How to set up a new Facebook page for your business

What is a Facebook business page and why do you need one?

With over 2.91 billion monthly active users worldwide, Facebook remains one of the most powerful platforms for reaching potential customers. Your business page serves as a digital storefront where customers can discover your brand, read reviews, get in touch, and learn about your offerings.

For small business owners and solo entrepreneurs, a Facebook business page offers several key benefits:

• Increased visibility: Your page can appear in both Facebook searches and Google search results, helping new customers find you
• Customer engagement: Connect directly with your audience through posts, comments, and messages
• Free marketing tool: Share updates, promotions, and behind-the-scenes content without spending money on advertising
• Social proof: Customer reviews and check-ins build trust and credibility
• Insights and analytics: Understand your audience better with built-in performance metrics

Facebook business page vs personal profile: what's the difference?

Understanding the difference between a personal profile and a business page is crucial for getting started on the right foot. Here's what you need to know:

Personal profiles are for individuals

Your personal Facebook profile is meant for you as an individual. It's where you connect with friends and family, share personal updates, and engage in social interactions. Personal profiles have privacy settings that limit who can see your content and contact you.

Business pages are for companies and brands

Business pages are public by default and designed specifically for commercial use. They offer features that personal profiles don't have, including:

• Business information sections (opening hours, contact details, location)
• Customer reviews and ratings
• Detailed analytics and insights
• Advertising capabilities
• Multiple admin access
• Call-to-action buttons
• Event hosting capabilities

Getting started: what you'll need before you begin

Before diving into the setup process, gather these essential elements to ensure a smooth and professional page creation:

Business information

• Business name: Use your official trading name or the name customers know you by
• Business category: Facebook will suggest categories as you type - choose the most accurate one for your industry
• Business description: A clear, concise explanation of what you do (up to 255 characters)
• Contact information: Phone number, email address, and physical address if applicable
• Website URL: Link to your main website or online store
• Opening hours: If you have a physical location or set service hours

Visual assets

• Profile picture: Your logo or brand mark (displays at 170 x 170 pixels)
• Cover photo: A high-quality image representing your brand (820 x 312 pixels)
• Additional photos: Images of your products, services, or premises for your photo gallery

Access requirements

You'll need a personal Facebook account to create and manage your business page. Don't worry - your personal account information won't be publicly visible on your business page. If you don't have a personal account, you'll need to create one first.

Step-by-step guide to creating your Facebook business page

Creating your Facebook business page is straightforward when you follow these steps:

Step 1: Start the page creation process

1. Log into your personal Facebook account
2. Click the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top right corner
3. Select "Pages" from the dropdown menu
4. Click "Create New Page"

Step 2: Choose your page type and add basic information

1. Enter your business name in the "Page name" field
2. Select your business category from the dropdown suggestions
3. Add a brief description of your business
4. Click "Create Page"

Step 3: Add your profile picture

1. Click "Add Profile Picture"
2. Upload your logo or brand image
3. Adjust the positioning if needed
4. Click "Save"

Step 4: Create your cover photo

1. Click "Add Cover Photo"
2. Upload an image that represents your brand
3. Position the image appropriately
4. Click "Save Changes"

Step 5: Complete your page information

1. Click "Add Page Info" or navigate to the "About" section
2. Fill in your contact details, including phone number and email
3. Add your website URL
4. Include your business address if you have a physical location
5. Set your opening hours if applicable
6. Write a more detailed business description
7. Save your changes

Step 6: Customise your page settings

1. Click "Settings" in the left-hand menu
2. Go to "Page Visibility" and ensure "Allow search engines outside of Facebook to link to your Page" is enabled
3. Turn on page notifications to receive updates about your page activity
4. Set up messaging preferences if you want to receive customer enquiries

Optimising your page for maximum visibility

Creating your page is just the beginning. To ensure your business gets found and attracts the right customers, you need to optimise your page for both Facebook's search algorithm and Google searches.

