If you own a Facebook business Page, you may have gotten an email from the networking company like this recently.
Facebook announced they are changing the template for business Pages that offer services, designed to “help people find your services and get in touch.”
The change came into effect for every Page Facebook deemed a service-oriented business on August 23, 2018. However, Page owners have the choice to switch their template to another format or keep the new Facebook layout.
The Services configuration is only another addition to the network’s growing list of Page templates. Facebook also offers templates that also promote venues, movies, nonprofits, politicians, restaurants, shopping and video pages. Each format is arranged to guide users through a simple navigation that displays the most important and relevant information to that industry.
The Services template has been an option inside Page settings for a while, but Facebook’s recent implementation helps businesses optimize the network’s search bar for your specific services.
Since there are more than 80 million small to medium-sized businesses that have Facebook business Pages on the platform, it’s all the more important to be available to be found by your ideal customers. You shouldn’t be left out when people search for your products or services by not using the correct template that showcases your products or services.
QUALITIES OF A GREAT BUSINESS FACEBOOK PAGE
The business Page template is only the start of making your Page useful for driving traffic. For the highest quality Page, fill out all of the appropriate sections and tabs. This will help you rank higher in Facebook’s search algorithm, ultimately reaching a larger audience.
SERVICES
This section is the first that will appear on your Page’s feed, giving your customers a glimpse into what you offer, how long it will take and how much it costs. If you understand your customer value journey, market your low-dollar offers first in order to initially convert and excite the customer. Place your more expensive services near the bottom so that visitors are not initially overwhelmed by the price.
“VERY RESPONSIVE TO MESSAGES” BADGE
Facebook users have turned to social media to connect with brands of all kinds. They message the page with questions about products, services, event hours and even to schedule appointments. If you respond quickly to most users, then you can earn what Facebook calls a “Very responsive to messages” badge. To earn the coveted badge, sustain a response rate of 90% and a response time of 15 minutes over the last seven days.
If you’re responsive to messages but haven’t quite earned the badge, Facebook will still show off how responsive you are to visitors.
Facebook doesn’t penalize you for being unresponsive, though. If you’re not very responsive to messages, nothing will appear. So, while it’s not the end of the world if you don’t respond, having that badge lets users know your business is listening and cares about their needs.
ABOUT
Facebook provides plenty of space in the About section for businesses to describe their company and supply any relevant information that a user might want to find on social media. A must-have for your business Page is a link to the official website, a contact phone number and email address. These fields are mandatory, since your current and potential customers need to know different ways they can reach you. For brick-and-mortar businesses, include the address, hours of operation, and even parking information in this section of your Page.
PROFILE IMAGES
Two images dominate your brand’s Facebook Page: the profile picture and the cover photo.
Pick a profile picture that will be easy for visitors to recognize — like your company logo or a headshot of your company’s founder or spokesperson. Being recognizable is important for getting found and liked, especially in Facebook Search. Your profile picture is positioned at the top of your business Page, but will also appear as the thumbnail image that is displayed next to all your Page updates.
As you’re choosing a photo, know the dimensions that Facebook requires for profile pictures. The network optimizes pictures that are 180 x 180 pixels, even though the image will display as 160 x 160 pixels on desktop computers.
Cover photos are also best optimized when you set them at 851 x 315 pixels. Use the banner image that appears at the top of your business Page to pique the interest of new visitors, encourage them to explore more and support an effective mobile experience.
Many brands use cover videos as well to capture audience attention quickly. Motion makes a Page stand out and visitors will be more inclined to scroll through your page looking for other great content.
NEWS FEED IMAGES AND VIDEOS
Populate your news feed with images and videos as well. Social media channels have quickly adapted to the rise of photos, especially platforms like Instagram and Twitter. Since the launch of Instagram Stories, for example, more than 400 million users have joined the social-sharing app.
Video has also become a large component of digital marketing, especially on Facebook. Videos have proven to instantly capture audience attention: according to Facebook, people watch videos 5x longer than static content. Movement in a static feed will catch the eye in a way that even the brightest and boldest image cannot.
ADD A FACEBOOK BUTTON TO YOUR WEBSITE
Putting Facebook social media buttons on your website will encourage visitors on your website to connect with you on Facebook, as well as spread your content and expand its reach.
Make it easy for users on your website to like your business Facebook Page with the one-click Facebook follow button. This button uses social proof to boost its effectiveness, displaying your Page’s number of likes as well as friends who already like your Page.
The Facebook like box lets you highlight users who have liked your page, display your follower count and promote your business Facebook Page on your website. It also allows your site visitors to like your Facebook Page with one click, without leaving the site.
