How to Create a Facebook Business Page: A 6 Step Guide

Also as Facebook changes regularly - this guide was written in April/May 2011.

This guide will take you through how to create a Facebook Business Page (aka Facebook Like Page).

Since the demise of the Facebook 'Static FMBL' application, it has been confusing for users of Facebook to create an effective 'Like Page' for their business, organisation or interest. I wanted to write this eBook guide to show that it is still easy to create a great Like Page with other, similar applications to the original Static FMBL application. I was confused earlier this year when these changes on Facebook occurred and found it very difficult to find direction on this. I did my own research and have condensed what I found into this guide. I hope it is useful.

This guide will show you how to create a Facebook Like Page for your business or organisation, including how to set up an initial Landing (or Welcome) Page (or Tab) to give a new visitor a great experience. Subsequently we will be writing other informative articles in this area about Facebook Like Page design and engaging with your Fans.

Step 1: How to Create a Basic Facebook Business Page:

1. The first stage in how to create a Facebook business Page is to set up a basic Business Like Page and then customise:
2. From your personal profile, go to any other company's or person's own Like Page.
3. Click on 'Create a Page' (located in the bottom left of the page)
4. The best choice on the next page for an effective Like Page is 'Brand or Product'; this can be fine-tuned later if necessary.
5. Next, you can choose the type of business/organisation you are, under 'chose a category'.
6. Then you can type the name of your brand (and name of your new Like Page) into the 'Brand or Product' box.
7. Your basic Like Page will now be created - ready for customisation.
8. The first 'tab' within your new Like Page that you will see is the helpful 'Get Started' page. Click the 'Update Category' button.
9. The 'Get Started' tab guides you through some of the things that you will need to and we will revisit this in a later guide. Our first priority is to customise your Like Page with a page known as a 'Landing' or 'Welcome' page (or Tab).
10. After you have confirmed the Category of your page ('Update Category'); you have created your basic Like Page.
11. You now have a basic Like Page set up; all ready to customise and make it more effective.

Step 2: Switching Between Your Personal Profile and Your New Like Page:

1. Now you have a new (basic) Like Page, you can switch between it and your Personal Page.
2. This is a new feature in Facebook. You can use Facebook as yourself (your Personal Profile) or as your business/organisation/interest (your Like Page).
3. To switch between the two, click on the 'Account' tab at the top-left of the page, then 'Use Facebook as Page'.
4. You will then be presented with all of the Like Pages that you have created (or that you are an administrator for - we will come on to administration of pages in another eGuide) see above.
5. Click on the 'Switch' button for the Like Page that you want to switch to.
6. You are then back to the 'Get Started' tab within your Like Page.

Step 3: Customising Your New Facebook Like Page:

Now that we have created a Facebook Business Page, we want to make your Like Page more appealing and more effective for you to build your Facebook community around your business/organisation/interest.

1. The first thing to do (as also suggested by the 'Get Started' guide) is to upload an image or logo.
2. This is straightforward: Click on 'Upload an Image'.
3. Then click on 'Choose File'.
4. This will then take you to a file explorer, allowing you to choose a picture or logo file from your own (local) computer.
5. Double-click on the photo that you want to upload.
6. This picture/logo (also sometimes known as an Avatar) is then published to the left-hand side of your Like Page.
7. Note: All pictures that you upload are also shown at the top of your 'Wall' tab also.
8. Steps 2 onwards on the 'Get Started' page can be carried out later, and we will be writing a further guide for these steps. We need to set up a Welcome page before these steps.

Step 4 continued: Setting up a Welcome Page.

Note: Part of how to create a Facebook Business Page is creating a Welcome Page. A Welcome Page is also sometimes known as a 'Landing Page' is it is where a visitor 'lands' the first time they access your Like Page.

1. From the 'Get Started' tab(page), click on 'Edit Page'.
2. You will arrive at the Manage Permissions tab.
3. You will need to go to the 'Apps' (short for 'applications') tab.
4. Facebook may ask you to switch back to your Personal Profile identity at this point. This is fine - click the 'Continue as You' button.
5. You will then be taken to the 'All Apps' (applications) part of Facebook.
6. Search for 'Static HTML'.
7. Then click on the 'Static HTML: iframe tabs' (with the star logo).
8. You will then be directed to the page for this App.
9. Click on the 'Go to App' button.
10. Facebook will then ask which of your Like Pages you would like to add this application to.
11. Choose the Like Page that you have just created.
12. Facebook will then ask you for confirmation that you want 'Static HTML: iframe tabs' to be added to your new Like Page; click on the 'Add Static HTML: iframe tabs' button.
13. Once confirmed, you will see that there is now a 'Welcome' tab included on the left hand side menu. This will become the page that all of our visitors see initially when they first arrive at your Like Page.
14. We can now go to our new Welcome tab and create some content for our Welcome page. Click on the Welcome tab to get Welcome Page screen.
15. We will come back to this page - so leave this internet explorer window open for now.

Step 5: Creating Content for Your Welcome/Landing Page

To create this content I use a company called Squarespace. Squarespace is a hosted web building tool that makes it very easy to create your own high quality web site(s). We are going to use it to create some HTML code to input into our Welcome Tab for our Facebook Like Page.

