Facebook for business is something of a no-brainer. With user numbers
only going up, it’s difficult for businesses not to be present on the
social giant.
The numbers speak for themselves: over 1.1 billion users, of which 665 million are active every day with a further 751 million logging in from their smart phones at least once a month.
To help our readers, we've created a series of video guides showing you how to use these networks effectively for your business. This guide will start with the basics of Facebook: creating your page, learning how to post and gaining new followers. If this is a little too rudimentary for you, fear not! Our advanced guide is due in the next week or so!
Getting started
First off, head over to the the Facebook page creation centre. From here you’re able to start the process of building up your page. Once you’re logged in, Facebook will ask for some basic information about your business: is it a large company, small business or a brand? Most business will leave it at ‘local business or place'.
Next, Facebook needs some more details on your business: what's it called? Where is it located? Do you have a telephone number? - Don't be tempted to skip these as they all help potential new customers find your business when doing a search.
Branding
Once you’ve filled in all the details that Facebook needs, you’ll be presented with your new first business page. First things first - get it fully branded with your business logo. Facebook have recently updated their timeline page to include a large header image at the top - think of this as your shop window. Remember that promoting products on your header image is against Facebook’s terms and conditions, so stick to simple product images, your business premises or your business logo.
Posting
Make sure your posts are short, snappy and succinct. Studies show that the longer the word count, the less people are engaged in your post. Try to keep the word count under 250 words and use a url shortener such as bit.ly or goo.gl to tidy up long website addresses.
Knowing when to post is almost as important as what to post. There have been lots of studies around this and it can be a little confusing when you read through the articles, angles and opinions on offer. To simplify things, think about when you check Facebook. Is it at lunch, or early evening, or first thing on your way to work? Schedule some posts to go around then to ensure your message is seen by as many of your followers as you can. Also, why not ask around your contacts? When do they tend to check Facebook?
Followers
One of the hardest things to do after setting up your business profile is gaining a following. There is, unfortunately, no silver bullet. However there are several things you can do to start things rolling:
Final thoughts
We hope you've gleaned some useful information from our guide. As ever, if you think we've missed something or should cover an issue or topic in more detail; let us know in the comments below!
The numbers speak for themselves: over 1.1 billion users, of which 665 million are active every day with a further 751 million logging in from their smart phones at least once a month.
To help our readers, we've created a series of video guides showing you how to use these networks effectively for your business. This guide will start with the basics of Facebook: creating your page, learning how to post and gaining new followers. If this is a little too rudimentary for you, fear not! Our advanced guide is due in the next week or so!
Getting started
First off, head over to the the Facebook page creation centre. From here you’re able to start the process of building up your page. Once you’re logged in, Facebook will ask for some basic information about your business: is it a large company, small business or a brand? Most business will leave it at ‘local business or place'.
Next, Facebook needs some more details on your business: what's it called? Where is it located? Do you have a telephone number? - Don't be tempted to skip these as they all help potential new customers find your business when doing a search.
Branding
Once you’ve filled in all the details that Facebook needs, you’ll be presented with your new first business page. First things first - get it fully branded with your business logo. Facebook have recently updated their timeline page to include a large header image at the top - think of this as your shop window. Remember that promoting products on your header image is against Facebook’s terms and conditions, so stick to simple product images, your business premises or your business logo.
Posting
Make sure your posts are short, snappy and succinct. Studies show that the longer the word count, the less people are engaged in your post. Try to keep the word count under 250 words and use a url shortener such as bit.ly or goo.gl to tidy up long website addresses.
Knowing when to post is almost as important as what to post. There have been lots of studies around this and it can be a little confusing when you read through the articles, angles and opinions on offer. To simplify things, think about when you check Facebook. Is it at lunch, or early evening, or first thing on your way to work? Schedule some posts to go around then to ensure your message is seen by as many of your followers as you can. Also, why not ask around your contacts? When do they tend to check Facebook?
Followers
One of the hardest things to do after setting up your business profile is gaining a following. There is, unfortunately, no silver bullet. However there are several things you can do to start things rolling:
- Put a link on your business web page allowing them to like your profile.
- Update your business cards to include your Facebook address or mention you're on Facebook.
- Get friends and family to like and share your page – this is great for starting out and spreading the message.
Final thoughts
We hope you've gleaned some useful information from our guide. As ever, if you think we've missed something or should cover an issue or topic in more detail; let us know in the comments below!
