What is Facebook?
Really??? You don't know.
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg, and is now publicly traded. As of July 2012, Facebook has more than 900 million active users. Users may create a personal profile, add other users as friends, and exchange messages, including automatic notifications when they update their profile. Facebook users must register before using the site. Additionally, users may join common-interest user groups, organized by workplace, school or college, or other characteristics. The name of the service stems from the colloquial name for the book given to students at the start of the academic year by university administrations in the United States to help students get to know each other better. Facebook allows any users who declare themselves to be at least 13 years old to become registered users of the website.It is ranked 2 by Alexa.
Why a Facebook page for your business?
This shouldn't even be a question. Having a Facebook page for your business is mandatory…if you want to stay in business. A Facebook page is free to set up, but in order to maximize your branding and the effectiveness, it should be set up professionally and integrated within a total, comprehensive marketing plan.
Why do I need a custom Facebook page welcome/landing tab?
If you read information on best practices for Facebook business pages, the creation of a custom welcome tab is usually one of the first things mentioned. A welcome tab is a special tab created to greet new visitors to your page. Welcome tabs are usually set as the default tab for people that have not Liked your page; meaning new visitors are automatically taken to the welcome tab rather than your Wall.
Once someone Likes your page, the next time they visit, they are taken to your Wall. Without a welcome tab new visitors are taken to your Wall, which is generic (all Walls look the same) and not very welcoming. A welcome tab addresses these issues. It gives you a dedicated space to communicate with new visitors. The question then becomes how will you use this space? What will be your Facebook welcome tab strategy? After viewing many welcome tabs for small and medium-sized businesses, I believe an effective welcome tab should do the following:
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1. Welcome new visitors to the page
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2. Explain what your company does and the value it provides
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3. Offer reasons why someone should Like your page
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4. Invite visitors to Like your page
Why should I have a mini-site on Facebook?
750 Million People on Facebook...that is one reason. Another is that 86% of people looking to buy products or services consider peer recommendations the most important factor in making the purchase. With a mini-site on Facebook, you give your customers more chance to research or engage with your brand INSIDE of the Facebook platform...they don't have to leave the site.
Watch this humorous video regarding Facebook page for your business: