There are over 2.8 billion monthly active users on Facebook, and at least 2/3rds of all active users look at Facebook pages weekly (stats from Sprout Social). With numbers like that, it is probably worthwhile for a small business owner to have a Facebook business page.
Creating a Facebook business page is simple and straightforward, and Facebook makes the steps easy to follow and understand. These steps are for creating a Facebook business page using a computer and are correct at the time of posting.
Step 1: Create a page
On the top right of your profile photo, click on the + and select Page from the options. Now you can complete the page information:
Page Name: This should be the name of your business or a name that explains what the page is about.
Category – you can choose up to 3 categories to describe what type of business the page represents.
Description: This is where you can add a brief description of what the page is about. Further information can be added, such as contact details, when the page is set up.
Once completed and you see the green ticks, you can click on Create Page.
Step 2: Set up your page
Facebook will now prompt you to add a profile photo and cover photo. If you have these, you can upload them now or add them later.
The size of a Facebook profile photo is 170 x 170 pixels. You can upload a photo of yourself or your logo.
As this is for your business, it is a good idea to have a photo that represents your business well. Having a photo of yourself will enable your audience to get to know you. If you upload your logo as your profile photo, then ensure that you post an introduction post with a photo of yourself so that your audience can see the person behind the logo.
The Facebook cover photo is one of the first things that your audience will see when they land on your page, and it is a good opportunity to showcase what your business is and what you do visually.
The cover photo may look different on mobiles, tablets, and computers due to the size of the screen, and I would suggest avoiding text too close to the sides or top and bottom.
The current Facebook cover photo size is 820 x 312 pixels. Canva has some good Facebook templates that are free to adapt to your branding, or you can work with a graphic designer to design something bespoke and unique.
Once uploaded, you will be taken to your new Facebook business page.
Step 3: Complete the page information
Facebook will have prompts for you to complete your page information.
Establish your page’s identity by uploading a profile picture and cover photo.
Provide information and preferences; update your business details, including your website, telephone number, email address, location, and business hours.
Introduce your page, create a welcome post, and invite friends to follow your page. I would suggest that you get the page up to date and create a few posts before inviting people to follow the page. It is also important to attract the right people to follow your page, so be selective in who you invite.
Step 4: Create a username and add a call-to-action button
Underneath the Facebook cover photo and business page name, you will have the option to create a username and add a button.
It is easier for people to find your business page in a search with a username rather than a series of numbers, which is the default when a page is created. It also enables you to tag your business page on a post in a group for example using the @ symbol.
If you click on the add button, you will have a number of options that you can choose from, and this is a great opportunity to tell your audience what action you would like to take, for example, to join your group or sign up for your mailing list.
Step 5: Create your first post
Now that you have completed all the page details, you are ready to create and publish your first post. This could be a welcome and introduction post which can also be pinned to the top of the page.
And there you have it, you you have created your Facebook business page. All that is left to do now, is to plan out, create and schedule your content.
When you have completed all the areas mentioned, create a few posts on your page. You can then start inviting people to follow your page. It gives people more of a reason to follow if there is interesting and relevant content visible.
Keep an eye on future posts and check out my Facebook page for content ideas and social media tips.
