There's been a lot of chatter these last few weeks about all the changes Facebook is rolling out with the upcoming update to Business Pages - which are essentially the Facebook hub for a business, brand or entity. So, we've put together five ways you can make the most of the new Facebook Business Page updates with the goal of generating likes and engagement.
1) Upload and tag photos. With the new Page layout prominently featuring images, you should consistently upload new images of your business, team, and work, so that fresh and interesting content is front-and-center. Adding interesting images that bring your business to life will increase the chance that people who visit your Page for the first time will like it and engage with your Page. This update is also a good reminder to make sure you're tagging people who appear in your photos - like yourself, as well as employees and other people your personal Facebook Profile is connected to - because tagged photos will appear on the Facebook profile wall of those tagged, which promotes your Page in other places on the site, boosts brand awareness, and helps you build likes.
2) Optimize your avatar image. The new default size for Facebook images will be 180 by 540 pixels, and the site will automatically resize your existing logo to fit within that space. Now is a good time to make sure your profile image is optimized for getting more likes. Make sure your business logo is sharp, not pixilated or fuzzy, and create space on your image below your logo for a short snippet of helpful information about your Page and why fans should like it. Optimizing your Page's avatar image is important because the new Page design no longer includes an "Information" box about your business beneath the logo. Instead, tabs are moving to this space - which means it's also important to have a Page avatar image that isn't too long, because your tabs will be pushed down the Page according to the length of that picture.
3) Set a custom tab as a landing Page. The new Facebook rollout will move tabs below your avatar image, which means that people will no longer see these at the top of your Page when they visit. So, if you've created special tabs to help build fans and likes, under "Edit Page," "Manage Permissions," you can set one as a default landing tab. That way, fans who have not yet liked your Page will be directed to the custom tab that requests them to like the Page, rather than defaulting them to your wall, which can create a better experience and increase the number of "likes" for your Page.
4) Comment as your personal Profile on your Page. The new Facebook Pages are changing the way Page administrators can interact with the Page. Now, an admin will be able to switch back and forth between using Facebook as their personal profile and using Faceook as the Page. This means you'll now be able to leave comments on your business Page as yourself, not just as the business. So, take advantage of this feature and comment on the Pages you administer, so that your comments will be shared via news feed with your personal Facebook social graph. This will introduce your Page's brand to people like your friends, family, colleagues, and peers who are likely to interact and respond with the same content you do.
5) Interact with other Pages. With the new Facebook Pages, you'll also be able to use your Page to visit any public Pages or profiles (though most profiles won't be accessible since most include some sort of privacy control). This feature enables you to and interact other Pages in your local community that you have "liked" as the Page, like news organizations, non-profits, and businesses you are friendly with. Then, take advantage of the "Use Facebook as Page" feature to view a custom news feed that features the activity of the Pages your Page has liked and comment on their content. This will ensure that your brand is showing up in important local conversations and help boost visibility for your fan Page.
These five quick tips can help you make the most of the new Facebook Pages and help you build engagement - as well as boost the number of people who like your Page. Have you switched over to the new Facebook Page layout yet? Have you tried any of these new features? Let us know what you think about the changes - and share your Facebook like acquisition tips, too! - in the comments section .