How To Create A Successful Business Facebook Page

Welcome to the social media club. It's not a very exclusive club, but it is important that you're looking presentable.

But now there are more than two billion monthly active users on Facebook worldwide. That means that Facebook is...

A great way of reaching customers from around the world… Hooray!
An easy place to get lost among all the other pages… Oh no!
A great way to engage your current customers and make them advocates of what you do… Hooray!
A difficult place to differentiate yourself among your competition, who are also on Facebook… Oh no!

This guide will help your business's page look pristine and out-dazzle the competition.

It won't take long either, there are just 17 simple steps.

Note : Are you not only stuck on where to post, but also WHAT to post? Come along to a free social media strategy session where we'll give you inspiration, tool recommendations, and general advice that'll help you get started.

1 . Begin setting up your page

To begin setting up your page, visit facebook.com/business and click the 'Create a page' button in the drop-down menu in the top-right of the page. facebook woman hero

2 . Create your page

Here you'll choose that you're a business, give your business's name, and select a few categories that your business falls into, for example, you could be a retailer or an internet company. Remember to be accurate, because choosing the most appropriate option will make it easier for customers to find your page! create a page Facebook

3 . Add a profile picture

You'll then be asked to upload a profile picture for your business. This is pretty much always your company's logo, but it could technically be anything you want. If you're a solo entrepreneur, why not add a professional-looking photo of yourself? This should be an image saved to your computer and at least 720x720 pixels (which means a medium quality image, so not grainy). All Facebook images are square, but you can use Facebook to crop the image to make it a square once you've uploaded it. Add a profile photo Facebook

4 . Add a cover photo

Add a cover photo Facebook Once you've added your profile picture, it's time to upload your cover photo. This is a horizontal, lengthways image that sits on top of your profile photo. This is a good opportunity to maybe add any contact details, other social media handles, or tell users what your business is really about.

5. Meet your page

Once you've done all of this, you'll be taken through to your page. As you can see, I've skipped adding my profile photo and cover image here, so these have been left as generic coloured blocks.

A Facebook pop-up will then ask you to "Set up your page for success", but I'd actually recommend ignoring this some of this advice for now. You don't want to ask your friends to like a half-empty page.

Don't worry about closing the conversation box, you can always do this later. Facebook page example

6 . Edit your Page info

Now your page looks the part visually, you'll need to add a few more pieces of key information. Select the three dots to the right of 'Share', then select 'Edit Page info'.

This will take you through to a pop-up where you will add some key details. Bear in mind that all of this information will be shared publicly, unless you specifically choose otherwise.

Description
Category
Phone number (if you have one)
Website (if you have one)
Email (if you have one)
Business location
Hours your business is open
Impressum (ignore this unless you're in a German-speaking country)
Price range
Privacy policy (if you have one)

Think about what you want your business page to do. If you want to start conversations, give people the option to email you. If you want to drive traffic to a sign up page without speaking to them first, add your website. Be strategic. Edit page info

7 . Add a Call to Action

What's the main action you want people to take when they're on your page?

Would you like them to get in touch, would you like them to download your app, or would you like them to visit your shop?

When you've decided on where your business's Facebook page is going to point, you can click 'Add a Button'.

The different button types include:

Book with you
Contact you
Learn more about your business
Shop with you
Download your app or play your game

Edit your details Facebook

8 . Add a username

You should also create your username or 'vanity URL' as it is also known. This is a great little invention that'll help people to find you on Facebook. It's sensible to use your business name for this, or alternatively, something relevant and easy to remember.

To do this, go to about in the column on the left-hand side of the page, then click "Create Page @username'. Edit page details

9 . Add a story

Next up, you should add your company story from the About section.

Don't forget this bit, it's important! Adding your story tells people about your company in a way that's more personal than your standard business listing. Use it as an opportunity to reach your customers as friends.

Add an image (Facebook will automatically resize landscape images) & add a blurb. You don't to write your life story - although if you've got a good one, do it! Add a story

10 . Add yourself to the team

Are you happy with your company story? Now it's time to add yourself as a team member from the About page. Because you're the person that's set up the page, you'll automatically be the page admin. Add yourself to the team Facebook

11 . Add any other team members

If you're flying solo with your business, feel free to ignore this step. But if you've got people you'd like to work on this Facebook page with, you'll probably want to add them now.

To do that, go to Settings in the top right of the screen, then scroll down to 'Assign a New Page Role'. Add in this person's email address, and choose their level of access from the below. If you're not sure, admin is the best bet because it includes the most control.

Admin (can change company controls)
Editor (can edit posts)
Moderator (can choose which posts are released)
Advertiser (can post ads)
Analyst (can view Facebook analysis)

Page roles Facebook

12 . Add your first post

Do you remember the first thing you ever posted on your personal Facebook account? We certainly do.

But now's not the time to get misty-eyed, your first post is your first opportunity to get across your business's key message and show your company's personality.

First of all, click the 'Create Post' button on the company page.

