(This post is from January 2010)

Last week I discussed why your small business should have a Facebook fan page. This week I am going to show you how to make one. But, before you create the fan page, make sure you have a profile yourself. That way once your fan page is live, you can suggest it to your existing friends.

Create a page

To start setting up the page, go here to Facebook’s Fan page. Click on the green “create a page” button.

Categorize your business

Pick out what type of company you are. Are you a local company, like a restaurant? Are you a brand? Or a public figure? Take time to look through all of the options and pick which one suites your business best.

Pick your fan page name

Enter in your small business name. Tip: Make sure you type in the exact name you want to have, because you cannot change your name at a later time. This name will show up in your Facebook URL and be indexed by search engines.

Customize your page

Once you click on the blue “Create page” button it will take you to an empty page. Your page is now registered with Facebook, but before you make it public let’s customize it.

Add an image

Mouse over the top left box and the option to “add a picture” will pop up. Browse and select your company logo or if your business is known by you the owner, post a picture. Make sure the logo or photo matches all of your other branding.

Enter your company’s details

Next, click on the “info” tab at the top and enter in your business details. Tip: The “company overview” section will be the wording that Facebook uses to promote your fan page, even if you don’t pay for advertising. How? If several of your friends are fans of a Facebook page and you are not, your ad may appear on the right in the “suggestions” area saying “Jane Doe is a fan. Become a fan.”

Edit your page

On the left, just under your fan page picture or logo, click on “edit page.” This will take you to a page where you can edit who can see and post on your page, edit events, enable updates from a mobile number and much more.

Posting on your page

You can now start posting on your page. What should you include?

• New photos of your work or service
• Recent events
• Import your blog’s RSS feed
• Post video
• Import your Twitter feed

To get other ideas for your Facebook page you can browse other fan pages or look at my Bauerhaus Design page.

Make it public and invite friends

Now you are ready to make it public and invite friends. Tip: Don’t invite all at the same time. Do invite 10 or so per day. That way you are more likely to show up in the free ad over several days, not just one.

Remember Facebook is fun! Social media is all about building trust. Don’t hard sell, instead ask people for their opinions.

Need help setting up your page? Want a custom designed Landing page, like this one I created for Uncommon Threads Jewelry? See my special package pricing for details.