business plan for facebook

Facebook Marketing in 2024: A VERY Complete Guide

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

Table of Contents

Splashy video-first platforms like TikTok get talked about more than old timer Facebook, but Facebook marketing is critical for businesses in 2024. With over three billion active monthly users , Facebook is still the world’s most-used social platform .

And don’t let clickbait news headlines sway you: Gen Z and Millennials are using Facebook. People ages 25-34 are Facebook’s largest audience , closely followed by those 18-24 years old.

Marketing on Facebook doesn’t have to cost a lot, either. Whether you’re just starting out with social media marketing or you’ve had a Facebook Page since 2007, these tips will get you the best possible Facebook marketing ROI.

Key Takeaways

• Facebook marketing involves promoting your company on Facebook to build awareness for your products, grow an audience, and generate leads and sales. 
• A Facebook marketing strategy can include various types of content such as organic posts, Stories, and Reels and paid ads.
• To effectively market on Facebook, you need to create and optimize a Facebook Page, verify it (if possible), and set up a Facebook Ads account. 

What is Facebook marketing?

Facebook marketing is promoting your company or brand on the Facebook platform. Facebook marketing grows your audience, brings in leads and sales, and establishes your brand.

Specific types of Facebook marketing for businesses include:

• Organic Facebook post content (e.g. text posts, photos, videos)
• Paid, or “boosted,” content (e.g. text, photo, or video ads)
• Facebook Reels
• Facebook Stories
• Facebook Live video
• Facebook ad campaigns

Facebook Groups

• Facebook Pages
• Facebook Messenger ads
• Facebook Messenger chatbots or auto-reply workflows
• Influencer marketing
• UGC content
• Facebook Shops

Facebook Marketplace

• Facebook Events

Schedule posts, answer messages, and manage ads from one place. Then, show off your results in beautiful reports. It’s so easy.

How to set up Facebook for business

To start marketing on Facebook, you need to set up a Facebook Page. Your Page is the foundation of everything: it’s where your audience will follow you and it enables you to try advanced Facebook marketing features, like paid ads, should you want to.

To get the most out of Facebook marketing for your business, you should:

• Create a Facebook Page
• Verify Your Facebook Page

Create a Facebook Ads account

Let’s walk through how to do each of these.

Create a Facebook Page for your business

To set up a business Facebook Page, you’ll need to use your personal Facebook account. Log in to Facebook and click the menu icon at the top right next to your profile photo. Then click on Pages .

Click Create a new profile or Page at the top left. Fill in your business name, category, and description. You’ll see a preview of your Page on the right. Click Create Page and that’s it.

Your Page is now live, but you can continue to add details like contact information, website URL, and more. Check out our Facebook Page optimization guide for how to connect it to your Instagram account, add a Page admin, and other useful tips.

Verify your Facebook Page (optional)

To verify your Facebook Business Page, you need to meet certain criteria , like either being a recognizable individual (e.g. in the public eye) or well-known brand.

Verified Facebook Pages have the blue check icon next to their names, reassuring your audience you are who you say you are.

Not super famous but still want that lil’ blue check? There’s a new option: subscribing to Meta Verified , a paid subscription any business or creator can sign up for to get a checkmark on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

The plan comes with impersonation protection, access to Meta support personnel, and rather vaguely phrased “features to help with discovery.” Subscribing doesn’t require you to be “recognizable,” but you do still need to meet eligibility requirements .

Even if you don’t plan to use paid Facebook ads right now, it’s a good idea to get your Meta Ads account set up so it’s ready to use when or if you do.

To enable your ads account, login to Facebook with the profile that has admin access to your Facebook Page, then go to Meta Ads Manager . Before you can run any ads, you’ll have to add your business and payment information.

Alternatively, you can also add this information inside Meta Business Suite . Go to Settings (the gear icon) , then Billing and payments .

You’ll see your ad account(s) listed. Click View details . Facebook will alert you if you need to add any missing info to complete your ads account set up. Check everything for accuracy, add a payment method, and you’re good to go.

Not sure how to jump into Facebook ads? Check out our step-by-step guide to Facebook advertising .

Okay, but when should you start Facebook ads? Keep reading and we’ll cover that in a bit.

Build and post ads for Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X. Our targeting and reporting are seriously easy.

How to create a Facebook marketing strategy: 8 easy steps

1. define your facebook marketing goals.

Everyone starts their Facebook marketing strategy how-to articles with goal setting. Sorry to be boring, but it’s true: your Facebook marketing can’t be successful if you haven’t defined what success looks like.

Do you want to:

• Build brand awareness?
• Grow a massive audience?
• Drive sales on your website and/or physical store?
• Capture B2B leads?
• Build community and gather customer feedback?

There’s no wrong answer here.

Just make sure you define a clear goal for your Facebook marketing efforts and tie it into your overall business objectives.

2. Define your audience

Who are you trying to sell to and/or reach? What do they want to see on Facebook? Answer those two questions first before creating a Facebook content strategy.

Why? Because your content needs to be about what they want to see, not about what you want to post.

At minimum, you need to define your target audience by answering the following:

• What age range do they fall in?
• Where do they live?
• What types of jobs or job responsibilities do they have? (Most relevant for B2B brands.)
• What problem do they have with [your industry/product]? (And how are you the solution?)
• How and when do they use Facebook? (At work, home, doom scrolling before bed?)

Not sure where to start? If you already have followers on your Facebook Page, check out Audience Insights inside Meta Business Suite to see the demographics of your existing audience.

Does your data line up with the customers you want to attract? Perfect, keep up the good work. Not so much? Adjust your content strategy and watch your Insights to see what works for shifting your audience to the one you want.

This data is also valuable for ad targeting if you want to explore Facebook advertising.

Ready to dig deep? Here’s how to get all the nerdy info you want from Facebook Audience Insights .

3. Create a Facebook content strategy

Your content strategy is fluid, so don’t over complicate it. Results not coming through, or just want to try out a new type of Facebook post? Change it up. The key is to have a strategy—a “why” behind what you’re posting—instead of willy-nilly posting whatever comes to mind.

