I know this is a topic often covered,  but we still see properties running Facebook profile pages without even being aware of it.  

Your property should be on Facebook.

In 2011, that’s a no-brainer. With over 750 million active users—half of whom log in every day—Facebook is the world’s largest social networking site, an essential, real-time link between businesses and their customers.

But many people don’t know the difference between a Facebook profile and a page. It’s simple; profiles are for people, while pages are designed for business. A profile helps you stay in touch with family and friends, but it has limited reach. Business pages, on the other hand, have tools to grow your customer base. To streamline the Facebook marketplace, the site mandates that companies create a page for themselves. (Not doing so violates Facebook Terms of Use. Businesses using personal profiles are liable to have their information deleted.)

Like the rest of Facebook, creating a page is free and easy. The process is similar to creating a profile, but the result will make a daily difference for your business.

·         Millions can connect. Personal profiles are limited to 5000 friends, but business connections are unlimited.

·         There is a comfort level. You have business relationships with your residents and prospects.  Most of them do not want to “friend” you,  giving you the same access they would a true friend. Yet, by “liking” your page they can have access to your information without giving you full access to their profile.

·         They’re promoted. Those ads at the side of Facebook? They’re for business pages. For a small fee, Facebook will promote your page to millions.

·         You shape the look and content. Pages are customizable for branding and promotions.

·         They’re easy to find. Pages are indexed by Google, strengthening your SEO and helping customers find you faster.

·         You can gauge your success. Pages include free ‘Insights’ to help you track popularity.

·         They draw people in. A custom ‘landing’ page entices the public to hit the ‘like’ button and unlock what’s inside.

If you’ve accidentally created a profile for your business, don’t worry! Facebook’s migration tool can convert it to a page within minutes. Your photos and friends will transfer, but all other content will be lost. So before converting, download a copy of your Facebook data using the ‘Account Settings’ tab. Restore your content and start building a stronger, more sophisticated social networking presence.