Facebook has come a long way since its inception. No longer just a site for college kids, Facebook has created some amazing advertising opportunities for SMB owners to take advantage of. And those opportunities have become even more powerful with the creation of Facebook Fan pages.
Facebook Fan pages allow you to officially represent your business on Facebook. You get to give your “fans” and customers a unified place to hold conversations about you, to get updates on what you’re doing, interact with you, and connect with other people who are “just like them” and love your products.
Here are some quick steps for how to create your Facebook Fan page and increase your overall Facebook marketing tactics.
- Set it up: First head to the Pages screen to get started creating yours.
- Select your category/title: For most, you’ll want to click the Local option and select the appropriate category from the drop down menu. On the same screen, you’ll be prompted to give your page a title. This should be the name of your business, with keywords included when possible. For example, if the name of your wedding boutique is Stella’s, you can get away with titling your page [ Stella’s Wedding Boutique]. These pages will rank in the search engines, so keywords are your friends.
- Add a profile picture: These photos are quite larger than the profile pictures for personal pages, so pick something that will translate well. It can be a logo, a personal photo, a photo of your storefront, etc.
- Add company information: In this step you’re going to add all your basic store information, the same you would if you were filling out a Google Local profile or business listing. Include your name, URLs, date the company was founded, an overview of what you do and your mission statement.
- Build it out: Make your page stand out and unique by adding engaging content via your Tabs that that will attract users and keep them coming back to your page. That means adding videos, photo galleries, importing your blog, useful Facebook applications, incorporate coupons, etc.
- Publish your page: Find the publish button. Hit it. 😉
- Find Fans: Once you’re all set up, become a fan of the page yourself. Then, send it to your colleagues and friends and invite them to Fan the page, as well. Do a search on Facebook for what you do and look for people in your area or networks who list it as an interest.
- Advertise the page (!): Once the page has been built and Fans have been found, get the page (and your company) more exposure by using Facebook’s ad program to drive more people to the page. Facebook has an incredibly powerful ad program that I would recommend all SMB owners look into. Because of the personal nature of Facebook, users enter in all sorts of important buying information. They tell you how old they are, where they live, what they’re interested in, favorite bands, likes, dislikes, etc. The Facebook ad program allows you to target your ads based on ALL of this information. That means if you sell wedding gowns, you can set it so that your ads only appear for people between a certain age, who live within 20 miles of your store and who are currently listed on Facebook as being engaged. You can’t beat that kind of targeting.
Twitter isn’t the only social media powerhouse that small business owners should be aware of. By using Facebook’s Fan pages and combining it with their ad program, the social site gives business owners a HUGE opportunity to drive people to their pages, build brand recognition, keep customers updated on the latest happenings, and get them inside your stores.
Thank you for the heads up but I’m a little confused. Are “fan pages” different and seperate from Facebook “groups”? If they are different, what is the benefit of having a fan page over a group? Any help would be greatly appreciated. 🙂
I’ve seen some very successful use of advertising to increase the number of fans. Facebook has an ad unit specifically for fan pages that has a “Become a Fan” button below the ad that lets people become fans without leaving their current page.
Building your fan base is great because you can message fans with promotions, interesting content, etc. almost like an email list. Couldn’t agree with you more Lisa.
Laura
How do you message fans with promotions and such?
RedHotFranchises
Apart from Twitter, Facebook is also a great platform for everyone to find interesting topics and is one of the best places for Social media advertising for Small Businesses.
Amanda: Yes, the two are different and yes, it is a little confusing. 🙂
Anyone can create a group, regardless of whether or not they are associated with your company. Groups are est used for quick, active discussions.
When you create a Facebook Page you need to sign off that you are actually part of the company the page is for. Pages are also indexed by the search engines (because they’re public), Groups are not.
Mashable recently wrote a great article explaining the differences. Basically, groups are more geared towards personal interactions, whereas Pages are better for brands. They prob do a better job than I do, so you may want to check that out.
http://mashable.com/2009/05/27/facebook-page-vs-group/
Ted Hurlbut
Good tips. My focus has been on LinkedIn, so this helped me flesh out my facebook presence.
Lisa,
Timely article! I created “The Franchise King” facebook fan page a month ago, and am picking up more fans every day.
So, are you one, yet?
{I am doing some karma stuff on it. take a peeky}
The Franchise King
Joel Libava
Thanks Lisa. I’ve been hearing lots about fan pages recently but wasn’t sure how to set up or optimize. I’ll be working on it tonight now!
I agree with you Lisa. For me, my top 3 list of social media sites that small business owners should be aware of is: Twitter, Facebook and Bizsugar. Plus, a bonus: LinkedIn.
