I am often asked by clients what is the difference between a Business and Personal Page on Facebook. Understanding the difference between the two and how they work is important. Clients can be terrified that what they are sharing on their personal pages is shared with the world, and this is not the case (disclaimer - make sure your personal settings are NOT on share to public).
You must have a Personal profile to have a Business page on Facebook
You personal profile is what you use to keep up with family and friends, it is the place you share your personal updates, videos, and photos, it is where you can message people directly and comment on your friends own updates they share on their personal page.
Your Facebook Business page is all about your business, your brand and the services you offer.
Feel free to invite friends, clients, past clients and potentials to like your Business page, you also have the option to boost your page with advertising to grow your audience. On your Business page you can share information relevant to your business and your industry, tips, details, a link to your website, and people can message your page directly.
The Do's of your Facebook pages
Share your business updates back to your personal profile
However don’t go overboard – if you are posting on your business page three times a day your friends may get annoyed with the constant update. Save the special updates to share on your personal profile.
Engage your audience with industry insights
Posting interesting and engaging content from your industry or local location and asking for people’s feedback encourages engagement and keeps you in touch with what is happening in your community. It reinforces your brand and your position of credibility and information.
Share information that is meaningful with a link back to your website
Facebook is not a place for the jargon, if you have something useful to share, write a short post about why people should read on and share a link to your website blog where the full article is.
Do invite your friends to like your Business page
Having your friends and family like your page means they can see what you have been up to, and can help promote your Facebook page with likes, comments, and shares. Nothing beats family support.
Post important information on your page
A link to your website, how people can get in touch, your products and services, upcoming events and your story (a new Facebook feature) so people have the information at their fingertips.
Make sure your personal profile is not public
You don’t want to accidentally post content that is not intended for your business audience to see. Ensure your posts on your personal page are set to “Friends Only”.
Finally
Your business page is for business use and you can promote it gently on your personal page. Consider your audience when you are posting, make the most of analytics to see when they are online, and always add value. There is so much ‘stuff’out there at the moment you want your business to be different.
