Creating a Facebook business page
Trying to figure out how to create a Facebook business page the right way? Or are you thinking “why should my business have a Facebook page anyway?”
The real question is, if you don’t already have a Facebook page, why not? According to a recent report, the nearly 900 million FB posts published by brands and businesses during a given year experience twice the engagement than other types of posts. All told, there are roughly 2.7 billion Facebook users around the world.
That is a lot of potential customers that you need to have your brand out in front of. Which again begs the question, if your company does not currently have a presence on the social network giant, then what are you waiting for?
Some may feel intimidated by the task. How do you get your page to look just right? What message do you want to convey? How do you maintain your Facebook presence so as to make it count?
All great questions. This article will cover not only how to create a Facebook business page, but we’ll also look at what you can do to optimize that page. In other words, you want to make it work for you. You want tangible, measurable results, otherwise what’s the point. So we offer a few strategies and tips to help you make that brand new Facebook page really stand out and hopefully, get noticed!
How to Create a Facebook Page for Business and What Exactly is a Business Page?
First off, some basics: a Facebook business page is essentially like a personal page in some ways but geared specifically for brands. Once upon a time, it was optional. Not so much anymore. Pretty much if you are an operating entity, you’re going to need a Facebook page. So, when thinking about how to Create a Facebook Business Page, remember that ocial media is quickly surpassing websites as the primary source of information for consumers. A potential customer is more apt to check out your social media pages and accounts first versus going to your site. This is why social media marketing is such a big business now.
A Facebook business page is ideal for showcasing promotions, offering outside the box content that may not fit in a traditional marketing campaign, and of course, engaging with users. Facebook offers a more personal and imitate connection than say your standard website. So nailing that Facebook business page is going to be critical when it comes to ensuring a successful social media strategy.
*Did you know that 15% of social media users shop on Facebook. This is only second to Pinterest. Obviously, people aren’t just looking at family pics and commenting on politics. They are also buying on Facebook—which is key for any business! You definitely do not want to be left out when it comes to this lucrative channel.
Step 1: Sign Up for a Facebook Account.
If you are not currently among the near three billion users on the platform, it’s time to sign up. You first need to establish your personal account. This can be done quite easily by following the steps and simply clicking on “sign up.” Congrats—you are now officially a Facebook user!
Next, Register for a Business Page
Once you log in to your personal account, go to the right-hand side of the blue toolbar and click on “create.” You will then select “page,” and in terms of the category for your page, most will want to choose “Business or Brand.” Now you’re ready to dive into the details of your Facebook business page.
Step 2: Establish Your Business Page Identity
So here is where the nuts and bolts of who you are and what you do will come into play. First off, you want to select a name for your Facebook page. Ideally, you will name it the same as your business. This makes it less confusing for users to find and identify with your overall brand. You will also choose a Facebook business category. For instance, if your company is food and beverage based, then you’ll choose Food/Beverage.
Don’t Worry if You Can’t Find the Exact Business Category.
Not all categories are represented. Just shoot for something close if you cannot find the exact category that your company might fall under. Or, if there is just nothing else close, keep it general—there is a Product/Service category you can opt for.
Step 3: Adding a Profile and Cover Photo
This step is crucial. Facebook is largely a visual medium, meaning, people are expecting images and photos. Make it too text heavy and you will likely lose their attention. This goes for the posts you publish as well as the overall look of your page. Which is why you definitely want to include a vibrant cover photo and profile image.
Make Sure the Images Look Professional
Pay attention to the sharpness of the image. If upon uploading it appears blurry, choose something else. Unlike with a personal Facebook account, for a Facebook business page, all aspects need to appear professional. Also, ensure that the cropping doesn’t distort the image.
Choosing your Cover Photo
Generally, for a profile pic for a business page, you will use your logo or some component thereof. Cover photos for business though often stump some people. Technically speaking, it should be a minimum of 400 pixels wide by 150 tall. As far as what that image should be…It could elaborate on your brand identity. You might also use it to emphasize a call to action. Or, how about using that cover image to highlight the details of a product. Think creatively here!
Step 4: Add Those Business Details
You are almost done creating your Facebook business page. Of course, there is the ever so important step of adding your business details to the page. Yes, people will use your Facebook page to find out when you’re open, where you’re located and what your contact info is.
Over 87% of Marketers will Use Facebook this Year.
Why is this important? Because it means that there are a ton of businesses utilizing the platform to extend their brand reach. Ensuring that users know exactly who you are, where to find you and when you’re available is going to be key when establishing your page.
Facebook Pages Often Rank Higher than Websites
When it comes to organic searches, it is more common than you think that your FB page will come up before your site. So again, this further reinforces the fact that you want all relevant business information listed—and make it easy to find.
