How to List Your Business
on
Facebook
Facebook is the most important social marketing platform for small businesses - period. Facebook is the dominant social networking platform, with over 2 billion users, millions of advertisers and over 60 million business pages. A Facebook profile lends a great deal of credibility to your company's online presence, and it opens up a world of targeted advertising and marketing that can boost your local business. Adding consistent business listing info to Facebook will also boost your visibility in search engines.
To build a Facebook page for your business, begin by logging in to your personal Facebook profile from your computer. At the bottom of the column on the left side of your screen, you'll see a "Create" section. Click "Page" to begin.
The next screen will display several options for the type of page you'd like to create. As a small business owner, the first option "Local Business or Place" will work best for you. Companies with multiple locations will likely want to select "Company, Organization or Institution." If you sell a brand or product online, the "Brand or Product" option will likely work best for you.
As it will have the most use for many small business owners, let's walk through the setup of a "Local Business or Place" page. Click on that button. Several data entry fields will appear in the box on your screen as shown below.
Enter your business name in the top field, followed by the "Page Category" that best describes the products or services your company offers. As you type in your business description, suggested categories will appear. Select the one that best describes your company; this will allow people to find your easier in Facebook searches.
Enter your address and phone number. Make sure they match the address and phone number that are listed on your website and in online business directories. Accurate and consistent business listings are important for customer service - and for your internet search rankings! Click the "Get Started" button to see your new page.
Get familiar with your new Facebook business page. Facebook makes running your business page relatively easy for new page administrators. Your page, when first created will appear as shown below.
Before you begin posting from your company page or promoting your business, you first need to build out your page. Think of it as a mini company website embedded within Facebook. Your goal is to make it as easy as possible for people using Facebook to find you when they are looking for your products or services. If you have trouble walking through these next steps, Facebook offers detailed tutorials on the "Welcome to Your New Page" section pictured in the center of your new page.
Select your profile picture. Just click on the "Add a Picture" in the profile photo box on the left side of your screen. Two options will appear in a drop-down menu; you should choose to upload a high-resolution image. You should have your company logo or a photo of your business or signage saved and ready to upload here.
Next, upload a cover photo into the large center image section in the top middle of your page. This should be a high-quality photo or graphic that represents your company, your location, your products, or your services. It should be formatted as a horizontal image for best results as a cover.
Below your profile picture on the left side of your screen, you’ll see "Create page @Username" option. Click on it, and the box pictured below will appear. Creating a username that begins with the @ symbol will allow Facebook users to tag your page in posts about your business. This improves your visibility among Facebook users, and lets your customers interact with your business.
Use your business name, if it's available. If not, brainstorm some other descriptive options for your @ username - something that describes your offerings or your location, perhaps.
Add a description to your page. In the "Welcome to Your New Page" section in the center of your page, choose the "Add a Short Description" section. When this box below appears, enter the short description you use to describe your company on your website; include keywords that mention your products, services and location.
You can make your page description more robust by adding each of the services you offer. Click on the "Services" button, which is second on the list on the left side of your page. The services page below will appear.
Click the "Add a Service" button. Fill in the fields in the box, pictured below, when it appears. The more details you can add as you fill in this and other sections of your page, the more attractive and useful it will be to your target Facebook customers. Remember that images speak louder than words on the internet; high quality photos are your best possible description of products or services.
Showcase and sell your products directly through Facebook by clicking on the "Shop" button, fourth down on the list on the left of your screen. Your Shop Section functions like an e-commerce site right from your Facebook business page. Read the Merchant Terms and Policies for complete guidelines before setting up your shop.
Explore each section of your page, and get familiar with all of the Facebook marketing capabilities now at your fingertips. The "Reviews" section in the left column will be especially useful in engaging your current customers - and providing testimonial marketing to new ones! Encourage your satisfied customers to like your business page on Facebook, and to leave a review.
Make use of Facebook's video and event marketing and targeted advertising features. When you're ready to make your first post from your business page, you'll see a number of options below the text bar, as pictured below.
As you begin posting messages for customers through Facebook, remember these tips:
- Make sure you update your Facebook page whenever your listings info changes - if you get a new phone number, or change your operating hours. It's essential that you correct your business listing info everywhere it appears on the internet.
- Including a complementary photo or video will get more viewers to like and comment on your post.
- Consider whether your message might be best delivered as a live video, as in a live product demo.
- If you are advertising an event, click the "Create an event" box to get the most visibility.
- Clicking the "Get phone calls" button allows Facebook users to call you directly from their smartphones by clicking on your post; they can text you if you post using the "Get messages" option.
- Always remember to tag your business location in posts; this will help smartphone users navigate to your company's physical location.
- For a low cost, you can ensure your post, your page, or a special event get in front of a targeted audience of customers by choosing the "Advertise your business" option.
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