Note: You do not have to use Squarespace; there are many tools for doing this. What we are trying to achieve here is to create some content using a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor. This enables you to create content very easily - just typing in your copy (text) and inserting pictures, video, forms, et cetera, just the way that you would using Microsoft Word. Using these tools (or applications) you can then choose to view the HTML version of what you have created. You can then copy and paste this HTML code into your Welcome Page on Facebook and the Welcome Page will be created.

1. Once your Welcome Page content has been created in your WYSIWYG editor and you have viewed and copied the HTML version of that content, we are ready to past that HTML content into the Facebook Like Page Welcome tab.
2. We can then go back to the Facebook Welcome page that you should still have open (if not - don't worry, just go back to Facebook and open the Welcome page again).
3. Then right-click with your mouse and paste the HTML code into the top box from the two in the Facebook Welcome page editor.
4. You can then see the HTML code in the Welcome Page box.
5. Then click the 'Save and view tab' button to save what we have.
6. Then click on view your tab as a fan (or as a non-fan; it does not matter at this point).
7. You will then be able to see your new Welcome page as your visitors will.
8. We can still add more content in the form of pictures and video to make it more appealing, but the basic technical techniques have been covered here now.

Step 6 - Adjusting Settings For Your Welcome Page.

We now need to set our Like Page so that whenever a new visitor comes to our Like Page, they see the Welcome Page first.

1. From the 'Get Started' page click on the Edit Page button.
2. You will then see the 'Manage Permissions' page.
3. Currently the default Landing Tab will be set to 'Wall'.
4. Select the drop-down menu and change the option to 'Welcome'.
5. The Default Landing Tab is now set to 'Welcome'.
6. You can then click on 'View Page' to exit from the edit mode.
7. You can then navigate around your Like Page by using the tabs on the left of the page.
8. Each time you click on the Welcome page you will see the HTML version of the page. You just need to click on the 'Save and view tab' to see the page as your visitors will see it.
9. And view tab as a non-fan.
10. It is now possible to use a WYSIWYG/HTML editor (like Squarespace) to add further content to your Welcome page.

Watch out for subsequent guides, covering: Adding Video, Adding a Form Using an Autoresponder, Making your Welcome Page More Effective, Creating a Nice Username for your Facebook Page, Setting Up and Using Squarespace to create HTML and Effective Web Sites

(c) Copyright 2011 OrangeStamp Ltd

There are now more hits on average every day on Facebook than on Google. Facebook is a great way to expose your business to the world and your market place.

Martin Petts is the founder of OrangeStamp - a UK based consultancy that specialises in Social Media Marketing and helping business create an effective online presence. Focussing mainly on Facebook, it is relatively easy and very cost effective to use Facebook as source of traffic to your main web site and as a great lead generation tool.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6244758

The Future Business Model of Facebook

The one thing Facebook has not figured out yet is how to utilize their fabulous product to make the most money, consistently and on an ongoing basis - i.e. finding the right business model. A really intriguing topic to write my very first blog about, because, in my opinion, finding the right business model for Facebook cannot be accomplished using conventional thinking, like, solely looking at Google and their search engine ad revenue, for example. Facebook is unique, so you need to find unique solutions. Actually, there is not one single best business model for this site, rather a multitude of potential revenue streams from very different sources. It is not only "how do we generate revenue", but equally important "when do we start with which one". This might sound strange now, but it will get clear, when reading this. Summarized, it is basically taking your assets and what made you successful in the first place and finding new ways to use them effectively.

Business Network / Business Profile

I thinking about this since beginning of February. Wouldn't it be great, if you'd only need to login once and have your private and professional network in one view, although strictly separated from each other, depending on your settings? Wouldn't it also be great for companies to have a business network with about 7 times more users than LinkedIn, that can offer people having every kind of skills and experience imaginable as well as offering any kind of services and products among their 500 million users? Wouldn't it be great for Facebook to be able to get into companies blocking the site so far, generating new streams of ad and other revenue from recruitment companies and others? But most importantly, Business Network market leaders LinkedIn and Xing charge their users, meaning Facebook would have an absolute legitimate case to do so as well for their business network users. This means, that the crucial, and psychological, hurdle of charging end-users can be overcome via a sideway, so to speak, without having to expect a massive backlash or a mass exodus of users. Of course, they can only start to charge the active business network users, but when the door is open once...needless to say, this has the highest potential impact on the bottom line of Facebook.

All this would happen, if Facebook offered a Business Network, too. This is not even a huge undertaking for them really, just leveraging their existing functionality.

