes up a lot – especially for business owners who are still refining their brand.
For Instagram:
- You can change your username once every 14 days
- However:
- If you change it, the old one may become available to others
- If you try to switch back quickly, it might not always be possible straight away
And on Facebook:
- You can change your Page username whenever you like, if the new one is available. (The 'name' CANNOT be changed as easily, say, only once every 60days. And has to be approved, which can take time.)
- But:
- Usernames are not designed for frequent changes
- Repeated changes may be restricted
What this means in practice:
You don’t need to get it “perfect” – but aim for something you’re happy to stick with.
A clear, simple, on-brand username will serve you far better than endlessly tweaking it.
Common mistakes to avoid
A few pitfalls that are easy to sidestep once you know about them:
- Not setting your username at all
- Using something difficult to spell
- Adding lots of random numbers (eg @upholsterypalace12345)
- Being inconsistent across platforms
- Changing it too frequently
A quick 10-minute username check – your ACTION PLAN
If you want to turn this into a quick win today, here’s my simple checklist:
✅ Check your current username/s on Facebook and Instagram
✅ Make sure it reflects your business identity clearly
✅ Claim a custom Facebook URL, if you haven’t already
✅ Align your usernames across platforms where possible
✅ Update your links anywhere you use them (website, email signature, linktree etc.)
Final thought: it's a small tweak that makes everything easier.
Your username might feel like a minor detail – yet, it plays a role in almost every interaction someone has with your business on social media.
It affects how people:
- Find you
- Tag you
- Recommend you
- Remember you
And the best part? It’s something you can sort in 10-15 minutes – with a lasting impact on how visible and accessible your business feels.
Hope this helped you today, Ruthx