Once again, there’s no wrong answer when it comes to content strategy. What works for one individual or organization may not work for another, even in the same industry.

It’s important to align your Facebook content with your:

• Brand image (colors, style, graphics, etc)
• Brand tone of voice and personality

On Facebook, will you share behind-the-scenes glimpses of your process? Will you post exclusive discounts? Will you stick to business or include some fun and games?

Let your imagination run wild with ideas— Ha! Just kidding. You’re gonna post what your audience wants, right? From all that research you did in the previous step, right?

Creativity is encouraged, though. Blend what you know about your target audience with what you think will perform well. (Psst—we’ve researched all the best social media trends , so you don’t have to.)

Think of your Facebook content strategy like buckets. Each bucket is a topic.

For example:

• Industry news
• Company news
• Tuesday Tips, where you share a short tutorial for your software
• Reviews/testimonials
• New products and promotions

You get the idea. And you know what makes everything, including creativity, more fun? Rules!

A few classic social media content strategy rules to consider:

• The rule of thirds : One-third of your content is your ideas/stories, one-third is direct interaction with your audience, and the last third is promotional content.
• The 80/20 rule: 80% of your content should inform, entertain, and educate, and the remaining 20% can be promotional.

In addition to what you’ll post about, you need to consider where on Facebook you’ll post it and what types of posts you’ll make.

For post types, ideally you should have a mix of:

• Image and video posts

As for where to post them, most likely it’ll be on your Facebook Page. But also consider:

4. Post at the right times

Once you’ve decided what to post, deciding when to post is the last puzzle piece.

As mentioned earlier, Facebook Audience Insights can help here, although our research has found the best time to post on Facebook is 7 a.m. PST on Tuesdays .

Of course, that’s a massive generalization. Like everything else in your strategy, experiment! Try different times and see when you get the most engagement.

Or, use Hootsuite’s powerful analytics to tell you when the best times to post are, based on your personalized data, and you can auto-schedule your posts for these magic times with one click. Magic.

5. Establish your Facebook marketing budget

Depending on your other marketing activities and what you want to achieve with Facebook, you may want to pursue ads, influencer partnerships, or other types of paid Facebook marketing.

While you can set your budget however you like, research shows that most companies spend 27.1% of their total marketing budget on social media ads.

Want some help? Read how to set your Facebook ads budget , then use our free Facebook ads budget calculator as a starting point or to evaluate your current budget.

6. Engage with your audience (like, all the time!)

Facebook isn’t a one way street. Postin’ and peacin’ out won’t get you very far. To grow your audience and encourage people to take action, you need to actually be… y’know, social .

Set aside time every day to reply to comments and messages and moderate any spam on your Page.

Every. Day? Really?!

Yep, but don’t sweat it: You can do this manually, but chances are you have other platforms to manage besides Facebook. Switching between them and engaging with everyone can quickly turn into its own full-time job.

Enter: Hootsuite Inbox .

Picture this: one place to view and reply to all comments and private messages across multiple social profiles, plus everything else you need to do on your social media channels in the same app. Easily see which messages have been replied to and who’s still waiting, plus assign conversations to colleagues so everyone knows who they need to engage with at a glance.

Check out Hootsuite Inbox in action to see how much time it can save your team:

7. Scale up your Facebook marketing with AI and other tools

Facebook messenger chatbots.

Over one billion people message businesses on Facebook every single week. How can you get more leads or inquiries from Facebook Messenger? Use the power of automation to serve customers without taking up more time.

Besides using Hootsuite Inbox to personally reply to Facebook comments and messages right inside Hootsuite, you can set up a chatbot to automatically answer incoming Facebook Messages. Hootsuite’s chatbot can reduce your customer service team’s workload by 80% while improving productivity by 25%… and help your customers much, much faster.

Source: 1-800-Flowers on Facebook

Learn how to set up your own automated DMs on Facebook (including a free option from Meta!).

If you sell products or services locally, consider listing on Facebook Marketplace. Over 1.2 billion people use Facebook Marketplace each month, and 16% of Facebook users are on the platform only to shop on Marketplace.

You can either create a regular, free listing or run a Facebook Marketplace specific ad. These highly targeted ads can have a big impact: 54.2% of Marketplace users who click on an ad end up making a purchase from the platform.

Marketplace ads are shown alongside relevant organic listings and are noted by a small “Sponsored” text underneath them.

Source: Facebook

You can also include Marketplace ads within a larger campaign, using Meta’s automatic Advantage+ placements. For more on ad placements, read our complete guide to Facebook advertising .

Over 1.8 billion people use Facebook Groups every month. Groups can be public or private. While many Groups are managed by people and simply a way to connect with others over shared interests, Groups offer some unique benefits for organizations.

A private group is a much more intimate way to connect with your top customers. It’s a great way to bypass the unpredictable Facebook algorithm and get your posts in front of your ideal audience of people who want to see more from you.

A Facebook Group can:

• Foster brand loyalty by offering exclusive discounts or content.
• Provide valuable customer feedback.
• Inspire new marketing ideas.
• Help refine your brand voice and tone.

However, Facebook Groups require regular moderation and effort to keep users engaged, so weigh the benefits of having one against the amount of time it will take you to manage.

OwlyWriter AI

Save time writing content? Uh, yes, please!

Hootsuite includes OwlyWriter AI , our unique AI creative tool to help you draft, repurpose, and inspire awesome content. More than a basic AI copywriting tool, OwlyWriter combines our proprietary social media expertise as the world’s #1 social media marketing platform with the best custom AI model.

Use OwlyWriter to:

• Instantly generate new social media posts—and ads!
• Generate posts based on a link, like a blog post or product page.
• Brainstorm post ideas then generate options based on them.
• Repurpose your top performing social content into new, high quality posts you can schedule with just a few clicks.
• Identify upcoming holidays and write appropriate captions.
• Edit and proofread content.

Check out OwlyWriter in action:

OwlyWriter AI instantly generates captions and content ideas for every social media network. It’s seriously easy.

