Google Rolls Out Limited Google+ Vanity URLs

One of the biggest problems with Google+ is the inability to easily type in a URL to get to a specific person's profile page. Profiles right now are accessed via string of random numbers, so either you'll need to have someone in your feed or you'll have to search for via Google before stumbling across their profile page and feed. The search company has made moves to correct the problem, according to TechCrunch, with the introduction of new vanity URLs.

The feature hasn't been enabled for everyone, however. Only a handful of companies and celebrities have access to shortened URLs right now. Britney Spears, for example, can be accessed by going to plus.google.com/+britneyspears/posts, and several bramds including Hugo Boss, Delta Airlines, and Toyota have also seen the change.

Google says that the new feature will be available worldwide, but didn't go into specifics about who has access to vanity URLs or how it intends to dish out the custom URLs in the future. According to the company, this is merely a "first step," with the vanity URLs available only to "a limited number of verified profiles and pages."

If you're jonesing for a custom URL to replace the random numbers, you'll have to sit tight until Google rolls out the feature on a wide basis. In the meantime, you can check several examples of the shortened URLs in action, which include individuals like David Beckham, Hugh Jackman, as well as games such as Assassin's Creed.