Did you know that there are more than two billion active users on Facebook each month? 

Because nearly everyone uses the social network, if your business doesn't already have a Facebook business page, you're missing out on many potential clients and customers.

There's no excuse to ignore Facebook marketing in today's digital landscape, so let's talk about how to manage your local business's Facebook page.

Here are seven steps to get your business started with Facebook:

1. Choose your Facebook Page name and URL.

Because there are so many businesses already on Facebook, there's a chance that your business name may already be taken. If this is the case, you'll want to specify your location so that your customers find the right page.

For example, if your coffee shop is located in Granville, Ohio, but there's another coffee shop with the same name in Philadelphia, you should add "Granville" to the end of your Facebook page's name.

Another important thing is to make sure that your Facebook URL is the same as your Facebook page. In this last example, it would be "www.facebook.com/yourbusinessnamegranville."

This will make it easier for search engines to recognize that your coffee shop is the one in Granville and will show up more frequently for customers searching for your business.

2. Use high-quality images on Facebook.

Have you ever ignored a post on Facebook simply because it had an image that was low-quality? You're not alone. 

Images that are too small, large or grainy will frustrate anyone trying to get a good visual of your business or content. 

However, high-quality images can create a lot of positive engagement with followers. In fact, most big-brand companies rely on the highest quality images to accompany their posts for this reason.

Make sure that your profile picture and cover photo are properly sized and easy to read, and make sure that your business logo is present in one or both of your images. 

You'll also want to use high-quality images for your Facebook posts. 

3. Write a compelling Facebook business description.

Writing your Facebook page’s description may be the most important part of getting your business started on Facebook.

A great Facebook description can help your customers and clients learn more about your products or services, but it can also improve your search ranking so that you’re found more easily on search engines like Google.

When you write your description, your business information such as your store hours, address and your phone number will be picked up by search engines and directories.

Tip: Use keywords such as your business's industry, location, products and services for an extra SEO boost.

For example, if you own an automotive business and your description says "we offer oil change specials and tire services such as tire rotations," your business will show up more easily for customers searching "oil changes" or "tire rotation" on Google. 

4. Invite people to like your business on Facebook.

Before you launch into managing your page, Facebook will ask you if you'd like to invite people to like your business page. 

This is a great opportunity to connect with people who already support your business and can help you reach more potential clients or customers. 

At the top of your Facebook business page, underneath your cover photo, there should be a "Following" button.

Remind those people who like your business to see your posts first by clicking this button.

Ask followers to place their mouse cursor on the button and switch to "See First" so that your newest posts will appear at the top of their Facebook profile when they log on. 

Facebook app users can see your posts first by tapping the "Following" button and selecting "See First" at the bottom right.

5. Create or share relevant content.

Now it's time to start posting some content! 

But, what if you don't know what to post? Starting a new business page on Facebook can be overwhelming for this reason, so here are some suggestions on what to post:

• Client shout-outs
• Employee shout-outs
• Posts about current or upcoming sales and promotions
• Images or videos displaying store products
• Behind-the-scenes videos of your store
• Fun (but relevant) images to make your followers laugh or create a discussion
• Important news such as changes in store hours
• Contests/giveaways

If you need any additional help with creating content for your Facebook business page, we have a social media plan that can work for you! 

6. Use Facebook to host and invite people to your events.

If you're hosting an event at your store, use Facebook's events feature to bring in more attendees!

When you create a Facebook event, you'll be able to invite your current followers and reach your specific audience.

However, because you and your followers can share your event, and it will show up in local events for nearby consumers, you'll reach even more people.

7. Respond to all your Facebook reviews.

Positive or negative, you need to respond to all your Facebook reviews. 

This shows customers and followers that you care about their input and, if they were unhappy, that you want to fix their problem as best as you can.

And, because more people trust businesses that respond to reviews quickly, you can't afford to put off responding to your online reviews. 

We hope that these steps can help you create the best Facebook page for your business and reach more customers!