Many small businesses today are creating a Facebook presence. Depending on your business and your social media goals, Facebook can be a smart platform that can allow your business to reach potential and existing customers.

• Before You Start: You are considering putting your business on Facebook.
• Learning Level: 1 | Social Media Basics
• Article Last Updated: Thursday, September 22, 2011

Facebook Business Facts

When Facebook started, it was exclusively for college kids. But today that has changed. Here are some interesting Facebook demographic statistics from August 2009.

• 65% of Facebook users are 25 and older.
• 40% of Facebook users are over 35.
• The fastest growing demographic continues to be 55+.

Here are some reasons why you might want to include Facebook in your social media strategy:

• Your customers are here. Facebook is the most popular social media destination with over 350 million users world wide. With that many people, certainly some of your customers and potential customers are already there.
• Your competitors might already be here. More than 700,000 local businesses have created a Facebook page and are engaging their customers daily.
• It’s easy to create your Facebook page. Facebook walks you through the simple process to create your business page. You don’t need any technical expertise and you can do it yourself.
• It’s easy to update your Facebook page. Have a coupon or special? Want to announce a change in your hours or a new policy? It’s very easy to update your Facebook page with small bits of information.
• You can share all types of information in almost any format. Facebook allows you to type information, upload pictures, share videos, and link to any other internet destination. There is nothing you can share online that you can’t post on Facebook.
• Facebook helps with search engine placement. By adding a Facebook page for your business, you improve your search engine results ranking.

Facebook Options

Facebook offers three types of tools, each with a different set of features and intended use.

• Profile. In casual language, most people refer to their personal Facebook presence as their “Facebook page” but actually, Facebook calls it a profile. This is where you connect with your high school friends. Connections are made when both people agree that they are friends.
• Page. Some people call this a “fan page” to separate it from their personal profile, which they mistakenly call their “Facebook page.” This is the tool Facebook intended for non-personal use for businesses, public figures, authors, and others. Facebook calls this your official page.  Connections are made when one person decides to like the page (and the business or person it represents). Facebook used to call these people your business fans, and many businesses still use the term “fan” to describe this relationship.
• Group. This is a tool that allows people to link up based on a common interest or cause.  Connections are made when one person decides to become a supporter of the group. You might join a group focused on a television show, a sports team, or a movie and interact with other people who support it.

Facebook doesn’t prevent you from using any of these tools for your business. However, the features of the page are designed to suit the needs of a business, a professional, or public figure.

Your turn: Do you have a business Facebook page? What have you learned from being on Facebook? Do you have questions? Share with the community here.

Related Articles:

• Facebook As A Social Media Hub
• Whose Facebook Wall Is It?
• Create A Facebook Page For Your Business (Part 1)
• Create A Facebook Page For Your Business (Part 2)
• Understanding Facebook Accounts
• Facebook Status Update Tricks