8. Regularly audit performance

Your Facebook marketing strategy will change over time. Get the data and insights you need to evaluate what’s working and what’s not by completing regular social media audits .

In addition to checking analytics reports often, a full social media audit includes:

• Listing all accounts. Know which platforms you’re on and consider adding new ones, if it makes sense for your goals.
• Reviewing branding. Do all your social profiles use current brand materials for profile photos, banners, and post templates?
• Evaluating content strategy. What types of posts have been the most successful for you? Are certain posts performing better on Facebook than other platforms?

To learn how to do yours, grab our free social media audit template and follow along with this step-by-step social media audit .

When to start using Facebook ads

The day after creating your shiny new business Page isn’t the best time to try out Facebook ads. But, letting someone else arbitrarily tell you when you’re ready isn’t the answer, either. (He he he.)

Yep, as with most marketing things, there isn’t one correct answer or KPI that can tell you when to start experimenting with ads.

We’d argue you should have these things first:

• A complete Page (don’t forget to add that profile pic!)
• At least 100 Page Likes (followers)
• Meta Pixel set up
• At least 20 Page posts (ideally more)
• Multiple creative assets for each ad
• An A/B testing strategy

You also should make sure advertising on Facebook aligns with your social media goals . Are you interested in extending your reach? Are you digital-advertising curious? Do you want to find new customers? Do you want access to in-depth insights about those customers?

If the answer’s yes to any of these, you’re ready to dive in. But do you want to do this the easy way…. or the hard way?

The easy way: Boost a Facebook post

“Boosting” a post is Facebook lingo for taking a regular, organic Page post and turning it into an ad. You can also boost Facebook Events and Marketplace listings.

Boosting is the gateway ad those senior content marketers warned you about. Side effects of success include conversions, audience growth, and a newfound appreciation for digital advertising.

You can boost any existing post on your Facebook Page by going to your Page and clicking Boost post at the bottom of the post.

When you should consider it: If you’re completely new to Facebook advertising and want to test the waters.

Ready to try it? Here’s how to boost a Facebook post the right way.

The advanced method: Create your first Facebook ad campaign

Creating a Facebook ad campaign from scratch can seem overwhelming the first time, but it’s worth it. Combining organic and paid content is the secret recipe for Facebook marketing success.

When you should consider it: You want to build focused momentum for an upcoming promotion, and/or long-term sales campaigns.

The success of your Facebook ads will depend on how accurately they’re targeted. You know when you see an ad and think Wow, I’m the target market? Like this one for a couch desk that apparently knows where I’m typing this right now…

Source: Fiisto Coucha on Facebook

That’s how you want people to feel when they see your ad: mildly creeped out by the depth of your knowledge about them but overall thinking, “This product was made for me.”

Even newbies can rock a successful Facebook ad campaign, though we suggest doing lots of research before you start. You can also hire an agency or freelance ads consultant to help plan your first campaign. You’ll learn a lot and optimize your chances of success.

If you want to ✨ go your own waaay ✨, here are a few Facebook ads resources to start with:

• How to Advertise on Facebook: A Complete Guide
• Every Type of Facebook Ad You Should Be Using to Grow Your Business
• All the Facebook Ad Sizes You Need to Know in 2024
• 22 Facebook Ad Examples to Inspire Your Next Campaign

7 Facebook marketing examples for inspiration

1. mesmerizing stop motion.

Nomatic’s quick ad shows everything this backpack can fit with magically floating items going into all its pockets. It catches your attention and is just downright neat to watch.

Source: Nomatic on Facebook

2. The power of color

These highly colorful ads stopped my scroll right away. Strategic messages are contained in more colorful graphics, like “24 hours only,” and, “free shipping.”

Source: Coach on Facebook

3. The power of cute

Yes, this retailer sells matching dog and human outfits. And yes, I own some, much to my dog’s embarrassment.

The cuteness factor of SparkPaws’ Reels is sure to be a hit with dog-obsessed people everywhere.

Source: SparkPaws on Facebook

4. Educational promo

Travel and camera gear supplier Peak Design regularly posts tips about new ways to use their products many wouldn’t think of, like this one for attaching a camera strap to a packing cube to make a trendy sling bag.

The high quality photos here make the post successful by proving it doesn’t look dorky, plus the “Click to View Products” feature is a natural segue.

Source: Peak Design on Facebook

5. Make feedback fun

Bouclair uses interactive Facebook Story elements like this agree/disagree slider, links, countdowns, and polls to both remind customers of upcoming events and gather intel about their audience in a fun way.

Source: Bouclair on Facebook

6. Personalize engagement

Beverage manufacturer Innocent Drinks is known for having a cheeky, funny social feed, but what really stands out is how they reply to followers. They respond to every comment with a personalized response, including a name. The attention to detail can build lasting, loyal fans.

Source: Innocent on Facebook

7. Cinematic… shoes?

Vans leans heavily on video to promote their products, with each Reel feeling like a mini-movie.

Source: Vans on Facebook

6 Facebook marketing tips from SMMs

We asked some top social media managers what the secret ingredient is to successfully managing a brand on Facebook and how they keep things exciting.

Some experts pointed out the importance of being social on social media:

I believe the secret to a successful brand on Facebook is engaging with your audience. It’s important not only to publish posts frequently, but also to respond to comments, messages, and mentions. In my experience, it is active communication with followers that helps to establish a genuine connection and gain their trust. One way I keep things exciting on Facebook in 2024 is by using interactive content like live videos, polls, and quizzes. These features not only engage users but also make them feel involved with the brand. It creates a lively community and keeps the content fresh and interesting.

– Evgen Tymoshenko , Chief Marketing Officer, Skylum

As simple as it sounds, you must connect with your audience. They keep coming back for what you’re giving them. A rebrand is one thing, but I am amazed at how many marketers feel the need to jump on trends, even if they don’t align with their company’s mission. Sure, put your own spin on the trend if it serves your audience, but always make sure every post brings value to loyal followers.

