Your Facebook page: it’s your company’s digital doorstep. Whether you’re setting up a new home page for your brand or trying to ensure that your existing one is as good as possible, you know that quality is everything, and it’s essential to ensure your page reflects your business to its absolute best. The question, then, is how? Remembering that Facebook sees nearly 2 billion monthly active users, you know that it’s essential to put your best digital foot forward and ensure that your customers are getting what they need from your page. To put this another way, if your Facebook page isn’t displaying a comprehensive strategy designed to get you liked, noticed, engaged with, and followed, you’re missing out. Here’s what you need to know about creating a professional, high-quality Facebook page:

Why Facebook Matters

First things first: why is your Facebook page so important? If you’re still waiting to understand the value of Facebook for business, here are a few things you need to know about the platform and its significance:

• Facebook is the most popular social network site for marketers. Facebook is the top social channel for marketers. With more than 80% of marketers using the platform, it’s clear that not being on Facebook simply won’t do. In addition to so many people being on Facebook, marketers also overwhelmingly state that Facebook is one of the most effective marketing channels they use, with 73% of marketers saying it’s very useful.

• Facebook is a significant driver of social media referral traffic. If you’re going to use a social media platform to gain social media referrals, Facebook is a great option. In 2014, for example, Facebook drove nearly 25% of all social media referrals, compared to the combined 31.24% driven by other social media sites.

• Facebook offers the opportunity to create and distribute engaging social content. Facebook provides a high level of organic outreach, which makes it a perfect platform for learning how to engage and connect with your fans truly. If you’re just getting started on social media interaction, Facebook is the ideal way to master the art and connect more meaningfully.

• Facebook hosts more than 40 million small business pages. Today, small business pages abound on Facebook. This means that anyone who wants to get noticed has to hop on the platform and participate. If most companies are using at least three social networking sites, it goes without saying that Facebook should have a place on the list.

5 Things A Facebook Page Needs to Look Professional

Now that you know why Facebook matters so much, let’s talk about what you can do to ensure your page looks professional, beautiful, and worthy of engagement:

1. Use a Business Page

If you’re operating your “business” page from a personal profile, you need to alter the approach. While a personal page is great for your personal life, using a Facebook business page will put you at a larger advantage. Not only do business Facebook pages offer access to content creation tools, paid promotional opportunities, and all the analytics and insights you need, but a professional profile will also create a verified page that looks more professional and boosts the confidence of potential customers. Once you’ve established a Facebook business page, use these tips to optimize it:

• Choose the right name. Your Facebook business page should be your business name, nothing else, nothing less.

• Customize your vanity URL. Change the default URL on your page to reflect your company’s name. As a general rule, the vanity URL should match your page’s title. Not only will this improve findability, but it’ll look more personalized and professional.

• Complete your profile. Your profile picture, cover photo, bio, and profile should all contain up-to-date information and should reflect the professionalism of your brand. Keep in mind that consistency is key here and that your main visuals should all match one another.

2. Create an Engaging Cover Photo

Your cover photo should do much of the legwork associated with your business. Since the cover photo takes the majority of your “above the fold” space on your page, it’s essential to choose one that reflects your brand and engages your viewer. Keep in mind that you can also be nimble with your cover photo as you launch new promotions, seasonal sales, and products. A tip for Facebook cover photo success? Cover photo guidelines change frequently, so it’s important to keep your eye on your page to make sure the dimensions match. When you keep your visuals within the official guidelines, you’ll have a better chance of them being high-quality and visible.

3. Add a Compelling CTA

A call-to-action, or CTA, is an essential part of your Facebook page. After launching the CTA feature back in 2014, Facebook has vastly expanded the options for adding CTAs to your brand page. Today, you can choose from a variety of options like “sign up,” and “book now,” Each CTA can be customized with a piece of content or destination URL of your choice. These CTAs are a great way to increase traffic and get more views on the Facebook content business owners want to focus on.

4. Fill out Your “About” Section

One of the most important pieces of your successful page: the “About” section. Often, one of the first places a potential customer will go for more information about you and your business. It is important to outline your value proposition and mission statement clearly, and create biographies of you and your team. Make sure it's detailed and engaging as it is meant to build rapport between you and your new customer.

5. Post Photos and Videos

It is time to add some content. Photos and videos are an effective medium to communicate your message and engage your visitors. Visual content is 40x more likely to be shared than any other types of content, and it’s essential for you to focus on this area as you work on creating brand-specific content. Make sure you post often content that is relevant, quality, and speaks to your brand. Don’t forget to have some fun!

A Better Facebook Page Starts Here

In today’s business environment, your Facebook page is integral to your success. These simple guidelines can elevate your brand and further drive sales all while helping you connect you to your customer base.