It can be set-up rather easily via automatic transfer of the existing (fitting) data of the user profiles into their new professional profiles, giving the users the choice to opt-in into this service and let them enter more business-related data to be able to activate their professional profile (which also means more key data available within Facebook). The professional profile can be, e.g. on a separate tab right next to the private one or just as another wall and info page next to the main profile, allowing for it to be within the Facebook site, but with the possibility to completely block the private section, when accessed from certain locations, while also allowing the user to keep both profiles and their connections separated via respective privacy settings. To grow rapidly, at least initially the service should be offered for free. Ads can be displayed to help offset part of the launching and initial running costs. Existing Facebook functionality should be incorporated, examples are, the news feed with real-time updates, posting pictures (e.g. from corporate events), the Like button, the option to easily post relevant news, etc., enabling the user to do the same things they like to do on the social network also in a business environment and in a simple and already known way. This would make the Facebook Business Network that much more alive than the mostly static existing ones, allowing users to be active or passive, enjoying ever-changing new content, keeping them on the site, just like it's happening on the current social network. At the same time, the previously mentioned benefits for Facebook are enormous, while the development time and costs for this are comparatively small as already proven and existing layout and functionality can be used. In my opinion, if set up properly, the other existing professional networks will be marginalized within about 9-12 months after the launch (depending on the roll-out plan), just like the other existing social networks.

In short, just take what successfully works, put it in a business context and reap the huge rewards.

Job Market

A job market, integrated with the business net as well as the rest of the site could be the next step. Same procedure as above, at the push of a button, the relevant data from the other profiles, private and professional gets transferred to a job search profile(again, if agreed to by the user) and additional data is added by the users to fill out the respective profile, alternatively, if a business network already exists the professional profile can also act as the job search profile, saving the users valuable time and enabling them to easily get out on the job market, without needing to fill out a long new form, updating their CVs, etc.. The first option, a new profile, would enable Facebook to gather more data and place more ads; the second one keeps the number of profiles from expanding, meaning less complexity and maintenance. Why Monster.com - Facebook has the equivalent of the third largest country in the world as talent base, available at the push of a button. This enables Facebook to pretty quickly become a major player selling job ads and e.g. earning additional money from HR companies for special search functions, etc. and also generating more ad money with the existing ads on the side of the screen.

Marketplace

Facebook has a marketplace actually, but it's safe to say, that it never took off in the way other parts of the site did. So I suggest a relaunch. Advantages are that no additional login is needed and the pretty convenient account access, also via Facebook's pretty well done mobile apps. Now the business network profile of (at least) the sellers should be integrated with the marketplace with the users accepting that Facebook can use their data for security reasons (e.g. to eliminate users with fake profiles from the start) while having them also add more data to be able to act as a seller (more key data within Facebook). This wealth of data enables Facebook to have a sufficiently lower fraud rate and even better fitting custom offerings for every single user than e.g. Ebay, huge competitive advantages. Special promotions for goods on Facebook will also make it easier for many users to accept letting Facebook use their existing data strictly for security reasons.

Now some examples for things currently totally out of Facebook's scope,

Facebook Apparel

Why they haven't done this already is beyond me. It's a great brand, simple logo, people like it. White and blue T-shirts, each with the alternatively colored Facebook logo, and matching caps, maybe some sweaters, that's enough for starters. Then advertise these products via their ad system, which simultaneously generates a great case study to show to ad buying prospects. For sure not their potentially largest income stream, but pretty quick to launch and profitable nevertheless, with options galore, like the ability to build the biggest clothing online store on the web via own offerings and the integration of other brands and retailers in an open way, similar to what Facebook has already done with applications on their site (use what works). Tailor-made offers (no pun intended) for 500 million users every time they log in, is quite a powerful thing here, too. Even opening Facebook brick & mortar stores in the future could be a viable option, also not necessarily limited to clothing.

Comprehensive Event & Event pictures database

Neat little features with great user benefits while pretty quick and rather inexpensive to launch are always fun. A comprehensive event database where every event manager will enter their own events and every Facebook user can search the listed events, concerts, etc. in his or any other region. If you travel abroad, for example, you know where to look for events and e.g. can also contact the event management or other Facebook users attending an event you are interested in easily and immediately with tools you are already familiar with. Additionally, the option to link pictures to the respective events should be implemented. Again, integrating all the successful Facebook features e.g. allowing people to tag themselves or be tagged (for privacy reasons, only the person her-/himself can tag themselves if they want; to tag others, the user needs to give permission to be tagged in this more public environment), Comment, Like button, etc., also allowing users to upload their own pictures from the events and link them to the event (when authorized by the event manager), makes it that much more interesting and definitely increases the number of user interactions on Facebook. Needless to say, all this is non- existent with the usual event/photo sites, where you often need to register, again, then get flooded with ads and only have partial overview over one region, and basically none of the other options described above. A centralized database is so much more convenient. By using already existing functionality for a new application, Facebook will save resources in developing these features while gaining speed to launch them (a familiar theme by now). Existing sites will have no chance against a comprehensive, worldwide, but localized database within the offering of a 500 million user juggernaut. This is certainly not difficult to set up from a technical standpoint and will render the existing party sites meaningless within about 6 months after launch in the respective regions. Facebook would gain even more new users, more user-generated content and user interaction as well as more ad revenue (e.g. the ad money flowing to the party sites will go to Facebook) out of this.

Banking functions

Microcredits

Facebook itself could offer a variation of a microcredit to its users (a microcredit is a very small loan originally designed for impoverished people in developing countries to engage in self-employment projects that allow them to generate an income - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microcredit ). Where's the context, you will ask. The data of the users of Facebook is a credit rating specialist's dream as certain non-financial data is, when available, also highly valuable in today's loan approval process. No bank has anything close to this in terms of private data. To actually being able to use this data, Facebook would ask the applicants to sign a document that his Facebook user data can be used in the loan approval process. You can bet, somebody who wants money, will accept this. (Also, the applicants will be asked to provide their full financial information, of course, as this is currently not available on Facebook.) In this scenario, a credit officer will really have the total picture. This is an invaluable advantage in being able to calculate if an applicant should be denied or if someone will be able to pay back. This would result in a lower credit default rate for the Facebook loans, meaning in turn higher profitability, but also lower interest rates for the recipients of the loans, as Facebook would need to price less into the issued loans for the expected defaults than normal banks. Facebook needs some experienced banking people for this, get a license (not as difficult as it sounds nowadays, I guess the government will be happy, if anybody else wants to offer quality loans), set up a process and the respective software or alternatively, have one bank or a consortium of banks in the background for this and only act as router (first option earns much more money, latter one can be set up more easily and bears less risks). In any case, the first step would then be to start a very small test balloon (they would be totally overrun, if they would even offer this "only" in their home state, let alone Facebook-wide). After some time gaining experience with the process, they can think about offering higher amounts and potentially becoming quite some competition to regular banks (again, think the potential customer base of 500 million+), while, importantly, also doing something good in supporting their users with more affordable loans. Later on, they could even expand to offer more banking functions, like an online account, e-brokerage...

Peer-to-Peer Lending platform

They could also offer a Peer-to-Peer lending platform, where users lend money to other users, like e.g. Zopa or Prosper, which would soon thereafter become the biggest one on the web, of course. The process would be the same as with microcredits, whoever wants a loan, needs to share his data with Facebook, so it can be checked, if the applicants qualify, which is what the P-to-P platforms do as a service for the lenders, charging a small fee for it (another revenue stream for Facebook). The advantages to other platforms are the same as to banks in regards to microcredits, the quantity and quality of the data at hand. Another advantage here would be that the number of social interactions between the users increases as lenders and takers interact quite a lot on these platforms and a rather safe guess is that they would do even more so on the familiar Facebook. This is also potentially a good way of gaining experience before offering microcredits themselves, if they choose to do so.

Credit information system

If Facebook decides to not go the route above or chooses to launch another business, they could easily become the largest and best credit information data provider. They have data nobody else has and banks would pay a lot to get this information. Here, the privacy problem becomes a bigger one as Facebook cannot just transfer the data. From Facebook's point of view, the best thing would be to let the banks negotiate the access with each bank client, who is a Facebook user.

I have more examples, but this was just to show, that the possibilities are endless.

As I have stated initially, it is basically taking your assets and what made you successful in the first place and finding new ways to use them effectively.

As I mentioned in the opening paragraph, there are many ways for Facebook to haul in boatloads of money and Mark Zuckerberg be all smiles. It is not only "how do we generate revenue", but equally important "when do we start with which one". That's tricky, and a distinct timeline can only be set by the company itself, of course. My suggestion would be to start the Event/Pictures point in parallel with the business network. The latter has the most impact, the first can be set up the easiest and they don't interfere with each other. I have no affiliation with Facebook or any insight or access, so these are just my humble suggestions and assumptions. Whatever is going to happen, it is definitely exciting to see, where Facebook is actually going and what is possible for them.

Next up: How Google can prevent Facebook from taking over

My name is Matthias Karim Rahmatian, I am holding a master degree in business administration from the Vienna University with the focus on Leadership, Human Resources and Psychology in a business environment. My half Austrian, half Persian descent helps me tremendously in understanding and effectively communicating in cross-cultural environments. Having held several leadership positions in the IT industry and being stakeholder and board member of a software company, I have a tech background, too. My main interests are in personal development, strategy, thinking about how to make things better and international business & politics and foremost - how to help others achieve extraordinary results!

1) How to set goals and create outcome- and purpose-driven massive action plans

2) How to stay dedicated and driven

3) The tools you need to achieve your goals

4) How to ENJOY not only the outcome but the process itself!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6341454

Facebook After All the Media Attacks Stop

What will happen to Facebook when the media attacks stop and Facebook emerges as a success story? I have seen the first of the lock-ups come and go with little variance to the price of the stock. The media has attacked Facebook from the day of the IPO. I have my opinions about the IPO and they do not agree with the media in any way.

First off the media made such a big deal of Facebook being a huge IPO and caused the general public to feel they could not even buy a share of Facebook stock. I was one of those people so I know from my experience. I thought I could not buy a share of Facebook stock on the day of the IPO. Everyone was saying that only the biggest of stock brokers were able to get shares of Facebook stock for their clients. The general public felt left out and didn't even try to buy stock that day.

A day or two before the IPO came an announcement from GM canceling a 10,000,000 million dollar advertising contract with Facebook and how Facebook had no source of revenue unless they could sell advertising.

