Now that I’ve convinced you that a Facebook fan page is essential for your business’ growth, let’s talk about how to set one up. While the process is pretty straight forward, you will need to commit some time to creating your company’s page. Let’s get started!

CREATING YOUR PAGE

1. Log onto or create your personal Facebook account. While having a personal account is not necessary to create a business page, it will allow you to build a community of friends, family members, etc who care about you and your business. You can then invite those people to “like” your company fan page once it has been created.

2. You can find the “Create a Page” link in the footer of any page. However, it may be easiest to find from your account settings. To access this, click the downward pointing arrow in the upper right hand corner of the page, mouse over “account setting”, and click. The “Create a Page” link can be found in small blue font in the footer text.

3. Here you will pick one of six different categories for your new page. Once you make your selection, you will get a drop down box where you can further categorize your business. Don’t worry if you aren’t 100% sure what to pick. You can always change it later.

4. Enter your company name in the allocated field and click “Get Started.” This will take you to a “set up” box with three parts. You can skip the first two (Profile Picture & About). We will talk about those later. This brings us to the “Facebook Web Address” section. Here you will choose your unique URL. Once this is set, it CAN NOT be changed. We used our company name and I recommend you do the same if possible. (i.e. https://www.facebook.com/NewProContainers)

Congratulations! You just created a Facebook fan page! Sure, it still needs a lot of work before you can start promoting it, but I enjoy celebrating the little victories. And now that you’re on a roll we might as well talk about how to customize your new page. I’ve included an illustration below to help guide you.

CUSTOMIZING YOUR NEW PAGE

1. Profile Picture: Here I recommend using your logo or another image people will associate with your business, such as a picture of your building. Your profile picture needs to be at least 180 x 180 pixels. If you choose a larger picture, you will automatically be asked to crop the photo to the correct dimensions. Keep in mind that people will see a miniature version of this picture next to all of your posts and replies.

2. Cover Picture: This will be the first thing people see when they visit your page. Choose something that represents your company and showcases your work. To maximize the space, this image should be 851 x 315 pixels. Facebook has strict rules on what your cover photo may not contain, including:

• Price or purchase information
• Contact information
• References to user interface elements
• Calls to action

3. About: It’s time to tell your audience what you’re all about. Here you will fill out basic company information, your mission statement, and company overview. Don’t forget to add your company website (if you have one). You’ll also want to include when your company was founded. This is a great way to brag about the longevity of your business and establish expertise. Finally, don’t be afraid to add yourself as the page owner. Your fans will enjoy getting to know the person behind the business.

4. Photos: Don’t be shy. Show your future fans just how talented you are. Create a photo album showcasing your designs, the beautiful flowers and plants you maintain, etc. All you need to do is click on the “Photo” box and choose “Add Photos.” From this screen you will be able to name your album and add a description. You will find this option in the upper left corner of the page. Here you will also see another “Add Photos” button. Once you click it, you will be able to choose the images you wish to share. Once uploaded, you have the option to tag other Facebook users, add captions, and indicate when & where these pictures were taken. You can even choose one of them to be the album cover.

It’s time for another celebration! You have now completed the basic customization of your very own Facebook Fan Page. Hopefully yours looks something like this:

Let us know, below, how yours turned out? Don’t miss out on an upcoming blog post on how to use your new Facebook page. Click here and subscribe via email to receive up-to-date notifications of new posts.