Facebook Marketing in 2021: How to Use Facebook for Business

Potential customers are already looking for businesses like yours on Facebook. A smart Facebook marketing strategy is the only way to connect with them.

If you’re a brand hoping to thrive on social media, mastering Facebook marketing is going to be key.

More than 2.8 billion people use the platform every single month. That’s a lot of potential eyeballs on your business.

Because here’s the thing about Facebook: while you might think it’s just a place where your aunt can leave cryptic comments on your vacation pics, it’s also a place for audiences to connect with businesses big and small.

In fact, two-thirds of Facebook users report visiting a local business Facebook Page at least once a week. This digital marketplace is downright bustling, if it’s not too bold of us to say.

That’s right: the people are looking for you! But if you want to tap into this audience, you can’t just rely on luck. A focused Facebook marketing strategy is essential. Keep that eye on the prize (and off your aunt’s comments).

Ready to master the fine art of Facebook marketing? Here’s everything you need to know in the year ahead.

Your step-by-step guide to setting up Facebook for business

If you’re working with a limited budget, we’ve got some good news: setting up a Facebook Page for your business is absolutely free.

Then, once you’ve created your Page, you can use it to create content, share your contact information, link to your website, build a product catalog and communicate with your customers… also for free.

If you do have some cash to spare (brag alert!), there’s the option to use paid marketing strategies like Facebook ads and sponsored posts from your Facebook Business Page, too.

But step one is to set that Facebook Page up (did we mention that it’s free?). Here’s how:

1. Head to facebook.com/pages/create (Note: you’ll need to be logged in to your personal account to get started, but don’t worry: your personal info won’t appear on your new Business Page.)

2. Choose your page type: Business/brand or Community/public figure

3. Enter your business details.

4. Upload your profile and cover photos. Make sure to use the optimum image sizes for Facebook so they look their best.

5. Click Edit Page Info: here, you can fill in your description, contact information and any other relevant details like operating hours.

6. Click Create Page @Username to make your vanity URL. This can be up to 50 characters long and helps people find you easily on Facebook.

7. Click Add a Button under your cover photo to set up a call to action like “Shop” or “Contact Us.”

8. Pat yourself on the back: You just launched a Facebook Business Page into the world! And she’s beautiful!

If you’d like a little more help getting through the setup process, we’ve got you covered. Check out our full post on how to create a Facebook Page for business.

Types of Facebook posts

Now that you’ve got a Facebook Business Page to call your own… it’s time to create some content.

On Facebook, you can create different types of posts. Each have their benefits and can spark engagement in different ways. Your brand’s social media strategy and goals will likely impact what style of posts you’ll be making.

Here, we’re breaking down all of the different options you have for Facebook Page posts, including examples to spark a little inspiration.

Facebook text post (a.k.a. status post)

This is the O.G. Facebook post: just straight up text.

We’re talking just words here. No photos. No videos. No links.

They’re direct and to the point, but if your goal is to drive traffic to your website or directly convert a lead to a sale, text posts aren’t a great option. The social network’s algorithm also isn’t too fond of these bare-bones posts, and they usually don’t get much reach in the news feed.

What text posts are good for, however, is sparking conversation. Use a text post to ask a question or call for feedback.

Text posts can also be useful for sharing important information your audience might be seeking out on your page, like ticket availability or opening hours.

Facebook photo post
Generally speaking, photo posts see much higher engagement than text posts. An eye-catching photo (or illustration or infographic, we’re not picky!) is a great way to catch the attention of a potential customer scrolling through their news feed.
Particularly for product-focused businesses, photos that show the goods in action can be really effective. Carb lovers, for instance, might be stopped in their tracks by these photos of The Soap Dispensary’s bread baskets featuring yummy sourdough loaves. Breathtaking!