I think that is so wrong because the users of Facebook can and will at some point realize the value of themselves to Facebook and if they decide to make purchases off Facebook to increase the price of the stock they own no one will ever be as big as Facebook.

Then the late start at the stock markets on the day of the IPO. Here are some points of the down side of the IPO

• All the hype of how big the IPO it was going to be.


• The general public thought they could not buy Facebook because of the media news and the messages being given by the media. News clips on how no ordinary person would even be able to buy a share of Facebook stock because all the big brokers would be the only ones able to buy for their clients. I personally felt like there was no use in me even trying to buy Facebook stock on the day of the IPO, so I didn't even try.


• The late start in trading as the stock markets opened didn't help because the large investors worried longer and became more nervous.


• Investors bought and because the general public thought they could not buy any shares of Facebook the large investors became more nervous as stocks never took off as they thought they would, so Facebook stocks started to slip and that is the real story about Facebook stocks on opening day.


• The canceling of GM on a 10 million dollar ad campaign didn't help but that was not that big of a deal.


• The value of the users to Facebook and how Facebook was increasing users which would cost Facebook money as the number of users grew was a concern to the large investors. In the days to follow it started to create concern among those investors. If the 1 billion users were to become buyers of the stock and own a part of the Facebook company there would be no reason to question Facebook as a company.


• The media has been a biggest part of the reason for Facebook's loss in value. I feel the media should be taken to court for the mess at the stock markets and the IPO of the Facebook company. They forecast how the general public couldn't even buy Facebook shares. The largest of the media companies should be held accountable and responsible to Facebook and the stock market for this whole mess.

In time the general public will see the value of the users of the Facebook and start buying stock for themselves. You are one person out of every seven people in the world that use Facebook and you should own at least one share. You will realize the value you are to Facebook and how you could prosper by owning a share in the Facebook.

Where will Facebook be a year from now? That would be a question for the supernatural because I think as soon as the stock start to sell it will take off and it will be one of the largest names in the world economically. You can't keep a large group of people from realizing the potential of 1 billion owners of Facebook forever. When it happens you will want to get in on the action of owning a share of Facebook and then the large brokers will have beaten you to it. Now is the time to make a purchase of Facebook stock if you are ever want to own Facebook.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7250078

How to Create an Effective Facebook Company Page

Did you know that 77% of Web 2.0 users are looking to receive free products and coupons from companies? According to an article on Ragan.com a new study from communications agency Cone found that out of the 77% of Web 2.0 users, 48% expect to receive these free items on social media sites. The study also found that "social media users 'like,' 'follow,' or 'subscribe' to an average of just 4.6 companies."

So how can you grab the attention of these choosy social media users and give them exactly what they want? Your Facebook company landing page on Facebook is a great place to start.

Facebook allows business owners to specify the tab that they want visitors to land on when they click onto the company's Facebook page. In other words, you may choose to have your company Wall tab, Blog tab, Video tab, Resources tab, or customized tab appear as the landing page for visitors.

Creating a customized tab for your Facebook landing page is the best way to go since you can provide users with everything from video to coupons, and free gifts to promotions. And, you can change this content out every other week or once per month.

Below is an example of lululemon athletica's Facebook company landing page. Notice how the landing page tab is "Gift of Yoga."

Below are a few ways you can spice up your Facebook company landing page to attract more ideal customers, capture their interest, and encourage them to "Like" your page.

Post a...

• Video: What better way to share your brand personality and match a face with your company than through a video? Adding a video to your Facebook landing page is a quick and easy way to connect with Facebook users right off the bat. In terms of the content in the video, there's a variety of elements you can focus on including a welcome message to new followers, a product spotlight (around a holiday or season), easy-to-implement tips, industry updates, and more.
• Coupon or promotion:Here's where the statistic above comes into play. If statistics show that a large amount of new-media users are looking to social media networks to find coupons and promotions then why not give them what they want? Providing a coupon or promotional offer exactly when they're looking for it is the perfect way to get in front of your prospects, pique their interest, and encourage them to consistently return to your page or even visit your website or other social media profiles. Give them what they want, when they want it, and they'll return again for more. It's that simple. For example, you could post a product update showcasing the newest hottest products just in and offer a promotional code to your Facebook fans that only they can use to receive 25% off their next online purchase. Even better, coupons and promotions are popularly shared among Internet users via email, social media, and mobile devices.
• Free gift: Package one of your past webinars or white papers as a free gift for Facebook fans. Who wouldn't want a free gift?
• Spotlight a product or service: The perfect time to spotlight a product or service is during the holidays, around a season, or special events. You don't have to actually offer a new product, simply package a current product or service differently than before. Let's use Christmas for example. If you owned a salon and spa you could post a "Perfect Pamper Gift" on your Facebook landing page that pictured some of your products or services with holiday colors, copy, and images. The unique presentation of this year-round product or service might make the customer think that it's actually a new product-when really, it's not!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5802596

Do I Need a LinkedIn and a Facebook Profile?

LinkedIn and Facebook are both social networks with different purposes. Depending on what you want to achieve and the reasons why you spend time using the networks you might need profiles on either or both sites. The following article will discuss what you can achieve with both profile and the reasons why one might be better suited to your needs than the other.