Step 5: Invite Friends/Family to Like
A Facebook business page is designed to help you get in front of more potential customers. This is going to take a little leg work on your part. Once your page is complete and all details and boxes filled in, now it is time to start inviting people to like/follow you.
Facebook will Prompt You to Invite Your Friends to Like Your Business Page
Sign into your personal account, the platform makes it easy for you to invite friends to like your business page. You can also select “invite friends” from a drop-down menu contained within your business page itself.
Step 6: Add a Relevant Button to your Facebook Business Page
This feature is free and can really help generate more leads. After all, you’ve created this Facebook business page because you want to extend your reach. And in doing so, you are looking for more users and hence, more leads. The button when added will appear under your cover image on the right-hand side.
Choose the Type of Call to Action Button You Want
And make sure it is relevant to what you do. For instance, if you are a retailer, you can choose “shop now.” There are also buttons for Book Now, Contact Us, Watch Video, and so forth. When clicked, this button will send a user to a link that you’ve chosen. So again, make sure it is tied into the theme of that particular Facebook CTA button.
And that is it! You now have a Facebook Business Page that is ready to promote your brand. Now, the key is how do you utilize this page to your advantage. You’ve gone through the trouble of creating it and so of course you want it to produce results.
This is where many small businesses especially go astray—they fail to keep that Facebook page active. A page that just sits there is doing nothing for your brand. In fact, to some extent, it may be hurting you. If for example it does come up in search results, and a user clicks on it and it is dated or very little content, well, let’s just say not a good first impression.
Keeping up with your business page is therefore extremely important to any marketing effort. Below are a few tips for maximizing your new Facebook for business page and making it work for you!
Maintaining a healthy Facebook business page
Have a Purpose with Your Posts:
In other words, one of the worst things you can do is to randomly publish things and just hope they get seen. There is a method here. Think about what you want to post and make it strategic. And also think about how you are going to get that post seen. Whether it is boosting that Facebook post or perhaps partnering with another brand on a promotional project to increase the chances of getting views, have a plan.
Have a Calendar in Place:
You want to keep your FB posting plan consistent. Creating a content calendar is a must, especially if you have a presence on more than one platform. This will only help keep things organized and running smoothly. There are a ton of Facebook-related tools that can help to this end. You might check out Buffer for example.
Create a Facebook Group
This is a great way to bring together users who do in fact have an interest in your niche. So if you specialize in farming products, you can create a Facebook group dedicated to discussing and exchanging ideas about organic farming practices for example. You want to be careful in any such group that you don’t make it sales driven. In other words, users who join groups are looking for authentic, helpful information. Make it about them, not you and it will help you grow your customer base.
Think Outside the Box with Facebook Stories
And first off, we should probably say, don’t forget to use those Facebook stories. Stories represent valuable Facebook real estate for a business, be sure to take advantage of them. That said, they don’t need to be as formal or professional as your standard posts. Stories are meant to be more casual, more on-the-go. Users are actually finding that stories are more genuine than posts or promotions. And if nothing else, people want companies that they choose to work with to be genuine.
Use Facebook for Customer Service Purposes
By utilizing the bots available through Facebook, you can deal with customer service issues instantaneously—and that is a very good thing! People expect top-notch customer service. They want to know that they are being listened to. They want their needs met…ASAP. Facebook makes it easy to handle any issue that arises. Also, don’t forget to interact with those users who do comment on your Facebook business page. Even if they’ve left a negative remark, be sure to address it and don’t just let it go.
Conclusion for Facebook Business Pages
Facebook, without question, is a tool that every business should be making use of. In this social media-driven world you simply can’t afford not to. You have the opportunity to take advantage of one of the largest platforms on the planet and do so for very little money. Again, the key is to be consistent. Don’t go on a posting spree one week and then leave your page dead in the water for the next two. This will send users a mixed message and ultimately undermine your Facebook presence in general.
Can’t think of what to post? There are numerous online resources to help with coming up with original and effective FB post ideas for your business. You might also consider outsourcing this particular marketing task to a freelancer who specializes in social media marketing. Whatever route you decide to go, make sure that you are putting your best social media foot forward.
Always design professional looking posts. Publish content relevant to your field/niche. And what’s more, create content that actually engages. User engagement is huge, building relationships via Facebook and other such channels is crucial—this is how you grow your audience.
anne carson
Anne is a former English professor turned content writer. Holding a PhD in Literature, she spent almost a decade in academia putting that degree to use, until finally realizing it wasn't exactly the best fit. A full-time writer, she's learned a great deal about the numerous subjects. She knows a lot about design trends and design templates. A mom of five (two teenagers and three dogs).