By now, most every business owner has heard about or already has a fan page on Facebook, but are you really using it the way it was intended – to maximize your visibility?
The fan page is the only feature inside Facebook that is fully indexed by Google. Every piece of content; your status updates, your info tabs, etc. gets indexed by Google.
I recommend you use your personal profile for both personal family connections, people you know, and strategic professional networking. You do that by adjusting the privacy settings and making friend lists. Use the fan page as an extension of your blog and Twitter presence. You still need to update your personal profile directly.
First, to make your business stand out, get a custom FBML graphic to represent your brand. Get a graphic designer to do this for you if you’re not comfortable doing it yourself. You may want to consider adding a custom landing tab including a welcome video (ex: http://www.facebook.com/johnassarafpage).
Second, update your fan page with different content. You can be a little bit more open and personal in sharing personal updates on your profile, and keep the fan page almost all commercial. Add discussion topics weekly to keep fans engaged.
Next, make sure to get a vanity URL for your fan page (Facebook.com/username), so your Fan Page web address includes your business name (ex: www.facebook.com/yourbusinessname). You can do this once you have 25 fans (people who “like” your page). Your business will look more professional and it’s easier to refer people to your page.
Finally, be sure someone in your business monitors your fan page: start discussions, pose questions, link to your blog, upload vides, add events, respond to posts and questions from your Fans to keep them engaged and interested. This is something that a VA or a social media service such as ours can easily do for you.
Here are my top 7 recommended applications to add to your Fan Page:
- Static FBML (for adding graphics, etc)
- You Tube badge
- Polls
- Reviews
- Involver.com (for fun apps)
- Wildfire app (for contests and promotions)
- Selective Twitter – http://www.facebook.com/twitter (connects your Twitter & Facebook accounts so your tweets show up in your Facebook feed.)
Fed up with trying to keep up with social media on your own? Check out our new Social Media for Solopreneurs program (click on the Services tab).
