The Google+ custom URL rollout continues: individuals and brands with verified accounts are being notified

Last week, we reported that Google was rolling out custom URLs for major brands on Google+, and today that has expanded to more brands as well as verified individuals.

Unfortunately, you can’t choose your own, but you can request a different one. Google says that once you select yours, you can’t change or transfer it.

Here’s what Saurabh Sharma from the Google+ team had to say:

Today we’re rolling out custom URLs to thousands more verified (and well-known) brands and individuals. If you’re part of this expanded roll out, you’ll be prompted to claim your preapproved URL via email and/or when you visit your profile or page.

We’re making these changes over the next few days, and we’ll be offering custom URLs to many more profiles and pages in the future. We appreciate your patience in the interim, and we look forward to hearing your feedback!

If you’re a part of the rollout, you’ll see the notification at the top of the screen when you visit http://plus.google.com. Users are also getting an email to prompt them to claim theirs. From there, you can grab your vanity URL:

You can also go to your profile and click “Edit”, and the prompt will show there as well.

As we noted before, this is an important step for Google, one that shows the convergence of all of its products, with a social flavor.

There’s no telling how long it will take to roll this out to all Google+ users, but I imagine that it’s pretty high on the list of the team’s priorities. Being able to give out your profile, verbally or on a business card, is important to a lot of people. Up until now, all of the profile URLs have had a series of numbers and letters, for whatever reason. Also, there’s no more plus. in front of the URL. That’s pretty huge.

Some of us…ahem, haven’t been given one yet :)

UPDATE: I spoke too soon: