Facebook has recently rolled out a new format for business pages that makes it look similar to profile pages. There is a lot of buzz about how soon the businesses will accept this change and modify their Facebook pages. Most large companies have dedicated teams and social media agencies to handle any Facebook changes that are introduced.
However, several start-ups and small businesses are left on their own to cope up with these major changes. Here are ten easy ways to take advantage of Facebook business page changes:
Get the Basics Right
Spend some time in understanding the guidelines and terms by Facebook for business pages. Facebook Page Terms clearly explains what your business page can have and cannot have. Knowing the rules will help you better optimize your page within the set regulations.
Get Familiar with the New Features
Explore the business page and check what elements have changed on the page. Think how best you can make use of the new display. Hide or remove irrelevant postings.
Get a Cover Image
The new business page lets you have a cover image (850 X 315 pixels) that can represent your brand. As per the rules, you cannot put up an image that includes pricing information, discounts/offers, contact information and call to action (share this!) etc.
So select an attractive image that tells a story about your brand or highlights the experience you offer. Remember, your cover image is your first and best chance to attract fans to your business page.
Get a Square Logo
In place of the profile picture, you can upload your business logo (125 X 125pixels). Ensure your logo is in exact square shape and not cut off in the corners. A logo that is not displayed properly leaves a bad impression on page visitors.
Add Brand Name and Descriptions
Display your brand name. Choose your industry. Give a proper description to your visitors explaining what your brand is all about. Use simple language that appeals to your Facebook audience.
Decide what Tabs to Include
Earlier, brands could set up custom landing pages on their business pages. Not anymore. The ‘homepage’ of your business page is where your visitors will land by default. Moreover, number of tabs visible on the page has been restricted to four, positioned right below the cover. The ‘Photos’ tab will be always visible. You can choose what to show on the next three tabs.
Ensure you pick those applications or elements that you want your visitors to see. Additional tabs listed can be accessed through a ‘See More’ button. For example: Trakstar Hire’s Facebook page has Scribd documents, You Tube videos and Twitter feeds.
Add Milestones
Facebook Timeline feature now helps you to record and highlight important events or incidents occurred in your business history. Updating these milestones using your wall is the best way to share the story of your brand. You can add things like when the company was established, when you first moved to a new office, when you added your 50th employee, when you acquired your 100th customer, etc.
Pin your posts
This brand new feature on your business page allows you to ‘Pin’ a post of your choice on the top of your wall. To pin a post, just hover your mouse over on the top right corner of your post, click on the ‘pencil’ icon, and click on ‘Pin to Top.’ A yellow ribbon now appears on the top right corner of the post to indicate it has been ‘pinned to top.’
Only one post can be pinned to the top at a time. The post remains on top of your wall for seven days or till you pin another post.
Highlight your posts
Similarly, hover over the top right corner of any post and click on the ‘star’ icon to ‘Highlight’ that post. This will stretch the post across the width of your business page, drawing extra attention amongst the other posts. Unlike ‘Pin to Top,’ multiple posts can be highlighted at a time. The post remains highlighted till you choose to ‘remove from highlights’ by clicking again on the ‘star’ icon.
Check Insights
Monitor your progress every day. Total number of likes and conversations about your brand. Find out which of your posts have been popular and has been liked most number of times. This will help you better understand your audience and create posts accordingly.
You now know how to utilize Facebook business page changes. However, the best way to attract and engage fans is still by sharing the best content. Make sure you share content that is relevant to your target audience. Feel free to be creative.