– Jessica Yost , Strategic Marketing Consultant, Powerhouse Planning

Others pointed out how there’s no “one size fits all” Facebook marketing strategy:

As an experienced social media manager, I’ve learned that the secret to a successful brand presence on Facebook is authenticity. When I started managing social media for a niche page aimed at driving pet adoptions, I made the mistake of trying to emulate what the big brands were doing, but it fell flat with our audience. It wasn’t until I started focusing on our unique brand story and engaging directly with our audience that things really took off. I shared behind-the-scenes glimpses, interviewed our passionate volunteers, and highlighted happy adoption stories. Staying authentic to your brand while providing value and entertainment will help you cut through the noise and build a loyal community of brand advocates.

– Abhishek Joshi , Digital Marketer, Dog with Blog

Imagine your Facebook page is a living room. You want people to feel comfy, right? So, let your brand’s personality shine through. Are you funny, serious, or somewhere in between? Whatever it is, be consistent. People love knowing what to expect. And don’t be afraid to show a little vulnerability. Everyone loves a brand with a heart. Now, let’s talk about keeping things fresh. User-generated content is like finding a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. People love seeing themselves in the spotlight. Run a contest, encourage tagging, and make ’em feel special when you share their stuff. It’s like giving your audience a virtual high-five.

– Sherif Adel , Digital Marketing Manager, Evolvice GmbH

Alex points out that while it’s important to change up content across platforms, you can also target different audiences within the same platform, too:

One way I keep things exciting on Facebook is by tailoring our content strategy to these generational differences. For brand posts, we focus on content that resonates with millennials and Gen X. This might include corny phrases or dad jokes that would fall flat on TikTok but get great engagement on Facebook. Older audiences find them hilarious! At the same time, we’ve found great success in building followings through niche Facebook Groups. By frequently offering free, valuable content in these groups, we’ve been able to engage Gen Z users who might not interact with our regular posts. This approach allows us to cater to multiple generations simultaneously.

– Alex O’Neil , Owner, City on the Hill Consultancy

Lastly, a helpful reminder that social media is always changing.

We keep the social-media golden rule in mind: everything (trends, algorithms, and even platforms) evolves constantly. We are always optimizing our content to fit the needs of the community, and we don’t let what worked well in the past keep us from improving content for the future.

– Holly Nguyen , Social Media Manager, National Breast Cancer Foundation

4 Facebook marketing tools

1. hootsuite.

Chances are you’re managing more than only a Facebook Page and if so, Hootsuite is here to save time as your all-in-one social media management dashboard for all platforms.

Take four minutes to learn what Hootsuite can do for you and start saving three hours per week (a.k.a. one month per year!):

Use Hootsuite to:

• Plan and schedule engaging content using templates and the built-in Canva editor
• Draft posts instantly with OwlyWriter AI
• Automatically publish your content at the best times to post to reach more of your audience
• Boost Facebook posts and create ads —for Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X—without leaving Hootsuite
• Reply to comments and messages across all your platforms in one place
• Serve customers faster with auto-replies and chatbots
• Do competitive research and uncover new engagement opportunities
• Measure brand sentiment and trends with the world’s best social listening tool , powered by Talkwalker
• Understand your social media performance with customizable, easy-to-read reports with Hootsuite Analytics

And last but not least…

• Manage all your Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Threads social media accounts in one dashboard.

Hootsuite allows us to be really nimble in how we approach our marketing in real time. We set up alerts in our Insights tool. We also set up weekly reports so that we can make realistic decisions on where to pivot, where to allocate more resources, or where to ante up our existing strategies.

– Christina Minshull, Head of Marketing and Design, Stocksy

2. Facebook Ad Library

Facebook Ads Library is a searchable database of all the ads currently running on Facebook. You can filter by location, type of ad, and keywords.

Get ideas for your next campaign, identify trending phrases or graphics, and check up on what your competitors are doing.

3. BrandFort

You can’t be online 24/7 so when you don’t have eyes on your Facebook Page, BrandFort does. It automatically detects and hides negative, offensive, or spammy comments to keep your Page a safe space for all.

BrandFord also integrates with Hootsuite for even easier Facebook Page management.

User-generated content is a fantastic resource to build trust with authentic content, as well as diversify your Page to showcase all different kinds of people.

Chute helps you find UGC content to share, and its free Hootsuite integration allows you to create a content library to schedule with Hootsuite Composer later.

Make Facebook marketing easier by managing everything you do on social media—for all your platforms—in one place. Schedule content, discover trends with social listening, get actionable insights and analytics, create ads, measure ROI, and much more with Hootsuite. Try it today.

Grow your Facebook presence faster with Hootsuite . Schedule all your social posts and track their performance in one dashboard.

Become a better social marketer.

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As an ex-agency strategist turned freelance WFH fashion icon, Michelle is passionate about putting the sass in SaaS content. She's known for quickly understanding and distilling complicated technical topics into conversational copy that gets results. She has written for Fortune 500 companies and startups, and her clients have earned features in Forbes, Strategy Magazine and Entrepreneur.

Create. Schedule. Publish. Engage. Measure. Win.

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Facebook for Business: Everything You Need to Know

Facebook is a powerful tool for small businesses. Learn how to use Facebook Pages, ads and other engagement tools.

Table of Contents

Every small business can benefit from a Facebook presence. With more than 2.91 billion monthly users , Meta – the Facebook company’s new name – gives small businesses many ways to promote their services, increase customer support, and boost sales and recognition through their Facebook platform.

Using Facebook for your small business may seem challenging because the platform’s rules and algorithms change frequently. However, with the right strategies, Facebook is one of the best ways to use social media for business .

One of Facebook’s biggest strengths is allowing you to target a specific audience through paid campaigns and advertisements. The platform maintains a significant amount of information about its users, which can be advantageous when targeting ads. In addition, creating a Facebook Business Page can be an effective small business marketing tool.

Here’s a look at the various ways to use Facebook to benefit your business and maximize your efforts.

What is a Facebook Business Page?

A Facebook Business Page is like a free business website companies can build on to expand their internet presence. Like a personal Facebook profile, your Facebook Business Page includes functionality for sending and receiving messages, posting updates, getting notifications and interacting with other users’ content through liking, sharing and commenting.

