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So you created your Facebook account and are operating your business under it and are starting to get some results.  Along the way someone suggested you consider creating a Facebook Fan Page for your business.

You might have put that suggestion off for a few months; however, with the amazing growth to over 500 million users on Facebook you decided to look further into this to see if there are any differences between a Facebook page and a Facebook profile.

Sorry to tell you, but there are big differences (and confusion) between a Facebook Profile and a Facebook Fan Page for businesses. I wanted to explain the difference between a Facebook Profile and a Facebook Fan Page and then share with you steps on how to create a Facebook Fan Page for your business (which is our recommendation).

So, here are the main differences between a FaceBook Profile and a FaceBook Fan Page:

•     Facebook Profile – This is for individual users and is created by visiting Facebook and signing up for an account. You’re putting your “Face” on Facebook.  It’s your name, picture, video of your kids, etc. Posting updates in your life makes it easy for you to connect with your friends! You’re posting your status updates, videos, pictures, sending messages, writing on walls, and socializing within Facebook. A Facebook profile should NOT be used as your business page.  If you create a Facebook profile for your business ONLY your friends will be able to see your updates, custom Facebook tabs, etc. and will limit your reach.  For a prospective customer to see what you have to say they would need to click the ‘Add As Friend’ Button which will not be effective for businesses.

•     Facebook Fan Page – Once you create a Facebook profile you can use that account to create a Facebook Business Fan Page for your business. This is where you can post business information: events, videos, photos, specials, promos — and encourage your fans to ‘like’ you, post testimonials and help spread the word about your business stories.

You can check out my Facebook Fan Page at: Make Facebook Cash Fast.

Facebook Pages are important for 3 main reasons:

• To get your business to show up high in search engine positions as Facebook is a very popular website
• To get unlimited “fans” for your Facebook Page, unlike the limit of 5,000 friends that regular Facebook Profile capped at
• To be visible to visitors because Facebook users do not need to request to be a friend to view a Facebook Fan Page

Facebook Page Signup

To Create A Facebook Fan Page follow these easy steps:

1. Log into your Facebook account at www.facebook.com
2. Visit http://www.facebook.com/pages/create.php
3. Select the type of business:  Local Business, Brand, Product or Organization, or Artist, Band or Public Figure.  When you select a category, use the dropdown menu to select the sub-category which are: Local: Other Business, Automotive, Automotive Dealer / Vehicle Service, Banking and Financial Service, Bar, Cafe, Club, Convention Center and Sports Complex, Education, Event Planning Service, Grocery, Health and Beauty, Home Service, Hotel / Lodging, Library / Public Building, Medical Service, Museum / Attraction, Park, Pets, Professional Service, Real Estate, Religious Center, Restaurant, Store, Technology and Telecommunications Service, Travel Service. Brand, Product, or Organization: Products, Airline / Ship / Train Station, Communications, Consumer Product, Fashion, Film, Financial Service, Food and Beverage, Game, Government, Home Living, Hotel / Lodging, Non-Profit, Online Store, Pharmaceutical, Professional Service, Religious Organization, Rental Cars, Retail, Sports / Athletics, TV Show, Technology Product / Service, Travel, Website.  Artist, Band, or Public Figure: Other Public Figure, Actor, Athlete, Band, Comedian, Critic, Government Official, Model, Musician, Politician, Sports Team, Visual Artist, Writer
4. The above step is VERY important because once you select it, you can’t change this. You’ll have to take down the page, lose all of your fans, and create a new page.
5. Next, enter your Page Name. This is also very important. The page name and subcategory appear in the drop down menu when people search.  For example, we appear in Facebook as Make Facebook Cash Fast (as shown below).  Choose the name of your company, brand, organization, etc., that most people will recognize. This CAN NOT be changed later and does impact your results with search engines.

That creates the Facebook page. You should fill out the Info, upload some photos, and start the process of engaging with customers.

Make sure you check out Facebook Pages Product Guide to learn more. If you need social media marketing assistance with your Facebook page contact me today.  I will start out by reviewing your Facebook page and your competitors Facebook pages, provide you step by step instructions on where you have opportunity to improve your page and grow your fan base.

In addition, I can help you with setting up and ongoing management of very targeted advertising on Facebook.  Any questions fill out the comment area below: