In their first quarter report, Facebook revealed that the social network has a total of 1.11 monthly active users, with 665 million individuals accessing the site each and every day. With such a vast user base, it’s difficult to ignore the social platform’s potential from a marketing standpoint. Still, many businesses avoid Facebook, as well as other social media sites, like the plague. While only 27% of Fortune 500 companies neglect social platforms, the number is much higher for small businesses. Let’s examine the importance of having a Facebook page for your business, how to set your page up, and what to do once your page is complete.

The Importance of Having a Business Page

Maintaining a social presence is more important than ever before. Yes, the potential to reach a broad and local audience on an (initially) free platform is still there. In fact, 77% of B2C companies and 43% of B2B companies have reported that they acquired companies from the social platform. However, the consequences of not being on social media are far greater now that Google has released their Penguin 2.0 update. In addition to penalizing sites that use questionable SEO strategies known as black hat tactics, with this update and those to come in the future, Google is recognizing businesses with strong social media followings as more credible, thus boosting their page ranks.

How to Set Up a Business Page

If you’re starting from square one, visit https://www.facebook.com/pages/create.php and begin by choosing your page type. Facebook provides six different types of pages, Local business or Place; Company, Organization or Institution; Brand or Product; Artist, Band or Public Figure; Entertainment; or Cause or Community. If you have a physical location that customers can visit, you should choose Local Business or Place. However, if you are hired singularly for your expertise, you’d want to select public figure. Read our past article on page types to learn which is right for your business.

Once you’ve chosen you’re page type, you’ll need to upload a profile picture and cover photo. Your profile picture will accompany each of your posts in your followers’ News Feeds, as well as any comments you might make on other pages, while your larger cover photo remains at the top of your business page.

Finally, you’ll need to fill out your About section, providing valuable information about your business for your followers. Several items not to be left blank are your website, your phone number, and your hours and address if you have a physical location. It is also important to note that Facebook disables certain functions, such as scheduling posts, until you add the year your business was founded. As a rule of thumb, fill out all of the available fields if possible. It’s always better to provide more information than your customers need than not enough!

Developing and Maintaining a Posting Schedule

Now that you’ve set up a Facebook business page, it’s time to put it to use! All too often, businesses create social media pages only to abandon them. Don’t let this happen to you! Devise a plan of action by designating the number of days you will post per week and the type of content you will post each of these days. For instance, say on Mondays you post your latest blog from your website, on Wednesdays you share a relevant article from a news source and on Fridays you post a picture that relates to your business. You can even stockpile and schedule these posts in advance, making managing your Facebook page even easier! Just be sure to go in each day to check and respond to any comments or messages you may have received. This strategy will help you stay on track and ensure that you maintain a regular posting schedule.

Checkout some of the pages we have set-up and manage to help you get some ideas:

• Weddings in The Bahamas
• L’Absinthe
• Technology Therapy
• Score Westchester
• Angel Feet Reflexology
• Ultimate Dive Travel
• Skin Center

Let us know if you’d like us to help you get started or manage your Facebook and other social efforts.