Facebook has billions of users and is the largest social media platform in the world, so it is critical for your business to have a presence there. The most basic and important type of Facebook presence a business should have is the Facebook business page. The page serves as the first contact point for users searching for your business on Facebook and is an essential brand-building and marketing tool. This guide walks you through the process of setting up your Facebook business page.
What is a business Facebook page?
A Facebook business page allows you to create a profile for your business that includes contact information, details about your business, photos, videos and links to your website. It also serves as a community hub for your audience to like, follow and subscribe to your updates, as well as interact with you directly in comments. They can also share content to your page, if you allow them to.
"A Facebook business page is a page set up to market your business," said Shika Lakshman, social media strategist and digital marketing agency Online Optimism. "Followers can like the page to stay up to date on the business, but unlike a personal page, they cannot 'friend' it."
A Facebook business page can be an important branding and marketing tool, even if you don't plan on advertising on Facebook. Facebook is the largest social media platform in the world with billions of users, and many people search Facebook for businesses – much like they use search engines. They expect your business to be there, and if you don't show up but a competitor does, you might just lose their business before you even had a chance.
"Whether your strategy is to generate brand awareness or boost sales, a Facebook business page permits business owners to target potential audiences via location, age, interests and more, meaning you're able to hone in on your specific target audience, increasing your chances of conversions and engagement," said Gary Maiden, social media manager at digital marketing agency Active Win Media.
How to set up a business Facebook page, step by step
To set up a Facebook business page, you must first have a personal Facebook profile. Then, follow these steps:
- Login to your Facebook profile.
- Visit facebook.com/pages/create.
- Choose your page type and fill out the necessary information.
- Click "Create Page."
At this point, your Facebook page will be created, but you might notice it looks a little barren. Once created, follow these steps to complete your Facebook page:
- Select a profile picture.
- Select a cover photo.
- Add your website and contact information.
- Write a short bio about your business.
- Add a button to your page (this can be a follow button, a link to your website or some other CTA).
Once you've completed these steps, your Facebook business page is set up and ready for its first post. However, there are more advanced features you can use throughout the life of your Facebook business page as well. For example, you can reconfigure the layout of your page by selecting the "Edit Tabs" option. This allows you to alter the order of how the tabs appear to your audience, even removing some if they are irrelevant.
You can also employ integration features, connecting third party communication platforms to your page so you receive messages where you are most likely to be active. You can also add additional users to your page as admins, editors and moderators to help you run things. And, of course, you have the option to sponsor posts or purchase advertisements on Facebook to extend your reach.
"Getting more likes can be tricky," Lakshman said. "You can run ads with the objective of more likes but growing organically requires insight into customer interests. Creating content that followers will share and engaging with people on posts are great ways to build likes."
Facebook business page FAQs
Still have questions about Facebook business pages? You're not alone. These frequently asked questions are commonly encountered among entrepreneurs hoping to make the most of Facebook for business.
Q. Is a Facebook business page free?
A. Yes. It is free to create a Facebook business page and begin sharing content with your followers. You may never spend a dime on your Facebook business page, however you can choose to conduct paid advertising on Facebook, such as sponsoring posts to reach a broader audience. To learn more about how to advertise on Facebook, see this do's and don'ts guide to Facebook advertising.
Q. Does a Facebook business page have to be linked to a personal account?
A. Yes, a Facebook business page must be linked to a personal account, which will act as an admin for the business page. However, the content you share on your Facebook business page will be separate and distinct from what you share on your personal page. Additionally, the content shared on your personal page will not appear on your business page.
"Facebook requires all Business Pages to be linked to a personal page, although it doesn’t reveal information about the personal page used," Lakshman said.
Q. How do I create a Facebook business page without a personal account?
A. You cannot create a Facebook business page without linking a personal account to act as the admin.
"Unfortunately, this isn’t possible yet," Lakshman said. "In order to cut down on fraud and promote transparency, business pages must be connected to a personal account, whether it’s an employee of the business or a marketing agency, for example."
