Facebook: Should I Have A Business Profile Or A Personal One?

This is a frequent question from people just starting out. Maybe you have a Facebook presence where you talk about your offering and people know you as offering that. Do you still need a business page? Maybe your offering IS you. Do you still need a business page? The answer to both is, yes!

There are key benefits to having a business page that shouldn't be overlooked. It may seem like more work but the benefits are vast. Let's look at both.

Facebook Profile

When you first sign up for Facebook you make your personal profile. This is where you add your friends and interests, make posts, and upload photos. You can follow businesses and get updates from them as well. Primarily, it's used to stay informed and connect with friends, family, acquaintances, and the people camping next to you at that music festival 10 years ago.

Facebook Business Page

A business page is your business's presence on Facebook. In a sense, it's like a yellow pages listing (if you remember those). There are tools to help you connect to fans, grow your fans, sell products, and get valuable insights into what they like and how your following is growing.

Some Things to Consider

1. Technically, you're not allowed to use a profile to promote a business. That's ok because the business page is better at doing it anyway. Tactically speaking, it's always ok to make a post on your business page then share it on your personal page.
2. Your business page is created by a profile. That is, you need to create your business from your profile but no private information is shared. The info on your profile will not be copied or shared with your business. PLUS, your privacy settings for your profile are not the same as your business page.
3. You can have multiple admins on your business page. This is super helpful if you want to recruit others to post for you. Great if you have a virtual assistant, intern, or volunteers.
4. Business pages can use Messenger too! You can let people ask questions or post feedback directly to you without revealing your identity. Messages from you will come from your business name.
5. Page analytics are amazing! We talk about this in the Level 1 course and you will find yourself checking them often. They are called Insights on Facebook and they can tell you lots about which posts are most engaging and how your fanbase is growing.
6. Advertising is much easier. With a business page you'll be able to do far smoother advertising on Facebook and get people to follow you quickly.
7. You can link your Instagram account and automatically post to your business page just as you may with your profile.
8. Business pages handle way more fans than a profile. You can only have up to 5,000 friends but a business page can have countless fans.

Facebook Page Strategies

The global strategy recommendation for all social media is to be authentic. Be you, be honest, and bring your magic forth. Don't think of your page as a digital billboard. Facebook provides an opportunity to form real connection with your audience. Ask questions, engage your fans, and take time to respond to questions.

Post often and include pictures or videos whenever you can. Most people will be browsing through a phone so you want to keep their interest. You can never post too much but afternoon and evenings do best.

Stay true to your personas. Once you've developed your ideal customers (also part of the Level 1 course) you'll want to consistently post content for them. Tracking your insights will tell you which posts are doing well and you can learn what to keep posting.

Summary

Starting a page may feel like a step back if you've built a strong following on Facebook but the benefits are huge. Not just the number of contacts but the data you'll have to optimize your posts will be so valuable. You'll be able to target new fans easily and clearly provide what you offer in a way that will help everyone you touch.