Facebook has created business Pages as a way for businesses to have a presence on Facebook that is different from a personal profile with a friends list. The terms of service on Facebook state that personal profiles are not permitted for commercial use, so if you are running a business, it is important that you set up a Facebook page as the official presence for your business on Facebook.
How to Get Started: Facebook Business Page Part 1
By Jennifer Priest
Set up Your Facebook For Business
Setting up a page on Facebook take less than 10 minutes. It’s a good idea to have the following information ready, but if you don’t, you can always add the information to the page later by editing the Page:
- Profile Image
- Cover Image
- Text about your business
Go here to get started on how to start your Facebook page
Facebook will walk you through the steps for creating your page.
Make Sure Your Graphics Match Your Site for Cohesive Branding
Graphics will help customers to know they are on the right page for your company. You can use your company logo for your profile image or your photo if you are your brand. Make sure your cover image matches the style of graphics on your website. Consider including images of your products or projects in the cover image.
Get a Vanity URL For Your Facebook Page
Once your page has 25 fans, you can claim a vanity URL for your page. A vanity url makes it easier for you to share the link to your page and for others to find you. Some tips for making a vanity url for your Facebook page:
- Choose your actual business name
- If your business name is not available, choose a variation that makes sense to people
- For example, if “hydrangea hippo” was not available, I might choose “hydrangea hippo blog” or “hydrangea hippo crafts.”
- Change any links from your site to your page so that they show the new url
I created this video sharing how to do this:
Get Followers
The easiest way to get followers is to tell your friends and family about your new Facebook page. You can “invite” people on your friends list to “like” your page. You can also invite your contacts from your email list to “like” your page.
Next, be sure to add a Facebook button on your website that links to your Facebook page. Consider adding a similar button to your newsletter, email footer, and etsy shop, if applicable. In the next installment in this series, we’ll cover what to post to your new Facebook page.
Why do you think Facebook has prevailed compared to previous social media sites?
- Guest Post: How to Get Started: Facebook Business Page Part 3 - August 24, 2015
- How to Get Started: Facebook Business Page Part 2 - August 17, 2015
- Guest Post: How to Get Started: Facebook Business Page Part 1 - August 4, 2015
