Making a Facebook business page has become the norm. Its getting to the point where it adds credibility to a business. For large national businesses it can be a revenue driver but what about for small to medium sized local businesses?
Well it still matters. Here's why:
1. It does add credibility to your business. In today's world, people turn to online reviews to make decisions about whom they will do business with. Having a page with a few hundred followers makes you seem more legit. Ironically, you don't really have to have reviews on the page, you just have to have the page and have followers.
2. It allows you to keep some top of mind awareness with your clients. Facebook has, how-ever, made it hard for you to show up in your follower's feeds if they don't interact with you. Unless of course you pay to boost your feeds. I prefer to help my clients make their content interactive enough that boosting doesn't have to be a thing.
3. Facebook is climbing the ranks as a "search engine". I put that in quotes because they are not as big for search as some may think, but it's still something to be mindful of. While Facebook tries to capture this space, it's good to get your page started and get some action going. Even if this is a growing time for you.
4. Taking the time to build a page early on gives you a history and time to grow in anticipation of the time when you will really need the page. Grow now while you can.
5. There are things you can do to take advantage of and convert even a few followers without spending tons of, or even any, money.
Should I have a Facebook page or a Facebook business page?
Definitely a business page.
1. Regular profile pages (like we have as people) only allow for up to 5,000 "friends". Some day you may care about that.
2. Business pages allow for more marketing options that you may choose to take in the future.
3. Business pages come with "Insights" which are page metrics that you can also take advantage of in the future.
4. People can "check in" to a business page.
5. You can schedule posts ahead of time. (we'll cover that later)
6. You can't change your profile page into a business page later. You can only tell people that you're doing it and hope they follow.
7. You can add admins to your business page if you ever have someone who will be helping you maintain it. On a profile page you would have to give them your log in. Ack!
8. Really... just make a business page.
I am concerned about comments on my site. I am concerned because I work in a very sensitive industry (like financial or medical) and need to protect my brand image.
This is a true concern and it's also manageable. With my sensitive clients, I recommend turning the ability for others to post on their page off. These settings can be changed later as you get to know your "fans" better and get more comfortable. At this time, you can not prevent people from commenting on your posts (this feature seems to come and go) but you can adjust your content so that it is "public friendly" and you can delete or hide comments after they are made. (click on the soft grey x that appears as you hover over the offending comment)
To turn off the ability for others to post on your page (as per Facebook):
If you allow visitors to publish posts to your Page, their posts can appear in Visitor Posts on the left side of your Page. If you allow photo and video posts, these posts can also appear in your Page's Photos and Videos sections.
To allow or disable posts by other people on your Page, you'll need to be an admin. If you're an admin:
Click Settings at the top of your Page.
Click Visitor Posts.
Click to choose Allow visitors to the Page to publish posts or Disable posts by other people on the Page. If you allow visitors to publish posts, you can choose to: Allow photo and video posts or Review posts by other people before they are published to the Page.
Click Save Changes.
My customers aren't online (ugh, really, still?)
Your customers may not all be online but there are sooooo many of them that are that you aren't aware of OR there are many new customers that ARE online OR there are advisers (family and friends) to your customers online. I have had several financial and medical clients who thought this and it turns out not to be true. There are benefits from being online where so many people are. EVEN if I were wrong, it's free and requires only some time so let's at least try.
Forbes has a FB page.
Senior Living has FB page.
MENSA has a FB page.
Too old, too rich and too anything is no longer is a thing. Let's not be left behind.
I am small business working from a home or location that i don't want put online. What do I do?
or
I don't want the review section showing on my page right now. What do I do?
Read our post on blocking your address and setting it up so that reviews and or maps don't show on your page.
So go ahead and set up a business page on Facebook and we'll discuss what content you should post in our next blog.
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