Of course, given how many companies have a Facebook presence, you’ll need your Page to stand out from the crowd to draw significant attention to your business. If you’re questioning whether the work that goes into distinguishing your company on Facebook is worth it, the many benefits of Facebook Business Pages may convince you to invest the time.

Benefits of a Facebook Business Page

If you create a Facebook Page for your company, you can use it to do the following:

1. List basic contact information.

If people wonder when your phone line or storefront is open, they may visit your Facebook Page to find out. They’ll also want to know your address if you’re a storefront or your support-line email if you offer services remotely. A Facebook Business Page is a one-stop shop for listing all of this information.

2. Engage new and longtime customers.

Not even your most loyal customers see what happens inside your business on a day-to-day basis – that is, unless you regularly share elucidating social media content with them. A Facebook Page is a great place to post shots from inside your storefront or behind the scenes with your support team. You can also boost customer engagement by updating followers on new products and discounts.

3. Know your audience.

When you have a Facebook Business Page, you’ll have access to audience insights and demographics. You can use the data provided to inform a robust demographic marketing strategy and better target your campaigns.

4. Lessen marketing costs.

Starting a Facebook Business Page is free, and many additional Facebook marketing and analytics features are either free or inexpensive. Integrating a Facebook Business Page into your marketing plan is a budget-savvy way to reach more people – potentially an audience of billions – with less money.

5. Boost web traffic.

By linking to your company’s website on your Facebook Business Page, you’ll drive more traffic to your website. The more people you get to your website, the better the chances of people reading in-depth descriptions of your products and services. Better yet, if you sell products online , people who jump from your Facebook Business Page to your website might even buy something.

6. Improve SEO.

Facebook Business Pages are good for more than just your social media presence; they’re also a boon to your rankings in search engine queries.

How to create a Facebook Business Page

Now that you know some of the benefits of having a Facebook Page for your business, it’s time to start creating one. Follow these steps to set up your Page:

1. Create your Facebook Business Page.

The first step in creating a Facebook Business Page is to ensure you’re setting up the right type of account. Remember that you are creating a Facebook Page, not a Facebook profile.

A profile is a personal Facebook account designed to share personal information and photos with friends and family. Pages are public profiles that let businesses and public figures connect with fans and customers. Users just have to “like” a Page to start seeing updates from the Page on their News Feed.

Go to Meta’s Set Up a Facebook Page weblink to get started.

2. Answer questions.

To create a Facebook Business Page , you must already have a personal profile and follow the on-screen instructions. When creating a Page, the company will ask for some information, such as a category to describe your Page and your business’s name, address and phone number. It’s crucial to include as much information as possible so that customers can easily recognize your Page and find information about your business.

3. Add profile and cover photos.

You have the option to upload profile and cover photos to your Facebook Business Page. It’s good practice to do so, as attractive graphics and a visual brand lead to better engagement rates with your content.

4. Fill in the appropriate Page sections.

You can add many sections to a Facebook Page, but not every section will be a good fit for your business. Here are some sections you should consider adding:

• Home: This section is where all your updates and posts live. It’s also the first section users see when they visit your Page.
• About: The About section is one of the most essential parts of your Facebook Page. Fill it out with your address, business details, contact information, hours and website URL. Many people go online to find specific information about a business; don’t let your potential customers down by keeping this page blank.
• Community: The Community section is where posts, photos and videos from customers show up. Customers can also check out your store here. This is an excellent place for your audience to interact and learn more about your company.
• Events: You can create event pages and promote upcoming events in this section. Once you create an event on Facebook, you can invite people and share specific information about it all in one place.
• Info and ads: This section is designed to add transparency to your Page. It shows your followers any Facebook ads you’re currently running.
• Offers: You can post discounts or deals in this section. This is an easy way to encourage people to come to your Facebook Page. Ask customers to like your Page and find a deal on it.
• Posts: This section shows all your posts, including timeline photos and updates.
• Reviews: Under the Reviews tab, customers can write a review and indicate if they would recommend your business. Ratings show up at the top of your Page. Although you can hide the Reviews tab, you may not want to, as it provides valuable feedback to you and potential clients. Reviews help verify your business and make it easy for customers to recommend your products or services.
• Services: You can showcase your services in this section. You can also add information about your specialties – including photos, descriptions and pricing.
• Photos: The Photos tab features the images you’ve posted on your timeline.
• Shop: You can add your inventory to this section so users can buy your products directly from Facebook. Sales are sent to your bank account, and it’s an easy way to start dabbling in e-commerce .

What are Facebook ads and boosted posts?

If you’re having problems reaching users organically, try paid advertising options like boosted posts or Facebook ads . Boosted posts are posts you place on your Facebook Page; you pay a fee to “boost” the post to a target audience. On the other hand, Facebook ads offer more functionality and placement choices.

Boosted posts and Facebook ads make it easy to target a specific audience. Target people who like your Page or segment by location, age, gender and interests. Because the platform collects user data, it can target your advertisement to those most likely to be interested in your product or service.

Should you use boosted posts or Facebook ads?

Boosted posts and Facebook ads can both be valuable elements of your marketing strategy.

Here are some benefits of boosted posts:

• Simple tactic: Boosted posts are the simplest way to advertise on Facebook. You choose your target audience, set a budget and determine your campaign’s length. When the post is approved, your target audience will see the post in their News Feed during the campaign.
• Online advertisement: While they have fewer customization options, boosted posts are still considered ads and will be listed as ads on your billing statement.
• Brand awareness: Boosted posts are an excellent way to build a brand , foster brand awareness, and gain comments and shares.

These are key features of traditional Facebook ads:

• Customization options: You have more customization options with Facebook ads.
• Support tools: You’ll create Facebook ads in the comprehensive Ads Manager platform.
• Creative sharing: You have options like sharing the ad to Instagram, Instagram Stories and Messenger, and choosing placement locations, such as on the side of the News Feed.
• Higher control: You create and manage the ad, and select objectives like tracking conversions and lead generation . You also receive deeper targeting capabilities.

