This is a guest post by Ching Ya, one of the three bloggers I regularly recommend for their expertise with Facebook. She is the author of Social @ Blogging Tracker and provides Facebook customization services for small businesses. You can follow her on Twitter @wchingya.
Each day, 750 million active users log on to Facebook to connect with friends and family and to support the brands they love. Ever since the introduction of Facebook Pages for business, almost every brand is eager to expand their customer outreach and build their online reputation through Facebook.
Even bloggers are encouraged to build a Facebook Page for exposure
and as another way to communicate with readers. Why not?
Creating a Facebook Page is easy and Free!
Here I will be sharing some basic steps on how to create a Facebook Page from scratch. Without further ado, let’s get started:
Create Your Very First Facebook Page
If you already have a Facebook profile, head over here to create your new Page. Make sure to select the most appropriate category for your page so your fans can locate it easily on Facebook. After that, name your page before agreeing to the Facebook Pages Terms of Service (TOS).
Getting to Know Your Page Layout
Once your page is ready, you will be directed to a customization page as shown below. This is where all the information fill-up begins. Let’s get to know each section of the page:
1. You Facebook Page Identity & Information
(A) Upload a Profile Image
A profile image is essential to represent your brand. The image size must not exceed 180×540 pixels and 4MB in size. Your profile image will also affect how your profile thumbnail appears in each wall post by page admin. If you have a large profile image, make sure to adjust its thumbnail: Change Picture -> Profile Picture -> Edit Thumbnail -> Drag to adjust
(B) Edit Info
You will be directed to ‘Basic Information’ to add information about your brand.
2. Understand Your Page Features
(C) Like Button
Where your fans can ‘Like’ or join your page as a fan. Once fans are connected to your page, your wall updates will show up in their News Feed (highly affected by the popularity of your page/posts). This button is only visible to non-fans.
(D) Getting to know Facebook tabs:
These are your Facebook applications and navigation links. The pre-populated tabs vary according to the page category you selected. You can edit, move and delete unwanted tabs.
(i) Get Started (Admin View) – This is an introduction tab by Facebook for new admins to customize their page according to the suggested actions. You do not have to do all the recommended steps given. This tab is only visible to page admins and will stay on your new page for some time.
(ii) Wall & Hidden Posts (Admin View) – Wall is where the broadcasting and communication happens: Page admin and fans share status updates, photo, links and videos on the Wall. Fans can select to view Admin posts only by clicking at the Page Name. Next to it is check most popular posts (most commented) for Top Posts or Most Recent posts on the wall. Hidden Posts is a section to display spams based on moderation filters and visible to Admins only.
(iii) Info – This tab contains basic information about your website or your brand.
(iv) Photos – Admin can upload media files to share with fans and choose whether to allow fans to post theirs. Admin can create albums and place the files in the appointed albums while fans can only submit media files to a general album.
Note: Uploaded photos / photos that you tag with your
page will show up as a photostrip above your page wall.
You can ‘edit’ tabs by installing additional apps to your Facebook page. Manage your application list from Edit Page -> Apps.
If you are new to Facebook Applications, take a look at some of these recommended apps to encourage fan engagement on your page wall.
(E) Like, Comment and Share a Post on Wall
Encourage fans to like, comment and share your wall
post with friends – this will increase your page visibility.
3. Taking Control of Your Page
(F) Edit Page
Here is where you as page admin can take control of your page. You can hide your page temporarily until it is ready to be published by limiting its visibility by Edit Page -> Manage Permissions -> Page Visibility -> Only admins can see this page. We will go through other important settings in a later section.
(G) Admins
Page admin’s profile thumbnail will appear here but is not visible to fans. Remember, each admin has equal rights to add or remove any admin from the page, so be cautious when selecting who to co-manage your page. If you would like to add multiple admins to your page, make sure they have a personal account beforehand. Then you can add them from Edit Page -> Manage Admins by typing their name or email address associated to their Facebook account. A facebook page can showcase who are the admins from Edit Page -> Featured -> Page Owners.
Important Page Settings You Should Know as a Page Admin
As promised, here we will take a look at some other important settings you should know:
Edit Page Information, Change Name and Set Username
Edit Page -> Basic Information
The fields in Basic Information are determined by the page category selected. For example, if your brand is a local business, make sure to put your address and postal code in so your fans can check in your page with their mobile device.
You can change your page name only if your page has less than 100 fans.
Once you have surpassed the limit, there is no way to edit it.Each page needs at least 25 fans to create a username.
Once the username is set, it cannot be changed.
Set Default Landing Tab for Non-Fans
Edit Page -> Manage Permissions -> Default Landing Tab
This is a popular feature in Facebook page that allows you to set a default landing tab for non-fans. It is wise to create a call to action for first-time visitors and encourage them to become fans as soon as they land on your Page. Setting up a custom iFrame tab is a great way to display your incentive.
Note: admin and existing fans will always
land on your page wall after ‘liking’ your page.
Manage Wall Posts by Fans
Edit Page -> Manage Permissions -> Posting Ability (whichever applicable)
If there is a spammer on your Wall, you can remove the post or simply report the post as spam to put them in Hidden Posts. Or, you can ban the page/fan who constantly tags your page without permission.
Manage Your Fan List: Make Admin or Ban a Fan/Page
The number of people who ‘like’ your Page appears in the left sidebar beneath your application tabs. This list is only accessible by admin and you can make someone an admin or ban a profile/page from the list. Clicking the ‘x’ next to your fan will remove him from the fan list.
Switching Between Your Facebook Fan Page and Your Personal Page
You can switch between your personal profile and
Facebook Fan Page before liking/posting on other pages.
This is a good method to increase your Page’s visibility while maintaining your personal profile uninterrupted by business matters. To post as your page, go to Edit Page -> Your Settings to set it as default; or use it sparingly via the shortcut at your Page’s right sidebar.
Another benefit to ‘Use Facebook as Your Page’ is that you can feature pages you like in your page’s sidebar. To do this, go to Edit Page -> Featured -> Likes (Add Featured Likes)
Note: When you ‘Use Facebook as Your Page’
certain features will be temporarily disabled:
Chat, Add someone as Friend, etc.
Facebook Insights: Fans Interaction and Page Growth
Facebook Insights gives page admins an overview of how your fans interact with your page and demographic and geographic information. You can observe how a wall post affects your fans participation and make strategies to increase engagement. You can export the data as a CSV or Excel file.
Facebook Updating with Mobile
Edit Page -> Mobile
Page admins can send status updates via email, iPhone and text messaging. If you are posting with email, do not disclose your email address to non-admins otherwise anyone can post to your page as an admin. If you accidentally do this, refresh the email address immediately.
To Delete a Facebook Page
Edit Page -> Manage Permissions -> Delete Page
It takes 14 days before your Page will be deleted from the system.
To Promote Your Page
There are various resources you can use to promote your page. Visit Edit Page -> Resources and learn how to:
a. Advertise on Facebook
b. Tell your Fans – inform your new page by importing subscribers and customers emails.
c. Promote page on website – Add a Likebox so your readers can Like your page easily.
d. Use social plugins
e. Send an Update – to fans with filters available.
f. Invite Your Friends – send page suggestions to personal friends.
Optional: You can connect your page with your Twitter account to cross-post between the two social media sites.
It takes time to learn your way around creating a new Facebook page, but the time spent is well worth it. Don’t worry if you need to take baby steps to build your page; Rome wasn’t built in one day either. Just remember to build a trustworthy brand while keeping a human touch on your page through active updates, constant communication with your fans, and lots of creativity.