Everyone needs a great Facebook business page to promote their business, and act as the cornerstone of their social media strategy. Not only does it help carpet Google with your business brand, but it acts as a pivotal platform for your growing community.
Courtesy of geekersmagazine.com
It’s not as straight forward as you might think – there are some vital points that business owners suddenly forget (or never discover) about setting up a Facebook business page. Let’s go over these points right here!
#1: A Group is Not a Page
Many first time Facebook businesses make the horrible mistake of creating a group, instead of a page. Why is this such a horrid mistake? Groups are limited, and act as an extension of your own personal interests.
That means when you post on a group page, it comes from you, not your business. You also lose some great functionality if you create a group instead of a page – like adding applications, creating adverts and having a community larger than 5000 members.
#2: Use a Keyword in Your Title
If your business name is “Paul’s Bistro” then you’ll need to include a keyword in your title that best describes your business. That way, when people search that keyword – your business will pop up – and give them the option to join. So, “Paul’s Bistro” becomes “Paul’s Bistro and Seafood Restaurant.”
You can even take it a step further, and include a geographical location in your title, if it suits your business goals. “Paul’s West Palm Bistro and Seafood Restaurant.”
#3: Certain Tabs Have Limited Options
When you begin to set up your new business page, you’ll notice that Facebook asks you to choose a category for your business. Often your business won’t really fit into any of their suggestions – but choose the wrong one, and you might have to delete your page at a later point to start again.
This is because some of the categories have limited options, for example – they don’t let you put in your business history or story. Always stick to the ‘professional services’ category to get all the options for a complete page.
#4: Don’t Be Afraid To Customize
Your business is one in a million, and that means your Facebook business page should reflect that. Don’t be afraid to customize your page, until its perfect. Try adding new applications, removing ones you don’t need, and experimenting with content and images.
Look out for FBML apps, or Facebook Markup Language Apps, where you can customize your tabs – anything from promotions to adverts directly on your page.
#5: Invite People To Join Your Page
Once your page is all set, its time to invite everyone you know to become a fan of your business. Not everyone you know will join – so it’s up to you to suggest your page to other people in other groups, or to approach people individually after finding them on similar fan pages.
When your community reaches 100 people, politely ask them if they know anyone to invite – and move forward from there. Remember community interaction and inclusion is the key to a great business page.
These 5 excellent points will help you set up a practical and efficient Facebook business page. If you can think of any other pointers that we should know – from your own experience – or something you might have come across, please let us know! We are always on the hunt for improvement. Tell us below!