When you compare sites like HI5, Bebo, LinkedIn, Friendster with Orkut the main bit Orkut lacking was a Custom URL for your profile page.
A Custom URL is a small and easy to remember web URL by which one can access a profile page in a site. Basically one cannot remember the long URL provided by Orkut for your profile, so instead its easy to create a custom url which re-directs to the URL provided by Orkut.
Creating a Custom Url in Google Pages (Free):
- Login to Google Page Creator with Your Google accounts username and password
- Either create a new site or choose the Create Another site from the drop down box available at the top right corner of the page
- The next step is about choosing an address which is going to be the URL of your Orkut profile, so enter the profile name you want for your url basically it should be like this http://yourdesiredname.googlepages.com which will re-direct you to the Orkut profile.
- Say for example you want to use “XXXX” as your profile url then you should enter xxxx in the box provided for choosing an address and click Check Availability to see if the entered name is available or not.
- Select any layout and a starting look because because it has nothing to do with your url.
- Making sure you have entered the desired URL and check if its available or not, then click the Create Site Button.
- Now you have successfully created a site, click the [no title] link in the page name column to make it open.
- There you go, you are ready to edit the page where Google pages allows you to add title and other bla bla things. But you don’t have to touch them just click the [edit html] link at bottom right corner of the page.
- Type the following javascript code in any part of the blank page.
<script>
window.location = รขโฌลyour link hereรขโฌย;
</script>
- Replace your link here with your orkut profile url which will basically look like this http://www.orkut.com/Profile.aspx?uid=8454709067165079466
- You can find your profile url by login into Orkut and clicking the Profile link in your homepage, then copy the profile link which appears in the address bar.
- After making changes in the javascript code click the Save Changes button
- Now click Publish button to publish your webpage. Cool you are ready to launch your custom url.
- Just navigate to your address bar and type http://xxx.googlepages.com (example) and click ok ……..zooooooooooooo you will be re-directed to your orkut profile page.
Advantages of using this technique:
- You can easily share your profile URL with your friends, family or post this URL in your weblog or website.
- Now they no longer need to remember those long URL to add you as friend.
Also you can create a custom url in your domain name (if you own a domain address) by using the .htaccess technique. You can also use re-direction service sites like SnipUrl, Co.nr, shorturls.co.uk and other sites but it depends on own risk whereas by using this technique you have a google domain url.
Please comment if you have any queries and help related to this technique. Your suggestions are most expected.
Thanks Haochi for the JavaScript code.
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