THE VALUE OF A facebook BUSINESS PAGE

Facebook provides an opportunity to increase your business’ visibility and reach to a wider audience for a fraction of the cost of traditional media. By creating a Facebook page for your business, you can showcase your brand, products, and services to a large number of people. Through consistent posting and engagement, you can raise awareness and establish your business as a recognizable and trusted brand.

Let’s cover setting up your Facebook page.

CREATING A FACEBOOK BUSINESS PAGE

First thing’s first: You’ll need a personal Facebook account before setting up a business page: If you already have a personal Facebook account, you can skip this step. Otherwise, go to www.facebook.com and sign up for a personal account by providing your name, email or phone number, password, date of birth, and gender.

Log in to your personal Facebook account.

• Create a Facebook Page: A Facebook Page represents your business and brand. To create a Page, click on the small arrow in the top-right corner of Facebook and select "Create Page" from the drop-down menu. Choose the category that best describes your business, such as "Local Business" or "Company, Organization, or Institution."

• Complete all relevant details for your page. We’ll cover this on the third page of the newsletter, which you can find below.

THE VALUE OF AN INSTAGRAM BUSINESS PAGE

Instagram's emphasis on visual content allows you to showcase your products or services creatively. Through high-quality photos, videos, and Stories, you can captivate your audience, share the story of your business, and evoke emotions that resonate with potential customers.

The ‘Gram skews younger in demographic, boasting a massive user base with millions of active users worldwide. By having an Instagram page, you gain access to a large, diverse, and younger audience for little to no financial investment. Users can like, comment, and share your posts, allowing for direct interaction and feedback. Engaging with your IG followers builds relationships, strengthens customer loyalty, and encourages word-of-mouth promotion.

Let’s cover setting up your Instagram page.

CREATING AN INSTAGRAM BUSINESS PAGE

Instagram is primarily a mobile app, so you'll need to download it from your device's app store. Go to the Apple App Store (for iOS devices) or Google Play Store (for Android devices) and install the app.

• Open Instagram and tap on "Sign Up." You can create an account using either your email address or phone number. Alternatively, you can sign up with your existing Facebook account by tapping on "Continue with Facebook."

• Choose a Username: Select a username for your business account. Ideally, it should be related to your business name or something that represents your brand. Keep it simple, memorable, and easy to spell.

• Complete Your Profile: After choosing a username, you'll be prompted to complete your profile.

• Convert to a Business Account: If you haven't already, it's recommended to convert your Instagram account to a business account. To do this, go to your profile, tap on the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner, select "Settings," and then tap on "Account." From there, select "Switch to Professional Account" and follow the prompts to set up your business profile.

PUT THE FACTS UP FRONT

As a practical matter, all relevant information about your business should be easily accessible on your social media profile pages. Fill in the required information, such as the name and address of your business, hours of operation, phone number, and link to your business website. You can also add a profile picture and cover photo that represent your business visually.

Customize your Page: Add as many details as you can, such as a description of your business, a call-to-action button, and other relevant information. You can also explore different tabs and settings to personalize your Page to suit your business needs.

Add Content: Start posting content on your Page to engage your audience. You can refer to our first two issues for content ideas. Consider creating a content strategy based on our suggestions to maintain a consistent presence and provide value to your followers.

Invite People to Like Your Page: Encourage your existing customers, friends, and contacts to like and follow your Page. You can invite them directly from your Page or share your Page's URL on other platforms such as your personal Facebook page or through email. Take this a step further by encouraging customers to share their experiences online. This can be a simple Facebook check-in or a photo of their meal or purchase.

Engage With Your Audience: Regularly monitor your Page, try your best to respond to all comments and messages, and stay engaged with your audience. The more you respond to comments and questions, the more trust you build with customers.

Use One Platform to Inform the Other: It’s clear that someone who follows you on Facebook may engage differently than someone who follows you on Instagram. However, if the same person follows you on both platforms look at how they behave. Your Instagram followers may be unlikely to ask you for your business hours on a given day–but if you know a lot of your followers are looking for a place to watch football on Sunday, you can use Facebook to not only invite them in on Sundays, but to also DM your Instagram account with any questions on hours, specials, and upcoming events.