Create a custom page URL

Instead of having a messy URL with random numbers and letters, create a custom username that reflects your business name. To do this:

1. Go to your page settings
2. Click on "Page Info"
3. Find the "Username" section
4. Create a username that matches your business name (e.g., facebook.com/yourbusinessname)
5. Save your changes

Optimise your page for search engines

Facebook SEO involves using relevant keywords naturally throughout your page to help both Facebook and Google understand what your business does. Here's how:

• Page name: Include your primary keyword if it fits naturally
• About section: Use relevant keywords in your business description, but avoid keyword stuffing
• Services section: List your main services or products with descriptive keywords
• Posts: Include relevant keywords in your post content, especially in the first few lines

Add a call-to-action button

Use the action button feature to guide visitors toward taking meaningful steps, such as "Contact Us," "Book Now," or "Shop Now". To add this:

1. Click "Add Button" below your cover photo
2. Choose from options like "Contact You," "Shop with You," or "Learn More"
3. Select the specific action (e.g., "Call Now," "Send Message," "Visit Website")
4. Add the relevant link or phone number
5. Save your button

Enable customer reviews

Positive reviews and ratings can improve your page's credibility and visibility in search results. Make sure reviews are enabled in your page settings and encourage satisfied customers to leave feedback.

Complete all available sections

A fully completed profile creates trust and reliability while boosting search results. Fill out every relevant section, including:

• Story section (your company's background and mission)
• Products and services
• Company details and founding information
• Awards and recognition
• Payment methods accepted
• Parking and accessibility information (if applicable)

Using Meta Business Suite to manage your page

Meta Business Suite is a free, all-in-one platform that simplifies managing your Facebook page alongside Instagram, offering scheduling, analytics, messaging, and advertising tools in one place.

Key features for small businesses

Unified inbox

Your inbox combines all notifications in one stream: Facebook page comments, direct messages, and Messenger conversations, allowing you to reply to everything from one screen.

Content scheduling

Create once and post everywhere: write a single post and choose to publish it to your Facebook feed, Instagram feed, and Stories simultaneously.

AI-powered insights

The enhanced analytics dashboard features AI-driven audience segmentation, predictive engagement trends, and real-time post performance suggestions.

Getting started with Meta Business Suite

1. Visit business.facebook.com
2. Log in with your personal Facebook account
3. Connect your Facebook business page
4. If you have Instagram, connect that account as well
5. Explore the dashboard and familiarise yourself with the tools

2025 updates and new features

Recent updates include the ability to create mixed media posts (photos and videos together), advanced AI chatbot features, and improved cross-platform campaign management.

Creating engaging content that connects with your audience

Once your page is set up and optimised, the key to success lies in consistently sharing valuable, engaging content that resonates with your target audience.

Types of content that work well

Behind-the-scenes content

Show the human side of your business. Share photos of your workspace, introduce team members, or document your creative process. This builds trust and connection with your audience.

Educational content

Position yourself as an expert by sharing tips, tutorials, or industry insights. This type of content provides value and encourages sharing.

Customer spotlights

Feature satisfied customers, share testimonials, or highlight user-generated content. This serves as social proof and shows appreciation for your community.

Product or service showcases

Highlight what you offer, but focus on benefits rather than just features. Show your products in use or explain how your services solve problems.

Visual content best practices

Facebook's algorithms favour visually appealing posts, so properly sized images improve your brand's credibility and help posts stand out in crowded feeds. Use these optimal dimensions:

• Single image posts: 1200 x 630 pixels
• Story posts: 1080 x 1920 pixels
• Video posts: 1280 x 720 pixels minimum
• Event cover photos: 1920 x 1080 pixels

Posting frequency and timing

Aim to post 3-5 times per week, ensuring each post provides value to your audience. Quality trumps quantity. Use Facebook Insights to identify when your audience is most active and schedule posts accordingly.