We would recommend adding a post that tells the reader about any initiatives that you've got on at the moment would be the best way to introduce them to your page, and will let them know more about what they can expect to see on your Facebook page.

Bear in mind that people that come to your page will use your first post to judge whether they'll like the page. Liking the page means that they're automatically subscribed to future posts. Write a post

13 . Add some photos

As Facebook quickly learned, engaging users is more than just about publishing words. Images play a huge role in publishing your first Facebook page, because they more quickly demonstrate who you are, show your brand & add a bit of color to your page.

The first steps of adding an image are the same as adding a post. Head to 'Create Post' and choose 'add an image'. There are a few image types, and Facebook does a better job of me at explaining what each of these mean 👇 Add some photos Facebook

Here's the ultimate guide to image sizes to use on Facebook.

14 . Add a video

Next up, you'll add some videos to your page. Do you have a quick two-minute explainer video? Add that here by using the same steps as adding an image.

Facebook will give you the option of adding a photo/video, and will then prompt you to upload the video.

Avoid longer videos because people only tend to watch videos if they think that they'll get immediate value from the video. Your message should be clear, the video quality doesn't need to be amazing, and the video thumbnail should make people want to watch the video more.

Note : Post frequently to keep your audience engaged! Come along to a free social media strategy session where we'll give you inspiration, tool recommendations, and general advice that'll help you get started.

15 . Invite people to like your page

If you've followed most of the above steps, your Facebook page will be ready to show the world! But people won't land on your page by themselves. You've got two options: you can manually invite people to like your page, or you can run a paid advert to help people view the site. First of all, I'd recommend inviting your friends to like the page. You can do this by going to the right of the page, and selecting friends in the menu that you think would like and engage with your page. Use the search bar to add more friends. Facebook invite friends

16 . Add badges

Badges are a great add-on for attracting new visitors and rewarding current ones. If you're particularly fast at answering messages for example, you'll be able to add the 'reponse time' badge to your profile, that gives users an indication of when they can expect to hear back from you (usually within a few hours).

Regular commenters on the page can also be awarded the 'top fan' badge, which is a great incentive to keep them coming back and engaging with your posts.

17 . How to grow your Facebook page and make use of Facebook Live

Of course, if you want your page to be successful, you'll need to start thinking about your content strategy in order to build a following.

person holding phone

Make sure that - whatever it is you're doing - you're creating and posting a variety of content types and keeping things varied and interesting. Its a really good idea to setup and have a social media content plan in place, so you know what you are posting and when as we all know that repetitive promo content makes for stale social media pages. Make some polls, run a competition, use gifs, and share image and video content, all while tracking engagement levels and content performance.

READ MORE: Every social media calendar tool we could find [with free templates]

A really great way to grow your Facebook Page is also by running regular Live Streams...

We understand the hesitation; live streaming is intimidating, right? Anything could happen. Your kids could walk into the room, the fire alarm could go off, or your dog could choose that exact moment to start barking at the microwave.

At the end of the day, live streaming is completely worth making the effort for as it can create a much more intimate experience between you and your audience. They'll not only be able to interact with you directly and in real-time, but they'll also get to witness a much more human side to your brand.

Facebook Live 1

What exactly is Facebook Live?

In its simplest form, Facebook Live is a basic feature offered by Facebook with live streaming video capabilities. With a little imagination, it's your business' new best friend. There's a whole host of ways to use the feature to communicate with customers, tell stories, sell your products, and build engagement.

What you can do with Facebook Live…

Do a demo or a tour

Statistics indicate that 53% of people want to see more video content from marketers and as a result, a record number of businesses are using Facebook Live to host interactive demonstrations of their products. If you're not a business with a physical product, why not give a live tour of your office or shop?

Giving your customers a 'behind the scenes' look at how you work will make your brand seem more approachable, relatable, and un-intimidating.

Facebook Live 2

Give a teaser or sneak peak

Providing a sneaky peak of a new product can make your audience feel valued and special. What better way to reveal your new products than via live stream? Show your audience what they can look forward to in an exclusive and personal setting where you can talk through the new ideas, explain the motivation behind them, and get them excited for what's to come.

Host a Q&A session

A simple Q&A session can be wonderful for increasing engagement. Not only are you giving value to your audience by providing information and advice that they genuinely want, but you're giving them the chance to tell you what they need from your services. Q&A sessions will show your audience that you care about them and their needs.

Live Stream a Demonstration or Tour

Images are great for showcasing your ideas, but even the best of photographers can't demonstrate every intricate feature of your product to potential customers. If you want your audience to truly get a feel for something, then video is the medium for you.

Facebook Live

Build a buzz about your product

If you're due to launch a new product over the upcoming months, why not give your audience a taste of what's to come? By providing them with a teaser (via Facebook Live), you'll increase the hype of your product, generate questions, and perhaps even create demand long before your product has hit the shelves.

You'll also make your current customer base feel valued and treated. Just make sure you provide plenty of information, are ready to answer any questions your customers might throw at you, and above all else, are being enthusiastic.