I was compelled to write this three-part article after meeting so many business owners who have not yet realised the benefits of a Business Page for their brand, products or services and are, in my opinion, really missing a trick. And then there are those who either misunderstand the separate entity concept of a fb liker Business Page or mistakenly think that it gives people a portal to their private lives online. I have even met business owners who to my dismay have set up multiple Facebook accounts with separate log-ins – so much unnecessary work for them.
A Facebook Profile and Business Page are (nearly) mutually exclusive and lead very separate lives providing you always remember to post updates as your Page. Whilst there is a limit to what is ‘public’ on your Facebook Profile unless somebody is friends with you, if you are still concerned about the distinction, it doesn’t do any harm to lock down the settings even further if you wish to – Facebook gives you the flexibility and control to do this.
On the flip side, putting yourself in the shoes of your family and friends, they probably don’t want to see an update on your business every time they log in to Facebook same as you wouldn’t want to read about a friend’s job every time you did. Of course, if they have chosen to Like your Business Page then it’s a different story but keeping the two separate in the first place gives everybody the option and upholds an individual’s preferences.
Thereafter you have one universal log-in and there is no limit to the number of Pages you can create and administer.
There is nothing more frustrating than clicking on a Facebook icon on a website for it to then take you to somebody’s Facebook Profile. This looks amateurish and as if you don’t have a handle on how to use Facebook for business. I have lost count of the number of times this has happened to me and when it does, rather than taking the time to find out if there is in fact a separate Page, I simply turn off and close the webpage.
I am not personally in the habit of sending friend requests to people I don’t know, but say in this instance I did? So, I’ve landed on a Facebook Profile by clicking on the Facebook follow button on a website and sent a friend request. This has now been accepted. BUT I still don’t receive business updates, but rather the photos, comments, friend updates, etc. of not only the person in question but their friends as well who I equally don’t know from Adam. Have I made my point?
A Page Newsfeed or Timeline is the equivalent of your Email Marketing on Facebook and underpins your success in reaching and engaging with people. Think of it as a person’s inbox to which you deliver your entire Business Page related news, i.e. a Newsletter to which Fans have subscribed to. With the added bonus of a far lower unsubscribe rate, no reliance on subscribers forwarding it to their friends (albeit with an incentive for doing so built in), it is far less time-consuming to keep up to date and a sentence or two is all it takes for you to potentially obtain new Fans and increased exposure.
But let’s also not forget the reverse, because what you read from others in your own Page Newsfeed will not only provide a wealth of inspiration and material for your own content ideas but also provide further opportunities for you to comment on the posts of others and be seen by their Fan/Friends.
The bottom line is that without your Page Newsfeed, you wouldn’t be seen or noticed on Facebook – it really does embody the Domino Effect!
In essence, your Page Newsfeed equals increased exposure for your business/brand, invaluable insights into what you are saying most resonates with people but also provides ample opportunities for conversations with new audiences.
