For people who are new to facebook, there are several different features on the website that allow businesses to network and advertise. Here is a brief description of the three main mediums people use on the website. Some companies choose to utilize all three, while some have no need for others.

Profiles

A Facebook profile is meant for a single person, not a business. By having a profile a business owner or employee can contact clients, customers, and associates through Facebook. They can also post information about their business and make events, such as sales or deals on their products and invite all of their Facebook contacts, or friends. Facebook users can also post videos, photos, and notes that can advertise their businesses. As you can see, there is a lot you can do with a Facebook profile; one downside, however, is that people cannot search for the business and find it. People will need to know you personally to become your friend on Facebook. It is wise to create your own Facebook profile, but for optimum advertising and networking, it is better to then create a fan page.

Fan Pages

Creating a fan page is the most common way to promote your business through Facebook. People, places, products – they all have fan pages. On these pages, which are open to the public, businesses can post photographs, videos, basic information, recent news, and much more to promote their businesses. For example, Maring Photography updates their page about once a week, posting new information about different deals and services. They also provide their contact information and a vast amount of photos.

For many Facebook users, “liking” different pages has become an avid hobby. Once people begin to “like” a page, that page is publicized on their friends’ news feed (the main screen or home screen of Facebook). Through this process, friends of friends spread different pages around to new people. The last way that businesses can use pages for publicity is to send out messages, event requests, and post statuses to those who have “liked” their business.

For a model page, you can visit our page for Impact Branding and Design.

Groups

Like pages, groups are specifically made for discussing or promoting different topics, such as businesses. However, unlike a fan page, a group cannot post statuses on the newsfeed. Groups have similar capabilities, such as showing information, videos, and photos, but people tend to stop checking in on groups. Without receiving notifications or viewing updates on the newsfeed, Facebook users are unlikely to check out these features though.