Tips for placing Facebook ads

Since boosted posts are straightforward with fewer options, we’ll focus on maximizing your Facebook ads’ effectiveness. However, many of these tips also apply to boosted posts.

1. Set goals for ads.

Ads are most effective when they have a clear objective. A clear objective will also help you track your ad’s progress and can help you assess if your marketing strategy needs tweaking. For example, some organizations want to use ads to get people’s attention, while others want people to engage with content or links.

Facebook defines two common ad types – dynamic and lead – to help businesses accomplish their goals. Dynamic ads promote relevant items from your product catalog and retarget them to people who have shown interest in your site. Lead ads give viewers an easy way to get the information they’re seeking.

2. Select your audience and choose the location.

To target the correct audience , you need to define the ads’ reach. Facebook allows you to adjust your audience using the following criteria: location, demographics, interests, behavior and connections.

Location can help you with a local marketing strategy , narrowing down people in your general area who may find your products or services more relevant than someone in a different state or country. Demographics allows you to choose the age range, gender and job title of your target audience.

Use the interests, behavior and connections criteria to narrow your audience even further.

3. Set your budget.

As mentioned earlier, Ads Manager is Facebook’s ad management tool. It allows you to purchase ads for Facebook, Instagram and Audience Network , which shows Facebook ads in other publishers’ apps.

Buying an ad requires you to create one and then submit it to Facebook’s ad auction. The ad auction allows you to set the parameters used to deliver your ad – including your budget. You’ll need to determine how much money you want to spend daily and over time.

Facebook’s ad auction requires you to set a “ bid ,” which is the maximum amount of money you are willing to pay when someone sees or engages with your ad.

4. Create compelling ad copy.

In marketing, everything ultimately comes back to how good your copy is, and Facebook ads are no different. Regardless of what type of ad you choose to run, the copy you write must speak directly to your ideal customer and make them want to listen to you. To do this effectively, you have to know precisely who you are targeting and what you want them to do.

Here are the primary written components of your ad:

• Headline: Start with the headline. Don’t fill it with a boring list of features or blatant marketing jargon. Instead, make it conversational and engaging. When developing your ad, the field listed as the headline is essentially the first sentence above the image; it needs to be as good as the first line in your favorite novel if you want people to keep reading instead of scrolling past.
• Description: Use the description field to combat any anticipated objections. This text will be prominently displayed beneath the image and is easily visible without the viewer clicking to read more. If viewers learn that your offer is completely free or has a money-back guarantee as they are scrolling, you may get them to stop and reconsider.

Keep in mind that the copy you write will likely need to be changed for different audience segments even if the offer is the same. Additionally, it’s essential to try out different combinations and test them to determine the most effective.

5. Use images and video.

You need eye candy if you want people to pay attention to your copy. This can be a carefully curated image that visually articulates your offer or brand, or it can be a video that people will want to watch.

If you use stock images, use high-quality images relevant to the advertising copy. Facebook has several image and text rules about image types and the ratio of words allowed on ad images.

It can often be more effective to opt for video for your Facebook ads. People love to watch videos online, and editing video is easier than ever thanks to the growing field of user-friendly video-editing apps.

6. Create Messenger ads.

Messenger ads are still in the Wild West marketing phase, making it the ideal time to jump on the bandwagon. The wonderful thing about Messenger ads is they are delivered directly to customers’ Messenger app, along with messages from their friends, co-workers, and family. It’s an intimate space that still feels very personal, primarily because few businesses use this platform.

It is essential to keep this feeling of intimacy at the forefront of your mind when creating ad experiences for Messenger. To do this effectively, you’ll want to utilize a chatbot service to build full campaigns. This process allows you to ask your subscribers a question or offer them something of value. You can then create an automated experience that moves them further along the sales funnel in a way that feels less like a sales pitch and more like a friend offering advice.

7. Learn the fundamentals of Facebook advertising.

Facebook ad-targeting specificity has come a long way in the last few years. Early on, there were a few hit-or-miss approaches to creating Facebook ads. Now, the platform allows you to choose the type of ad campaign you want to run, detailed objectives and custom audiences.

You can also run multiple versions of the same ads to determine which is more effective and limit the amount you spend by carefully allocating your budget by day and ad.

If this all sounds complex, that’s because it is. It’s crucial to take your time and learn the fundamentals of setting up your campaign properly. Stunning copy and attention-grabbing graphics are no longer enough.

It’s good to understand how Facebook ads work, but if you don’t have the time to stay on top of them and their updates, seek help from a marketer who is skilled with them.

How to use Workplace

Workplace has been on the market for a few years and has seen rapid adoption by organizations of all sizes worldwide. According to Meta, more than 30,000 companies use Workplace as their internal team collaboration tool.

Think of Workplace as a supercharged company intranet. It’s designed to look and feel similar to Facebook, making it straightforward for employees to use. The familiar central News Feed is the tool’s primary hub.

These are some of Workplace’s most helpful functions:

• One-on-one video calls or instant messages via the system’s Work Chat
• Project- or department-based groups to centralize communication and facilitate collaboration
• Business application integrations – such as Microsoft Office and Dropbox – that allow users to share presentations, files, and images within Workplace, and make live edits to documents
• External team collaboration, which is great for organizations that partner with outside companies on deliverables
• Livestreaming video capabilities, which are helpful to companies with remote or traveling teams, as you can easily share meetings and announcements with employees at the click of a button
• Video conferencing platforms and collaboration tools (for example, integrating with BlueJeans lets users join meetings from a phone, laptop or tablet while they’re on the move)

Getting started with Workplace

Follow these steps to get started with Workplace:

• Activate and set up your profile. Activate your profile through email or an access code. If you receive an email to join Workplace, click the link and follow the instructions to set up your profile. If your employer gave you an access code, go to Workplace.com and create your account using the code.
• Download the Workplace and Workplace Chat apps. These apps allow you to stay in contact with your teams and be notified of any important updates. Download these apps on iOS and Android devices.
• Join and create groups. Workplace groups foster communication between work teams. When creating a group, you should determine the purpose and privacy setting.
• Communicate through chat . If you want to communicate with someone faster and in real time, the Chat feature will be more beneficial than posting to the group.
• Manage your notifications. You can change your notification settings to ensure you’re getting the ones you need most while muting the ones you may not need to see.

