Many companies want to set up Facebook as a channel. But often do not know how to start. Under the theme #Facebook Friday I will gradually expand on your Facebook presence. The first steps: starting points, creating and setting. This takes an average of 30 minutes.

4 Basic principles for Facebook

1. Your customers are on Facebook;
2. You have 3 hours a week for Facebook no matter how busy you are;
3. You speak with your customers and you like to interact;
4. You want to build a bond with your customers rather than earn money immediately;

Are you unsure about these principles? Then read first 10 reasons not to start with Social Media.

Create a business Facebook page

This step takes approximately 5 minutes. You need: a private Facebook account. It is possible to create a business Facebook page without a private account, but that is more cumbersome.

Step 1: Go to https://www.facebook.com/Bloeise. Because you are not the administrator of this page, you will see a button on the right create a page. (Feel free to first like my page of course 🙂

When you click on it, you immediately get a choice. You can change this choice later.

Step 2: Choose Local business or local place if your target group is only local (hairdresser / baker) and choose Company, organization or institution if you have customers spread over several places. Think of one Brand or product Philips or Heineken, but also a local product is possible; it is important whether the product is purchased through multiple channels. Entertainment is for media, Community is for non-profit organizations. A journalist or radio DJ is one well-known person.

Step 3: In this example I choose Local business. Fill in the fields and press To work!

Set up Facebook in 4 steps

Getting started takes around 10 - 20 minutes. You need: your logo in a square format and a short description.

Enter the Info fields in. With categories it can take a while to search. For example, there is no Test Company category. Be sure to add all your sites, such as a link to your Twitter or YouTube account.

Upload you Profile picture or refer to the exact url. For example: http://www.iiacanadanationalconference.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/test.jpg

Optional: Add to favorites. This way you can easily switch between private and business on Facebook. I recommend. Press Add.

Optional: Reach more people. For a fee you can advertise on Facebook with Facebook ads to get more likes. I advise against. (for now) Press To skip.

The company page has been created but not yet entered.

Ta-da! Your Facebook page is life. But it doesn't look like this. The page is not filled yet. Now let's do it immediately:

Fill Facebook

This step takes around 10-20 minutes. You need: photos for business use, general information about your company (also to be copied from your website).

1. Cover photo: Press the button Add cover photo. You will receive an explanation from Facebook. Click OK. Press Add Cover Photo again. You can now upload a photo or choose from photos that you have previously uploaded in private. The photo must be at least 399 pixels wide by 150 pixels high, but ideally 851 pixels wide by 315 high. (Further Facebook explanation) After uploading you can still move the photo.

2. Page information. You will see a notification under the Page information button. Click on this and you will be taken to the first administration page. You have the following new options here:
   1. Page address. With 25 likes you can create your own URL here, so www.facebook.com/Test company.
   2. The fields Opening hours / Long description / Parking / e-mail address / Official page obvious.
   3. The field Price range raises questions. Price range  - with 1, 2, 3 or 4 dollars and not yet in Euros - stands for cheap, sharp, expensive, luxury.

3. Go to the tab Settings. This is of course to personal preference, but I recommend the following:
   1. Visibility messages: put on Hide messages from others on my page timeline. I am for interaction and transparency, but as a company you don't want everyone to be able to send a message to your fans?
   2. Answers: verify whether it is on: "Responses to comments are enabled on your page".

1. Administrator roles. I recommend that you always make a second person manager from a company page. If you can no longer access your private profile (for whatever reason), then someone can still manage the page. That person must like the page, so now ask that person or email and set up later.

• The tab More… has Apps, Public suggestions, Featured, Mobile. A brief explanation:

1. Apps: These are the tabs that you see on a Facebook page. With this you can manage Photos, Evnements, Notes and Video.
2. Public suggestions. There is nothing here now. The public can make proposals for your Page information fields.

3. Highlighted. As a company you can also like other company pages. If you liked a lot, you can set which pages are always displayed under Featured. Here you can also show the people behind the company page.
4. Mobile. Explanation of how you can manage the page with your mobile. I do not recommend: you have fewer options.

Go with View page back to your Facebook page.

Do not show a blank page

Before promoting your page and inviting your friends: post 2 or 3 messages first. Otherwise, the people you invite will see a blank page and they don't know what your idea is with this page.

The new company page is ready and ready for the promotion!

Want to get started with Facebook? View 13 perspectives for more Facebook interaction for new ideas! Or read more articles about it Facebook on Bloeise.