Engagement strategies

• Ask questions: Encourage comments by asking for opinions or experiences
• Respond promptly: Reply to comments and messages to show you care about customer interaction
• Use hashtags strategically: Research relevant and trending hashtags in your industry to increase reach
• Go live occasionally: Live streaming allows direct connection with your audience and keeps engagement authentic

Measuring your success with Facebook Insights

Facebook provides comprehensive analytics through its Insights feature, helping you understand your audience and measure the effectiveness of your content strategy.

Key metrics to monitor

Page performance

• Page likes and follows: Track your growing audience
• Page reach: How many people saw your content
• Page impressions: Total number of times your content was displayed
• Engagement rate: Percentage of people who interacted with your posts

Post performance

• Individual post reach: Which content performs best
• Post engagement: Likes, comments, shares, and clicks on specific posts
• Video metrics: View duration and completion rates for video content

Audience insights

• Demographics: Age, gender, and location of your followers
• Activity times: When your audience is most active on Facebook
• Device usage: Whether followers primarily use mobile or desktop

Using insights to improve your strategy

Review your insights weekly to identify trends and opportunities:

• Double down on content types that generate high engagement
• Post during times when your audience is most active
• Adjust your content strategy based on demographic insights
• Experiment with different post formats based on performance data

Common mistakes to avoid

Learning from others' mistakes can save you time and help you build a more effective Facebook presence from the start.

Setup and optimisation mistakes

• Incomplete page information: Leaving sections blank reduces credibility and search visibility
• Poor quality images: Blurry or incorrectly sized photos look unprofessional
• Generic usernames: Using random numbers instead of creating a branded URL
• Ignoring SEO: Not including relevant keywords in your page description and posts

Content and engagement mistakes

• Over-promotional content: Constantly selling without providing value
• Inconsistent posting: Long gaps between posts or overwhelming followers with too much content
• Ignoring comments: Not responding to customer enquiries or feedback damages your reputation
• Mixing personal and business: Using your business page for personal posts confuses your audience

Technical mistakes

• Not claiming your page: If Facebook creates a page for your business automatically, claim ownership and merge it with your existing page
• Wrong category selection: Choosing an inappropriate business category affects how you appear in searches
• Disabled search visibility: Accidentally preventing search engines from finding your page

Next steps: growing your Facebook presence

Creating and optimising your Facebook business page is just the beginning. Here's how to continue growing your presence and achieving your business goals.

Build your audience organically

• Invite existing contacts: Encourage friends, family, and existing customers to like your page
• Cross-promote: Share your Facebook page on your website, email signature, and other marketing materials
• Network with other businesses: Engage with complementary businesses in your area or industry
• Join relevant groups: Participate in Facebook groups related to your industry (following group rules)

Consider Facebook advertising

Once you're comfortable with organic posting, Facebook's simplified ad creation process allows you to easily boost successful posts or create simple campaigns to drive website visits or generate leads.

Integrate with other marketing efforts

• Email marketing: Include links to your Facebook page in newsletters
• Local networking: Mention your Facebook page at networking events
• Customer service: Use Facebook Messenger as an additional customer service channel
• Events: Create Facebook events for workshops, sales, or community gatherings

Stay updated with changes

Facebook introduces new features and algorithm updates regularly, so staying current with these changes helps you adapt your strategy and take advantage of new opportunities.

Advanced features to explore

As your page grows, consider exploring:

• Facebook Shops: Sell products directly through your Facebook page
• Events: Host and promote events to engage your local community
• Groups: Create a private group for your most engaged customers
• Live streaming: Host regular live sessions to connect directly with your audience
• Stories: Share behind-the-scenes content and timely updates

Conclusion

Setting up a Facebook business page in 2025 is more straightforward than ever, thanks to improved tools like Meta Business Suite and enhanced AI-powered features. By following this comprehensive guide, you've learned not just how to create a page, but how to optimise it for maximum visibility and engagement.

Remember that success on Facebook comes from consistency, authenticity, and genuine engagement with your community. Start with the basics, post regularly, respond to your audience, and gradually explore advanced features as your confidence and following grow.

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