How To Create a Facebook Business Page with 10 Bonus Tips (updated)

We've talked a lot about customizing your facebook business page on this blog, but I wanted to post a handy tutorial for those of you who haven't already created your facebook business page.  You'll be happy to learn that it's just a 4-step process!  We'll also be covering 10 tips for customizing your Facebook business page (recently updated)...handy info for giving your page a great customized look/feel.

How to Create A Facebook Business Page:

1. Click on “Create a Page” on bottom left-hand side of the Facebook homepage (Note: it’s important to start this process LOGGED OUT of Facebook if you do have a personal facebook page).

2. Choose from“local business", "brand/product/organization", or "artist/band/public figure” under “create a page for”, then select your business category under the drop down menu that appears.

3. Name your page, check the disclaimer box, and click “create official page” Note: Please remember that the page name you choose for your business can't be changed later, so name with care! If you are running a small business and include your name in the facebook business name (such as "XYZ Company by [your name here]), keep in mind that if your business grows and you add other partners, you can't modify the Facebook business page name later to include their names, or to remove yours.

4. Login with your Facebook account (if you already have a personal facebook account) OR create your personal facebook account

5. Your Page is Now Created!  Begin Customizing Your Facebook Business Page.  Keep reading (below) for 10 great customization tips!

10 Tips on Customizing Your Facebook Business Page

1. Name with Care

We talked about this tip in the creation process above...might be a good idea to do some brainstorming before you create your page name and ask yourself if the page name will still be relevant 1 year from now, 2 years from now, and even 5 years from now.  As previously stated, remember that the page name you choose for your business can't be changed later, so name with care! If you are running a small business and include your name in the facebook business name (such as "XYZ Company by [your name here]), keep in mind that if your business grows and you add other partners, you can't modify the Facebook business page name later to include their names, or to remove yours.

2. Upload an oversized profile photo

200 pixels X 450 pixels is a great size to start with. Not too big, so you don’t look like you are over-doing things, but nice enough to make a great first impression. Example over on my jewelry page here: www.facebook.com/dreamydesignworksjewelry

3. Create a Facebook“Landing Page/Welcome Screen” to display the FIRST time someone visits your page.  This is a great place to offer an incentive and showcase your work – wonderful example here: http://www.facebook.com/MackenzieImageConsulting?ref=ts. Here is a tutorial on how to create a facebook landing page screen: http://mashable.com/2010/02/22/build-facebook-landing-page/

4. Create a Company Summary (just below your profile photo)

There is a handy little box just under your business profile photo that will say “write something about [business name] here”. Go ahead and click on this to include a friendly blurb or two about your business.

5. Install Facebook Page Notifier Application

This free service sends you a handy daily summary email if any activity occurs on your facebook business page.  Read more about it here.

6. Create a photo album/albums

I think it's important to have created a few albums (or at least one) so first time visitors will have lots of goodies to look at. To do this, while on your biz page, click on the "photos" tab. There you can create a new album and upload photos, etc.

7. Don't Overlook the Info Tab

Fully fill out the “info” tab on your page. This is where you can list company information and link to your website, etc.

8. Invite your Friends to “like” your business on Facebook (formerly known as becoming a fan). While on your fan page, look below your profile photo. You should see "suggest to friends". Click this and highlight the friends who you would like to invite to "like" your biz page.

9. Create a biz page badge to place on your website/blog

This is a great way to drive traffic into your Facebook business page. If you have a blog, it might not be a bad idea to officially announce you’ve created a biz page on fb and invite your readers to “like” you. There is a great page on Facebook with info on how to grab the code for this to place on your blog... www.facebook.com/badges/page.php

10. Monitor your progress using Facebook “insights” tool

Within the first few days, it will be important to learn how access your "insights" for your fan page on facebook. Go to your facebook fan page after you've logged into facebook (when you login, go to "account" on top right and then to your "manage pages" and your biz page). You should see an "insights" area on the left hand side of your biz page (only you can see this). Click on "see all" and then "view old page insights" to get to the good stuff. You can see how your page is growing, and the level of interaction, etc. It will take a few days to get to this data, since it isn't available to first day or so (too new for your page).

11. YOUR tip here...

If you have a tip you'd like to see included in this list, just comment below. Thanks. I hope you find this information helpful as you promote your business on facebook.

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Laura Catherine is a marketing professional in Charleston, SC who has been active in social media since 2005.  If you enjoyed this post, please consider subscribing to this blog via Email or RSS below. Laura can also be found on Twitter (@LauraCatherineO) and LinkedIn. 

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