Best practices

After setting up your business’s Facebook Page and working with the company’s other business tools, it’s time to create content and engage with your followers.

Here are some tips on using Meta’s business tools to market your products and services most effectively.

1. Respond to messages.

With Messenger, it’s quick and easy to reply to customers’ messages. Your inbox is located at the top of your Page when you’re signed in as an administrator.

Messenger is a tool and customers expect you to use it. In fact, the company tracks your Pages’ response rates and times so customers know how quickly they can expect an answer. Messenger is attractive to customers because they expect a fast response, and many people are more comfortable with live chatting than calling.

Facebook recently announced an effort to merge the messaging tools on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. This move emphasizes the importance of using Messenger and these other tools to communicate with customers and answer questions from your followers.

2. Use analytics to determine the success of your campaigns.

Facebook Audience Network is a free analytics tool. It shows data on actions taken, Page views, the number of people you’ve reached and the number of post engagements. This information can help you measure the effectiveness of your social campaigns so you can decide how to improve your posts.

3. Use publishing tools and schedule future posts.

Use Facebook publishing tools to schedule posts to go live in the future. You can also create videos, advertise your business, promote an event, make an offer, write a note and post job applications on your Facebook Page.

It’s crucial to post regularly – at least twice a week. If you find that you’re spending too much time on Facebook each day, try a third-party social media management tool – such as Hootsuite or Buffer. While creating and scheduling multiple posts takes time upfront, it saves you time in the long run.

4. Know your target audience.

Facebook has excellent targeting tools. When promoting a post, you can target specific demographics, locations and interest groups. To have successful ads, you need to know your target audience and use Facebook’s targeting tools to reach those potential customers.

5. Be personable, not just promotional.

Even though you’ve created a Facebook Page to connect with customers and ultimately make sales, your audience doesn’t want to see advertisements. Try to create personable and engaging Facebook posts.

6. Offer giveaways and contests.

It’s challenging to drive organic traffic on Facebook, but regularly running giveaways and contests help. Before you create a contest or giveaway, make sure you understand and follow the company’s rules, or you could get in legal trouble.

7. Create and advertise events.

You can create events as a business on Facebook. Invite anyone to these events, and pay extra to promote them to a targeted audience. Events can be a fun way to engage your audience and turn them into customers.

8. Share relevant content from other sources.

It can be time-consuming to create and share only original content. Curating content from other sources can save time and effort. Networking with other sources can benefit you in other ways, and they may share your content in return.

9. Converse with your audience.

Don’t publish a post and then not open Facebook for a week. Create and share posts to engage with your audience. Respond to comments, questions and concerns. If you’re having conversations with your followers, they’re more likely to become your customers.

The News Feed algorithm prioritizes personal connections and engagement. In short, your posts won’t be seen unless they generate a conversation.

10. Highlight business milestones.

Highlight company milestones and celebrate anniversaries on Facebook. These posts usually engage your audience and will make you seem more personable. If you’re offering special promotions for milestones or anniversaries, promote them on your Page as well.

11. Use Facebook ads.

The best way to reach your desired audience is to run Facebook ads. While these ads cost money, they’re effective because you can choose your target audience based on demographics, behaviors or contact information. Set a daily or overall budget for ads, select the amount of time an ad runs and pick your desired audience. The platform tracks the interactions on each promotion you run, helping you develop highly successful campaigns in the future.

12. Create and post videos.

If you’re scrolling through your Facebook timeline, you might notice a lot of videos. That’s because videos do great on the platform. One way to create videos is through Video ads, which allows you to broadcast to a large audience for free. With Video ads, you can have real-time conversations with followers and give them an inside look at your business.

Sean Peek, Saige Driver, Stella Morrison and Charell Star contributed to the writing and research in this article.

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How to build a Facebook business Page that attracts customers

Written by by Jacqueline Zote

Published on  December 21, 2022

Reading time  7 minutes

Facebook commands a massive user base and is still the largest social network. The latest Facebook stats show that the platform currently boasts 2.89 billion monthly active users. That’s 2.89 billion users you could miss out on reaching if you failed to maintain a proper Facebook business Page.

A Facebook business Page is central to any Facebook marketing strategy . It’s where you can share information about your business and promote your new products. Moreover, your Page serves as a channel to provide your customers with assistance. In this guide, we show you the step-by-step process of building a Facebook business Page that attracts your audience.

Table of contents:

What is a Facebook business Page

How to create the perfect facebook business page, tips to maintain an engaging facebook business page.

A Facebook business Page is a public Facebook account that represents a commercial organization. You can use it to share important information like your address, contact details, and hours of operation. It’s also a great venue for sharing updates about your business and promoting your products, services, and events.

As such, a Facebook business Page allows you to create a space to connect with your audience. By setting up a business Page, you’ll gain access to Facebook Shops and advertising tools. This allows you to list your products for sale on the platform and even create paid advertisements to grow your reach. 

If you already have a Facebook business Page, and are looking for a tactical strategy for optimizing and improving your strategy, check out our Facebook marketing template. It provides a step-by-step process for making the most of the platform’s many tools. 

Download the template

Ready to create your very own Facebook business Page? Follow the steps below to get started.

Step 1: Create a new Page from the “Pages” section

From your Facebook homepage, click on “Pages” in the left-hand panel. This will open up a dashboard to manage all your Pages and profiles. Click on the “ Create New Page ” button under “Your Pages and profiles.”

Step 2: Enter your Page name and category

Next, enter the name of your Page. This should be similar to your official business or brand name so your audience can instantly recognize it. In other words, choose a name your customers will use when searching for your brand.

After this, you’ll need to include a business category. Type in a keyword or two in the given field and Facebook will offer a few relevant suggestions. You can select up to three options to categorize your Page. This is essential to help people understand what your business is all about.