Martin Lindeskog
Lisa,
Thanks for the primer on the Facebook fan page. I had the same questions as Amanda. Now it is clear to me. I think point number 8 is a goldmine for advertiser and great edge for Facebook. I am working together with a person with the nickname Charlie Bloom on a new business venture with the name NetZpider. This site will be a place for “Inventing, developing, spreading and selling two-way messages.” One brand is called NetBachelor.com and it is geared to single men and one is called NetBachelorette.com that is obviously geared to single women. It will come products for pairs and family members too. And later on a t-shirt with a funny twist in today’s “reality TV show” world filled with paparazzis… 😉
Charlie has created fan pages as Joel. I can guarantee you that it will be filled with good karma! Please become a fan and spread the good word and you have the chance to get a free t-shirt! 🙂
RedHotFranchises
Over the past few years Facebook has witnessed a dramatic rise in new user adoption and with that rise has come the opportunity for brands to interact directly with existing customers and engage new ones but it will take a lot of effort. Putting forth that effort though can produce substantial rewards
Oh, interesting… Thank you for clarifying it for me Lisa. Sounds like I need to check into this more.
TJ McCue
Hi Lisa
I know a local WA startup has been doing some cool things on Facebook with a Fan promotion. Dot Girl First Period Products (the name gives it away and explains the focused niche) has been building its fan base via a company called Social Bees. They’ve tied a coupon to becoming a fan, which leads to a discount.
http://www.parentingYoungGirls.com is their FB page.
http://www.socialbeesstrategy.com/ is the co helping them.
Another area that I see few folks using well: You can direct users to another “Tab” instead of to the “Wall tab”. For example, in the Boxes tab, you can put in custom code, tiny apps, RSS feeds (which are one of the few areas that are ‘not’ a no-follow link).
In the settings, you can specify where people land first. But as an admin, you won’t land there, so it can be confusing. As an admin, you always land on the Wall. But if you log out, and come in as the public does, then you land on the specific tab you set up. I don’t believe sending folks to the Wall is the best place to land people, but I’d be eager to hear your thoughts.
Thanks
TJ
James
You noted twitter, and I must say I do not see the value of twitter. I see so many realtors using it foolishly. They say I am going to go eat, I am going to workout, I hope to slam dunk a new client. Who are the twittering to? I see the value of twitter like a newsletter, but only a one liner, so maybe more so of an announcement. 1234 W ABC St, Queen AZ 85238 $85,000. Where facebook is a community. You can mention newsletter stuff, more details about a home- not a one liner. I really do not see the value of twitter. I think twitting will vanish. It is at the level of a text message almost.
Facebook has done a great job with fan/group pages. The fan page definitely allows people to connect with both you and your business.
I’ve set up a fan page for my business and I invited all of my facebook friends to become fans. Since then my own friend base has increased, but I don’t know how to invite my newest friends to be fans. Can you enlighten me?
I just started on the Facebook Fan Page for Palmetto Cheese. Another great way to attract fans is to give them content on your page that makes people want to come back. I made a recipe of the week slideshow that takes you step by step making a recipe using Palmetto Cheese. We also just started the Soulful Recipe Contest; which allows fans to signup on our fan page to the contest. I used an application called Wildfire that enabled me to put the contest directly on the fan page. I also began developing a character for the brand that will attract more families. He is called Pawley the Pimento. Palmetto Cheese was started in Pawleys Island, SC.
For more information check out the Palmetto Cheese Fan Page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Palmetto-Cheese-The-Pimento-Cheese-with-Soul/174917607012?ref=nfreply
Facebook User
be come a fan
Darion
I kind of confused by the part that said search for people that are interested in what your fan page is about. I have invited all of my facebook friends that I thought would be interested, but you can’t invite people you are not friends with. Any other non-paid ways to promote a fan page?
Marie
I’m a bit confused, can anyone help me?
If I make a business page on Facebook, with my current account (haven’t published it yet), will I lose my current profile? Or will I keep both (personal and business)?
1BeadAtATime
I’m a little confursed about the Fan Page. I have person page and was able to open a Fan Page for my ArtFire shop after my personal page had some number of friends. I’ve noticed that when I comment on other people’s wall, my personal page id is left and that’s not what I want. I don’t want my personal page and Fan Page to be connected. Is this possible?
moujhgh
Thanks Lisa. I’ve been hearing lots about fan pages recently but wasn’t sure how to set up or optimize. I’ll be working on it tonight now!
http://www.techenga.com
Become a fan of Stack Jones webpage. Free music, music videos, photos, bio, etc.
Nigel Massage
Thanks Lisa,
I was told i needed one… now I know how to do it.
Thanks for the time save 🙂
Get Facebook Fans
Facebook fan pages are an important asset in every brand’s advertising strategy.
AWESOME =D
http://www.facebook.com/mystary
jhon barnes
Hi,
Thanks for the valuable insight on what our said small businesses need to become successful using Facebook as one of its said tools.
Eliot
Hi, I am wondering how I can change the listing of my page from a Local Business to a Business (eg How target or Kohls is listed) Also I would like to include a company Mission Statemen, Company Overview, Products etc… How do I add this information because the only options I have under ‘info’ are Website, Description, General info and Location.
Chad Warford
Very informative, great read, another great element is a custom landing page design, instead of your prospective fans to land on your wall. Facebook has truly assisted a lot of small businesses get their name further then they initially imagined. thanks for the insight.
Hey,
Can somebody tell me how can I easily switch over from my personal profile to my business page??
joe
Please,is there a good place to get free templates to build your facebook fanpage?
How do i join facebook groups???