What are the differences?

LinkedIn is a business oriented social networking site, which is mainly used for professional networking. The personal profile page is like a CV and is where recruiters and others are searching for someone to hire or to do a job. Users will mostly be working/business people, less children and teenagers.

Facebook is a social networking site, which focuses on connecting with friends and sharing personal news. The personal profile page is like a showcase of who you are, combining some personal information with photos, notes etc. Users are anyone above thirteen years of age who likes to connect and interact with others.

These basic differences outline the various usages.

When do I need a social network profile?

First of all, you do not need a social network profile at all but if you want to create an online presence, you might want to consider those or any other social networking sites.

LinkedIn is for you if you want to create an online version of your CV and allow recruiters or companies to find you. It allows you to collect real testimonials and therefore generate options for referrals. If you are looking for a job or wanting to find someone to hire, LinkedIn is a good place to start.

Facebook is for you if you want to reconnect with old friends, want to share your holiday photos with friends and family or intend to create a personal profile or a business profile that is easy and fun to access for your current and potential clients. Facebook gives you an option to let people see inside your life with as much details as you choose.

With Facebook you can also showcase your business and create interest and potential new clients but in comparison to LinkedIn it is more playful and interactive.

Either/or or both?

Personally I have a profile with both social networking sites. The reason is that they fulfill different purposes and yet both give me an additional web presence, which positively influences my business presence, creditability and professionalism.

Nathalie Himmelrich brings technology closer to you - learn how to use social networks efficiently and easily.
Nathalie is working as a mentor and coach one-on-one and in groups to support clients in their personal growth and on using technology.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5374473

How to Use Facebook For Business

There are a growing number of social media sites being used by businesses in their company marketing efforts. The secret to using social media effectively is not to be everywhere, but instead to have an online presence where your current and prospective customers are online. Contrary to what many believe- Facebook is not just for college students or for personal use. Facebook is increasingly being used by companies in many creative ways such as to build their brand image, to drive traffic to their website and blogs, to announce or get feedback on new products, manage their online reputation, attract employees, communicate company information, and as a means to intercept potential prospects. For many companies, this increased company communication is leading to enhanced relationships with current and prospective customers. In this article, I will outline how a planned internet marketing approach can lead to positive results for your business. I will begin the article by addressing a few common misperceptions about Facebook that I hear most frequently from my clients. Next, I will detail how to use and set up the various sections of a Facebook account. I will conclude with several recommended applications that will add functionality to your company Facebook page.

Common misperception #1: Facebook is only for personal use
Each time I give presentations on using social networking sites for business there is the perception in the audience that Facebook is only useful for communicating with friends and family. Facebook started as a closed community for college students, and has not been as effective as LinkedIn at highlighting the business page and advertising features. However, Facebook continues to grow in use by companies looking to reach the more than 200 million active users, and has very powerful and targeted demographic tools that help companies to hone in on their target market.

Common misperception #2: Facebook is only for college students
According to the Facebook Press Room page, there are more than 200 million active users on Facebook and a million new members are joining each week in the U.S. alone. Contrary to what many of my audiences believe- more than two-thirds of Facebook users are not in college. According to comscore.com, more than 50% of Facebook's users in the U.S. are over 35; the single biggest age demographic in the U.S. on Facebook is now between 35 and 44, and Facebook's fastest growing age group is 55 and older. They also reported that Facebook ranks as the top social networking site in the majority of European countries.

Common misperception #3: I am too busy for this, and besides-it is not worth my time
Some of the reasons why social networking sites like Facebook are increasingly being used by companies is because they provide businesses the opportunity to easily and efficiently communicate regularly with the people in their network. Networks can include people with whom they are currently doing business, people whom they would like to do business, vendors, and potential business partners.

Social networking sites like Facebook are serving as an adjunct to, and in some cases, replacement for, traditional means of communication such as newsletters and direct mail. Facebook can be used to regularly announce or get feedback on new products, spotlight new employees or existing employees accomplishments or talents, reward customer loyalty, promote special events and special offers, as well as to create partnerships. According to a Forrester Research interactive marketing online research survey (March 2009): "40% of companies surveyed expect to cut direct mail budgets, while 35% will decrease newspaper spend, and 28% will slash magazine money in order to spend more in interactive media." Some companies have reported that by using these online means of communication they have reduced their marketing budget while at the same time increasing sales.

Why Social Networking works:
What companies that use social networking sites are finding is that these sites allow them to more regularly communicate with people, vendors, clients, colleagues, and prospects, which, in turn, helps business understand their customers needs better, increase trust, and therefore build better business relationships. Most people know that Facebook has been helpful as a tool for connecting or re-connecting with friends, family and co-workers. And most understand that even the personal connections have the potential to become new business opportunities-so it makes sense that Facebook can be used to communicate with those in the business milieu.