However, there are some workarounds you can use to avoid keeping your personal page linked to your business page. The easiest way is to appoint another trusted member of your business as page admin. Then, remove yourself as admin and your personal account will no longer be linked with the business page.
Alternatively, you could create a new personal Facebook account solely for the purpose of administrating the business. Using this new account to admin your business page will prevent you from having to link your main personal account.
Q. How can you convert your profile to a Facebook business page?
You can convert your personal Facebook profile into a Facebook page based on that profile once. To do so:
- Click "Create a Facebook Page Based on Your Profile."
- Click Get Started and follow the instructions that appear on-screen.
- Your new page will publish automatically.
The result leaves you with both a profile and a page, each with the same profile picture, cover photo and name. You can then invite your friends to like and follow your new page, as well as copy photos and videos from your profile to your page. Additionally, if you convert a verified profile to a page, you will have to re-submit the new page for verification.
Q. Why should you create a Facebook page for your business?
A. Creating a Facebook business page is important because it gives you a touchpoint for your target audience on the world's largest social media channel. Many people will search Facebook for businesses much like they use Google, and they expect you to be there. Even if your primary marketing channels are not Facebook, it is important to have a presence for users to find.
Additionally, a Facebook business page allows you to repurpose content from your website or other social channels, giving you another opportunity to reach your audience members with relevant information. If you're so inclined, you can even sponsor posts or buy ads on Facebook, boosting your reach even further. This can be an important part of your marketing strategy, depending on your goals.
Q. How does a Facebook business page work?
A. A Facebook business page offers users the ability to create and share content with their followers, while also tracking metrics like how many Facebook users each post reaches and how much engagement each post drives. Users can also use Facebook Analytics to track the performance of their page over time, monitoring how many new likes and followers they obtained in a day, week, month or year.
A Facebook business page offers brands the opportunity to build a community around their business, as well as gain insight about what their audience wants and how they behave. In turn, a Facebook business page can help you refine your marketing efforts (at least on Facebook, but possibly on other channels as well) to better connect with your audience.
Q. How can you get more likes on your Facebook business page?
A. The first and most basic step to getting more likes and follows with a Facebook business page is to regularly post engaging, relevant content that resonates with your audience. If you are consistent in posting quality content, and responding to comments from your followers, you should see an increase in engagement, more shares and more new likes.
"Keep the content relevant and post often. I recommend experimenting with the types of posts you write and the times of day you publish to increase your chances of boosting your engagement," Maiden said. "After a while, you’ll be able to discover through Facebook analytics when your audience is most active on the platform."
However, it isn't enough to stop there. Facebook business pages can employ a number of applications and add-ons that enable you to run polls, host webinars, conduct livestreams and even sell directly on Facebook. Determine which tools are most effective for your goals and most helpful to your audience, then deploy these add-ons strategically to boost engagement.
"Utilise questions and polls to generate interaction between followers and your page," Maiden said. "Slowly, you’ll discover what works best for your specific audience by identifying which posts are getting the most interaction in the form of likes, comments and shares."
You can also consider hosting giveaways or offering prizes to followers. One great way to boost likes is by holding a raffle for one of your products. To enter the raffle, prompt your audience to like your page and share your post, tagging at least one friend in the process. From this one giveaway alone, you're likely to see a bump in likes.
Q. Can you transfer ownership of a Facebook business page?
A. Transferring ownership of a Facebook business page is as easy as switching admins. Here's how to do it:
- If you are the current admin, click the Settings tab and scroll down to "Page Roles."
- Once there, choose "Assign a New Page Role" and enter the name of the user you would like to make the new admin.
- Then, return to Page Roles and you should see the new admin listed alongside your profile as administrators of the page. Click "edit" next to your profile and remove yourself as admin from the page.
- Once you have done so, you have successfully transferred ownership and control of the business page to the new admin.