Over the last 12 months more and more of my clients are asking about Facebook pages and how the can create them as a extension of their website marketing activities. Facebook fan pages have become an essential weapon in the online promotion of business, starting initially through their friends and family and subsequently through their existing and new customer base. Facebook fan pages allow businesses to:-
1) Communicate with your customers.
2) Gather valuable insights into customer behaviours and interests.
3) Help customers advertise their business services throughout their own social network.
4) Run online marketing promotions and special offers to targetted groups.
Here’s how to create your own Facebook fan page:
Spend some time comparing other Fan Pages
First of all, make sure you’re an individual member of Facebook. Then try a search for a fan page. For example, do a search on “Coca Cola” and click on “pages” when you get the search results. Click on “Coca Cola” to view the Coca Cola fan page. Examine how the page is structured. Next try and search for your competitors or businesses in a simialr industry to yourself.
TIP: Take a look at Facebook’s gallery of pages which follow best practices for their business category – here.
Create your very own Facebook fan page for your business
Facebook pages allow your customers to become deeply connected with your business or brand. Customers can express their support by adding themselves as a fan, writing on your Wall, uploading photos, and joining discussions with other fans.
Try: Before starting, read how to create a business presence through a Facebook page and Facebook’s guide to creating a page. Then create your own fan page, When you create a new Facebook fan page for a business, you select either the “Local Business” or “Brand or Product” option (unless you are an artist, band, or public figure). If you select “Local Business”, choose your business type – cafe, store, bank, etc. Then click “Create Page.”
Add some basic company information to your page
Initially, add basic information such as website, company overview, contact details and products. Add your logo or another picture that represents your business. After adding info, make sure you publish your page.
Start promoting your page through your immediate social network
Now that you have your fan page up you have to attract potential fans without annoying them — and that’s more art than science. First see if some of your existing customers are on Facebook, and become Facebook friends with them if you haven’t already. Then, invite them to become fans. Also let all of your customers know about your fan page through existing media campaigns, and encourage them to show their support by joining Facebook and becoming fans. Once you have some fans, it’s easier to get more.
Try: Keep your fans happy by offering them useful and relevant info. For example, send special updates just for them. Facebook recommends messaging fans no more than twice per month. Remember, the more users interact with your page, the more News Feed stories for users’ friends are created, magnifying awareness of your page.
Promote Your Page Off Facebook
Promoting your page externally helps spread the word to new customers and fans.
TIP: Facebook provides guidelines on promoting your page outside of Facebook. They also provide a Facebook Page Badge graphic that you can download for use on your own site that says “Find Us on Facebook.” Hyperlink your badge to your own page’s URL.
Now off you go!
