When we jump on Facebook, we set up our personal account, connect with friends and family, and off we go to like, share, and enjoy... But what about when we make a Facebook Page and try to promote our small business or non-profit cause?
That can be a little overwhelming - especially since they keep changing things up...and giving us more options!
Facebook Basics
A few factoids to help you get from A to B...
- Your Facebook Profile is your passport to interact on Facebook.
- Your profile allows you to create & administer Pages.
- Your profile allows you to create & administer Groups.
- Your profile connects with applications (apps) that enhance your experience at your profile, at your pages, and connecting to various social platforms on the Internet.
Your profile is like "home base" to all things Facebook. It's like a "key to the Facebook City."
Facebook-isms
A profile is not a Facebook page -- They are different. One allows you to connect with friends, the other serves as a marketing vehicle for a business brand, non-profit organization, or public figure.
Facebook is clear that marketing a brand from a profile is against their Terms Of Service.
While their policy changes and technology developments have affected pages in the news feed -- the Home page -- Facebook has given Page Admins several functions to connect with fans and create relationships with other brands.
How To Use Facebook Pages As Your Brand Name
Many admins opt to put Facebook Pages settings at "Always comment and post on your page as [insert your page name here], even when using Facebook as [insert your name here]." That allows you to appear as the brand name when on your own page(s), but then appear as yourself automatically when you hop over to other pages and profiles on Facebook.
One really great option is interacting on Facebook as your business name!
If your settings are as stated above, then this video will be an easy introduction to using Facebook Pages as your brand name:
It's really that simple!
The only thing we did not do in the video is take you to another Facebook Page to post as your brand. However, the way your message will appear is exactly as it appears there in the news feed in the video.
By interacting as your business brand name, you are able to create collaborative relationships and create brand evangelists in new ways.
Just remember to click the link to use Facebook as your profile name when you are finished with those posts.
Was the video helpful?
How are you using Facebook as your brand name to increase brand awareness?
Please tell me in the comments box below... :)
If this video above was helpful, you might like my new Tutorials Page where I have posted more videos for you.
55 Replies
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Daisy, Glad you found this post helpful. Thank you for subscribing to our blog, and for sharing our articles on your social networks! I really appreciate your kind words!! ~Keri
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Now, with the new features of facebook, I really understand that brand and people are closer than ever. To manage online reputation and difference profiles and objectives can be a good tool. Congratulations for the post, Keri!
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Abel, So nice of you to stop by – Thank you for reading! Facebook does allow the brand to be closer to people, and I am curious to see what will develop over time. Let see! Really appreciate your comment, ~Keri
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I found your videos very helpful too! Facebook indeed is a powerful media. I’m searching your page on facebook so that I can also have my questions posted. Thanks
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Grace, Glad you have found my site and the videos helpful. Facebook is where I spend a lot of time, and I will look forward to your questions and will answer with my best effort! 🙂 ~Thank you for commenting, ~Keri
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Pingback: Commonly Asked Questions About Timeline For Facebook Pages
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It was real pleasure to discover this blog. Maybe you’d like to place a banner on my blogroll? How can I contact you on private?
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Arielle, Thank you for reading my post about Facebook brand pages. I am always happy to take questions at my Facebook Page. Please feel free to message me privately by clicking the “contact me” tab, or with the new feature “message.” Either will take you directly to me. Alternately, feel free to post any questions right on my wall so others can learn about topics you might be curious about. The link to my page: http://www.facebook.com/ideagirlmedia. Looking forward to seeing you there! ~Keri
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It is easy but to maximize its potential for brand visibility requires constant updating and testing. Are you satisfied with your page presence so far or yearning for better results? You’ll be surprised how sometimes a slight change in page layout or posting habit could make a huge difference!
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Derek, You are absolutely correct – The new Timleline for Facebook Pages is a huge step in letting companies customize their fans’ experience! Talk about constant updating and testing… hehe Thank you for reading, and for your comment, ~Keri
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Pingback: Monday Gratitude: Keri, Adrienne, Annie, and Mandy
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Facebook can be one of the best online selling tools in the business as long as you know how to handle it correctly.
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You are completely correct. The key is to continue learning and creating relationships as your brand. Thanks for your comment, ~Keri
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I’m an avid Facebook user.. And what a good idea that you have. Thanks for sharing this.. Very knowledgeable! 🙂
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Nicole, Thank you for reading – I appreciate your enthusiastic words. This video and information will be updated very soon. However, those that wish not to publish their Facebook Timeline for their Business Page can refer to this information until March 30, 2012. 🙂 ~Keri
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Hi Keri…You always provide us a lot of things in your blogs…Thank you!
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Alexandra, Thank you for reading, and for your nice words! This post will be relevant to those that do not convert to Facebook Timeline for Business Pages until March 30, 2012. After that, Facebook Page admins will want to follow different instructions – I’ll be publishing another video and accompanying text later today as an update. Hope that helps, ~Keri
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Keri , thank you for answering Fabrizio’s question. Ihad the same question and you confirmed my thinking with regard to having your own web page.