How to Set Up a Facebook Profile:
To make use of Facebook you need to set up an account. After registering you need to do the following in order of importance:

1. Create a Profile
In order to begin to use Facebook you must create a profile detailing information about yourself. Based on site policies, you can create only 1 profile, and it must be tied to a human name, preferably your real name, not a business name. We will review setting up your business page later in this article, but first you must set up your personal profile. If you are a married female, use your maiden and married names so more people can find you. Facebook has a "Friend Finder" feature that allows users to search for people by school, company, or organization. In order for people to find you -you must so be sure to list all of your previous schools, organizations, employers, in your profile. Thoroughly complete the "About Me" section to describe your business and what services or products you offer. In the "Information" box on your profile page, you need to include links to your website address, newsletter, blog and other business information such as your company contact information, logo and a photo of yourself. Your profile page should be considered your "branding" page or your marketing campaign. If you are working for a company-you don't have to list all your personal interests-just limit your entry to listing your professional interests. You can syndicate your blog on your profile page. By doing this you are enabling any post that you make to automatically appear on your profile page and all of those people who are connected to you will see it.

2. Build Your Contact List
Facebook was created based on the concept of connecting with friends. You can send and receive "friend requests" and once accepted, your friend can view your profile and you can view theirs. To begin connecting with people that you know, you can either import your address book/ contact database, or you can also search Facebook for individual people.

You can also view the friends list of each person with whom you are connected. If you know any of your new friend's connections, or you would like to know them-you can send a connection request. You can grow your friend list by inviting all your clients, business associates, customers, family, friends, co-workers, school alumni, neighbors, and anyone else you think would be interested in connecting. I would suggest also using the search feature on Facebook to look up people with whom you have lost contact. After befriending -your profile will show up on all your friends' pages. Therefore, the more friends you have- the more pages your profile will appear-leading to more people who will see your page and possibly get in touch with you.

3. Communicate by using Wall Posts
Each Facebook member has a "wall" where friends can post messages. In the business networking world, this is the online equivalent of calling them on the phone. You can send a complement to a colleague on their work by writing this on their wall, comment on their new service or product offering, or communicate an upcoming training or networking opportunity.

4. Update Your Status
At the top of your Facebook page is a status box. When you post a status update, everyone in your friends list can see your update on their home page. For business owners, this is the place to share tips, promote events, post blog updates, announce new products, links to your affiliate programs, links to interesting video or audio presentations, websites, articles, and newsletters.You can add updates as often as you are able in the " What's on you mind?" box. These will appear on all of your friends' pages so ensure that they are meant for everyone on your friend list, and are professional in nature. Otherwise, you risk people removing you from their list.

5. Participate in Groups
Online groups allow you to network virtually with potential clients and peers. You can also join Groups on Facebook that are related to your work. There are groups for therapist, teachers, coaches, and every conceivable profession. You can network, and learn from experts in the field. Another way to maximize the potential and relevance of these groups is to start one of your own. There is no cost to do this and this is a great way to improve your company's visibility. For example, I started a group for mental health facility administrators in Boston. This group is now a resource for sharing best practices and may over time lead to mutual referral relationships. To access groups, start from your Facebook home page, view the list of applications and click on "Groups." You can browse through thousands of groups by area of interest, by industry and geography. There are an incredibly varied selection of topics and professions all over the map.

6. Build Your Friends List
For business purposes, it makes sense to have as many friends as possible. One way to do this is to join a group and send connection requests to fellow members with a note letting them know of your interest in connecting with them on Facebook. Just as you would with an in-person business introduction, be sure to check out their profile and learn about what they are currently doing. Networking always works best when there is a two-way exchange. Find ways you can be helpful to them such as introducing them to a colleague or potential business partner and they may likely reciprocate and return the favor. Also, create your own events page, or post on the Facebook "Events page." You can even see how many RSVP and get feedback from attendees.

7. Create Fan Pages
Because Facebook requires that a profile be designated to a person, not a business, they have instead provided the ability to create fan pages. You can create a fan page for a business, book, product, author, speaker, celebrity or just about anything else you want. To create a fan page, scroll all the way down to the bottom of Facebook and click on "Advertising" (don't worry, this is free to set-up). Next, click on "Pages" at the top of the screen. You will find some helpful explanations about how pages work, along with the link that will allow you to create your own fan page. Once your page is created you can add links, events, discussion boards and other features that make them interactive. Your updates from your fan pages will appear on your profile so your friends will know about them. You can invite people to become a "fan" of your page as an alternative to sending friend requests which will help you to further cultivate an online community

8. Use the Marketplace
Facebook has an online marketplace that allows you to list your services and products at no cost. This is a great way for you or your company to get exposure. You can also use the marketplace to find items or services that you need.

How To Set Up a Business Page on Facebook
Setting up a business page is easy. Just log in to your profile page and scroll down to the bottom of the screen. Then click on "Advertising" or by following this link: http://www.facebook.com/business That will bring up a page with the blue links one of which is called "Pages." Click on Pages, and then click on the green "Create a Page" box on the right of the screen. You can now start filling this information in to create and customize your business page.

After you create your business page, Facebook will automatically add an application called the "Page Manager" which should be located on the top and left side of your log. Again choose Facebook Pages, then choose the best category for your business. Click this link to load your business page where you can then edit and add to the existing content.

It is important that you choose the name of your Facebook page carefully because the page name will become your key word search terms, and is the only text that is used in a search on a Facebook page. Once your page is in place, you can add applications that help to enhance how you represent your company in your own unique way. To find applications for Facebook, click on "Applications" in the upper left corner of your page, or search for them at this link: http://www.facebook.com/apps Applications are fairly easy to install and to set up. If you have difficulty with any one application-please note that there is often more than one application available to accomplish the same task.

Facebook Applications for Business:
Simply RSS : This allows you to display up to eight RSS feeds on your Facebook page and display the feeds from your business's main site and newsrooms.
Upcoming: Add all of your events to upcoming.org, and you can easily display them on your Facebook page with Upcoming's Facebook application.
My Flickr: Display photos from your Flickr account using this application. These photos can include logos, product photos, photos from events, etc.
Posted Items Pro: Allows you to embed multiple YouTube, Yahoo, and Google Videos, music mp3s, sites, files, and more onto your profile and Facebook pages. You can add any variety of these elements, making it great for a media center or press section.
Twitter APP: If you have a Twitter account this application will automatically pull your tweets into your Facebook status, and it automatically installs a Twitter-themed icon letting all you friends on Facebook know that you are on Twitter. It also saves you time in updating and ensures that you have some profile activity to keep you relevant. If you are not on Twitter yet-you can add this at any time.
By implementing these applications you will be creating an interactive page that gives visitors a more complete understanding of your business.

Make the Time to Stay Relevant
In order to stay relevant on Facebook, you need to continually update your Page and use the site. If you do not have the time needed to do this consistently- then I would suggest you hire a copywriter or social media consultant to help. The more actions you take, the more you appear in a fan's News Feed. This keeps you in their mind, and in their friend's feeds when they interact with you. But updating content will do more than keep you on the News Feed; it will also help make your Facebook Page one that people will return to by offering fans an incentive to continue to read your content and return to your page. There are many ways to do this such as providing exclusive content, special promotional pricing, exclusive contests, product previews, or privileged access to company events.

I hope this information has been helpful to you in getting started in using Facebook. Make no mistake about it-social networking is not a passing fad. Facebook, and other social media sites are here to stay. So regardless of whether you make use of all the social networking sites- you cannot discount the recent research indicating that customers are increasingly going online to gather company and product information, compare prices, and place orders. As with any new technology social networking will take time and effort for businesses to fully benefit from it; however, it is my belief that this time and effort, if done consistently and in a planned, thoughtful manner, will be time well spent.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2509906

Five Ways to Make Facebook Work for Your Brand

In the modern world, no business of any size can afford to ignore Facebook, by far the Web's largest social network, with over a billion active users. These days, the best way to browse local businesses is via the Internet, and a large portion of those who check out businesses online are also on Facebook.

More than hosting the social whims of its users, however, Facebook offers the marketing machine to small businesses - all these businesses need is a little know-how to get started. Facebook is a great resource for businesses looking to connect with potential new customers, offering more ways than one to expand one's marketplace. In fact, the site offers so many ways to engage potential customers that it may be difficult to figure out where to begin.

Check out these five steps to get started.

• Establish an appropriate Facebook presence. A business that hasn't staked a Facebook claim will typically find that its competitors are already on the scene. However, a little competition doesn't mean that a business should strive to create a monolithic Facebook page dripping in ad copy. Businesses should stick to their own pre-established brand identity.


• Seek and nurture true advocates. It may seem tempting to "friend" every Facebook users in a 20-mile radius, but those Facebook users who are willing to stand behind a brand are much more valuable than those who feel lukewarm about it at best. When making posts and leaving comments, businesses should curtail the urge to be anything less than genuine; they should avoid bribes, threats, and empty "likes." A true brand advocate will spread that business's message because he wants to - not because a business liked all his photos.


• Break out the best possible online customer service. More and more, Internet users expect to be able to ask business questions, resolve ongoing issues, and get good advice online. To be truly valued in the eyes of customers, businesses should aim to use social media as a customer service platform.


• Maintain a Facebook presence. After building a fan base, businesses should keep in touch. These fans actually want to hear new and worthwhile tidbits about a business they believe in, so it pays to stay in the forefront of their thoughts. A business that has big news or is offering an especially enticing deal would be wise to pay to promote such a post. Unfortunately, Facebook posts won't reach all of a page's fans without a paid promotion.


• Direct fans to the business website. In addition to maintaining a Facebook presence, the modern business must build and keep an accessible, easy-to-navigate webpage. One of the best uses of Facebook, then, is to direct fans to the company site, where they can learn everything they need to know about company products and deals. Perhaps they'll even link back to the company site on their own Facebook pages.

When everything is said and done, Facebook offers plenty of benefits for a company, its most sincere advocates, and its new clients. Companies would be wise to remember, however, that they can't control everything that goes on in a social network, and that they shouldn't try to curb every unwanted user post. Businesses should maintain a Facebook presence, but this social media site shouldn't represent the one online basket that holds all the eggs.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8378754