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Shelby, Always happy to answer a genuine question! 🙂 While the social outposts do provide benefit, owning your own site ensures you have control of your online presence. Please feel free to post other questions. Thank you for reading, and for your comment, ~Keri
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I would definitely love to ask questions to you Keri..Thanks for this one!
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Devhonn, Sure – Please feel free to list them in the comments box! 🙂 ~Keri
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Hi Keri…You are such a nice person to share this information to us…Thanks a lot!
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Ruthy, It is my pleasure to share. Please feel free to ask questions as you have them. Each post has a comment section for conversation about the information on the page. Thank you for reading and for commenting! 🙂 ~Keri
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Those are great information! Thanks a lot for sharing this kind of post to us here…I am sure a lot of people will be interested too…
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Gelli, Thank you for reading, and for your nice compliment. Facebook will become even more interesting now that Timeline for brand pages looks to be arriving soon! ~Keri
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Thank for clarifying the fact that Profiles are for Indiviuals and Pages are for businesses on Facebook! Well you have got me to understand that now. Informative post I like it. .
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Mark, Yes, there is indeed a difference between Facebook Profiles (for individuals), and Facebook Pages (for businesses/organizations). Glad I could clear up some mysteries. As Timeline for brand pages seems to be coming soon, this may make things even more confusing. However, the speculated features look to help differentiate for us, so maybe this will clear confusion. Please feel free to stop back with any questions at all. We’ll surely hear a lot more on Facebook in the coming months! Thanks for your comment, ~Keri
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Keri, great information! What is etiquette about posting on other page walls as your page? Is it proper to just respond to their posts as a page (comments, likes, etc), or is it ever OK to post on their wall as your page? What would be an appropriate way to do that without being spammy?
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Karleen, Great to see you here! Etiquette – I’m sure there are several schools of thought here. My general thought is that we need to represent ourselves as brands just as we would as individuals. So, we’re communicating and sharing more than we’re selling. The interesting thing is… Only about 2% of fans ever make it back to a fan page. So, we need to be considering what our goal is in interacting in the news feed. Is it to be seen – like a subliminal commercial? Or is it to create a relationship with another brand? It is okay to post on a page as your brand: When you are giving tribute to something they’ve done or said, when you are introducing yourself/your brand to say hello, and when you have an established relationship to post a resource link that is not your own. It is “spammy” to: Only converse as your brand on a page in the same industry as yours (that’s actually a pet peeve of mine), to share your own links without first communicating with the page admin, and to post your page or website with no established relationship. That’s push marketing in it’s rudest form, in my opinion. Appropriate ways to interact as your page: The “page swaps” are great! Interacting on a page not in the same industry, creating relationships by answering questions or offering resource in conversation, and taking part in an on-page chat about a specific topic. There are surely others. You’ll actually find me interacting as myself about 90% of the time. When I am traveling to other pages as my brand, it is to show support to a friend, be present in front of a target market, or to become aware of other pages out there — In my industry…but mostly new demographics. Bottom line – Would your grandmother approve of how you’re interacting? If yes, then you’re probably okay. If you have this questioning feeling in the pit of your stomach…go back and re-think. Karleen, I hope that helps. ~Keri
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Great post Keri. One question. I noticed that a lot of companies are using Facebook as their main web presence. I usually suggest to my clients to maintain their own website since it could be risky to have only the FB page. Imagine if something go wrong with your page (e.g. for a virus) I feel FB (with millions of account to manage) would rather cancel the page than try to fix the problem. What do you think Keri? Thanks
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Fabrizio, Excellent question! For optimal online marketing efforts, any organization should have a website and blog as their home base. They would own that without anyone making decisions that affect their funcationality. Social platforms like Facebook make great outposts for the website/blog. All help drive traffic and help customers find the company or non-profit online. Facebook is a great home base for social media activities. But should not be the only form of online presence. For the sole reason that it is rented or leased online real estate. I wrote a recent article called: The Pleasures Of Owning Your Online Real Estate that might be helpful:
The Pleasures Of Owning Your Online Real Estate
Please let me know if you have other questions. Thank you for your comment, ~Keri
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Another great post and very informative as always – Thanks, Leanne Hoagland-Smith
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Leanne, Glad this is informative. Feel free to share, if you feel there are some this could help. Always a pleasure to see your smile! ~Keri
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This is really great.. 🙂 Thanks for the helpful tips.. I am it would be handy for all times.. Keep up the good work!
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Hello Guia, Glad you found the article helpful! ~Keri
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I’m a visual learner, so thank you for using video to deliver tips that would have taken much longer to read and put into use! You simplified the concepts quite nicely! I’m heading over to the tutorial page to see what else you have! Thanks, Keri!
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Rich, Always nice to see your smile! Videos are so very helpful in conveying our points. I use them more and more. Hope you found other helpful tips at the Tutorials page. A work in progress. 🙂 Thank you for your comment, ~Keri
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Its a great topic to share ..I have created my own page ..but i cant find members coming to my page 🙁 i have to market it somehow .. Thx a lot for your comment on my blog .
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Sheril, Thank you for reading, and for your comment. Every Facebook Page admin worries about and continues a strategy to attract fans to their page. Even Starbucks, Coke, and Victoria’s Secret. Marketing starts first with delicious content. Then, we must plan how that content will be presented. Facebook Ads are sometimes helpful, but your real goal should be attracting genuine fans, as they help propel additional engagement on your page. If you would like help with strategy, please feel free to hop over to my Facebook page, and write any question on my wall. I will answer as best I can, and help get you some FB love. 🙂 ~Keri
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Pingback: Facebook 102: How To Use Facebook Pages As Your Brand Name
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Great post, Keri! As a web designer I have noticed that more and more companies are using Facebook as their main presence on the web. It has been replacing the good old traditional websites lately and I find myself doing productions which could be called ‘Facebook Websites’ for a lack of a better term. Facebook websites are like mini websites but inside a Facebook Tab. I suppose this makes sense as Facebook comes with a client base already built in. I still think that companies should have a proper website, but having an additional presence on Facebook is definitely beneficial to your business. Cheers, Kris
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Kris, So wonderful to see your smile! I absolutely agree that an online presence must include a website/blog. It should be the headquarters of your online presence, and social media should be customized to purpose, and serve as outposts to the blog. Facebook is fabulous! And, in order to capture attention, we do need to create attractive tabs. The ironic thing here, is that only 2% of users return back to a Facebook page. So, what really needs to happen creation of a “fancy news feed” as priority over a fancy Facebook Page set-up. Yes, attractive. But all your eggs on Facebook design. Probably not the cost-effective plan. People flock to Facebook, so it is certainly beneficial to be there. 🙂 Thank you for reading, and for sharing your thoughts, ~Keri
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Great post for beginners. FB can be intimidating to people when starting out trying to gain online visibility for their business. You have given the ins and outs in a very concise post!
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Thanks Keri, Very useful info. I have had my page branded in that way from the start. I enjoy the separation from personal self and business brand. I did have a lady in my #honmb group ask if she could not be on as a person and just create a business page but I told her no…is that correct?
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Dawn, The separation of business and person is more and more needed and enjoyable as Facebook evolves and grows – I agree. I’m going to be a stickler for a minute and recommend that questions about Facebook marketing and social media outlets, and the technicalities, be directed to trained consultants that have proof of time spent, or certificates proving their knowledge. The industry moves so fast, and just because someone sets up a profile, does not mean they know all about Facebook or social media. It is said that you can go into Facebook without a profile and set up a page. But I just went in to try this and test it, and what actually happens is a profile is created as a home base, but the creator is just less aware – by design of Facebook function – that they have both a profile and page. That being the case, I don’t understand why someone would opt for that plan anymore, because Timeline is so very fun!! Hope that helps, ~Keri
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Good article, Keri and you have a beautiful speaking voice! I don’t always check the notices on the top but you have convinced me that I need to.
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Sherrie, Thank you for your compliment! The notices are a double-check for me. If I miss it one place, I can reference another. Less slips through the shuffle. Glad I could help. Thanks, as always, for your comment. ~Keri
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Keri, It is so refreshing seeing someone else push the fact that Profiles are for people and Pages are for business! We have been trying to get people to understand that for years. It is nice to know we are not alone in our efforts 🙂 Cindy Your Marketing University
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Cindy, Great to see you here! There is some confusion about Profiles & Pages. I think mainly, because Facebook’s definitions were not necessarily crystal clear for folks when people over 30 started hopping onto the Big Blue. The exits and procedures were unclear — Even if you did want to follow directions. Too, there are those that just want to do as they want to do, and following Terms Of Service is not important. I too have been trying to help people understand that there are *benefits* to following them. There are a few posts in my archives to this purpose. If you’d ever like to collaborate in propelling that message, just let me know. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, ~Keri
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Hi Keri, I’m always learning something new from Facebook! Great explanation in the video – I have not been utilizing Facebook to its full advantage – getting better though! Will check out your videos. Thanks for sharing –
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Christine, Thank you for reading…and watching! 🙂 Glad to be a help. Please watch any of the videos, and let me know what you find helpful. And, what you would like to see more of. Facebook is a warehouse of nooks and crannies. We probably all have a few things we could be checking out or doing… ~Keri
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Since I still don’t have video working on facebook on my computer yet, I’ll have to watch those separately. However from what I understand is that if you set the business page name as the default for replies then it brands all the replies and posts. I administer a 4 groups, so I understand it is either all on or all off, right?
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Joel, Wish your video was working. 🙂 Groups are a bit different than pages, but I assume you are doing fine there. The answer is yes — On your page your statement would be true. If you want to travel to other pages and the Home Page, you need to click the setting to interact as your Page name. Pretty easy. 🙂 ~Keri
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