Step 3: Add your Page bio

While the bio is an optional section, including a short description of your business can be helpful. This is where you can provide more information about what your brand does and what it stands for. Your bio can only be about 100 characters so be sure to keep it clear and succinct.

The bio will show up prominently below your Page name, so it needs to be catchy and relevant. Consider using your brand slogan here instead of coming up with a new bio. Once you’re done, click on “Create Page.”

Step 4: Include your business details

Now that you’ve created the Page, it’s time to make it more complete by including additional details about your business. To finish your setup, you’ll need to include the following information about your business:

• Phone number
• Email address
• Physical address
• Hours of operation

After you’ve filled out the details, click on “ Next ” to get to the next step of your Page setup. Optionally, you can skip this step for now and add those details later.

Step 5: Put together your profile imagery

One of the most crucial steps is customizing your Page with high-quality imagery. Your Page’s visuals are what will help you make an impression on your audience. So it’s important that you carefully choose images that truly represent your brand and are instantly recognizable.

The first thing you’ll need is a profile picture. As highlighted in our social media image size guide , this should be at least 180 x 180 pixels. Remember that this picture will come out as a circle, so avoid including any important details in the corners.

Ideally, businesses should be using their brand logo as a profile picture. This helps the audience to instantly associate the Page with the brand they already know. Alternatively, local businesses may consider including a picture of the storefront or the owners. Some may even use a picture of their best offering instead.

As for your Facebook cover photo, the recommended size is 820 x 312 pixels. Any photo smaller than this will appear stretched and distorted. Consider using existing templates from photo editing tools like Canva to ensure that your cover photo is perfectly sized.

You can also choose to include an action button to show up at the top of your Page. This will help direct Page visitors toward the action that you want them to take. Perhaps you want them to book an appointment, view your shop, call your business, send a message or even get tickets. Choose the most relevant option, click on “ Next ” and hit “ Save .”

Other optional steps include connecting WhatsApp to your Page and inviting your friends to Like the Page. You can choose to skip these steps for now and hit “ Done .” But keep in mind that you’ll still need to complete those steps later on to improve your Page health.

Improving your Page health is essential to create a business Page that people would want to engage with. At the top of your Page, Facebook will provide you with suggestions on what actions you can take to make improvements. Your Page health will improve as you complete these actions.

Now your Page is all set up so you can start creating posts or even run ads to promote it.

Setting up your Facebook business Page is the easy part. Building and maintaining your presence takes a bit more effort. Here are some social media management tips to help you out.

Keep your business info updated

Remember that people use your Facebook Page to learn about your business. They may use it to find out where you’re located or when you’re open. Make sure to include the most updated info about your business so your Page becomes a reliable source of information. If you’re changing your operating hours for the holidays, for example, make sure to add that detail.

Set specific goals

Working towards something specific can give you a sense of direction with your Facebook marketing. Start by thinking about the purpose of your Facebook page and who your target audience is. Are you looking to support a community of current customers? What about attracting new ones?

Decide on specific goals that are achievable and can contribute to your Page growth. These goals will ultimately inform every aspect of your Facebook strategy. This includes the resources you put behind your Facebook business Page to your overall content strategies.

Create a Facebook content strategy

Knowing when and how often to post on Facebook is critical. Based on our research on how often to post on social media , most brands post at least a few times per week.

Moreover, it’s not enough to just keep creating content that you want to create. Think of what your audience wants to see from you so you can come up with a content strategy that delivers results.

According to The 2023 Sprout Social Index™ , 68% of US consumers follow a brand to learn more about their products and services, and another 46% do so to access exclusive deals and promotions. Your Facebook Page is like a store in a mall. Consumers will follow you to stay up to date on what’s new, so don’t be afraid of a hard sell.

Engage with your customers

It’s important to realize that your Facebook page is  not  something that you can “set and forget.”

You may get customers commenting on your posts and asking you questions via Messenger. Failing to respond to customers promptly could result in lost sales or followers.

So you have to be present on social media and be ready and willing to engage. This doesn’t mean you have to answer every single question posted to your timeline or in your inbox immediately. It does mean you need to keep a close eye on notifications and conversations.

This would involve identifying the best social media management tool for your business to help you stay on top of those messages. For example, Sprout offers a Smart Inbox where you can keep track of all your incoming messages, comments and social media mentions in one place. From here, you can quickly see and respond to your Facebook messages and comments.

Use analytics to chart your path forward

Your Facebook Page Analytics can tell you a lot about how your current Facebook strategy is working. It can show you how people are engaging with your posts and how your Page is growing. Use these insights to inform your decisions and make improvements to your existing strategy. For example, you may want to share more videos because your analytics tell you that people are engaging a lot with your video posts.

Once you start running ads from your Page, you’ll be able to see how your promoted posts are performing. Experiment with different variations of your ad copy, placement and creative to see what has the biggest impact. This will allow you to build a Facebook advertising strategy that keeps evolving.

Start growing your Facebook Page

The tips highlighted above can help you get the ball rolling and build an engaging Facebook business Page. Make sure you use them alongside a solid marketing strategy to grow your audience. Check out our guide on how to use Facebook business manager for more tips and tricks to help you out.

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How to Design an Engaging Facebook Business Page [+ Tips]

Updated: December 04, 2023

Published: December 06, 2013

Facebook is home to nearly 2 billion monthly active users , so it’s safe to say that having a compelling Facebook Business Page is essential for any company looking to bolster its online presence. It should be easy enough, right? Just slap together a photo and a couple of posts and expect the leads and customers to roll in, right?

To help you out, we created a helpful guide for creating your Facebook Business Page, and we compiled the tips below to ensure your page takes full advantage of everything Facebook marketing offers.

Listen to an audio summary of this post:

How to Design a Facebook Business Page

1. create your page..

A Facebook Business Page isn’t a user account like your personal page. It’s an asset you manage from a personal Facebook user account as a Page Administrator.

To create a Facebook Business Page, you need to:

• You may want to create a new Facebook account with your work email address to keep things separate, but this isn’t required.
• Click the See all button on the left sidebar menu and then select Page from the Create menu that appears on the right.

2. Plug in your details.

On the next page, enter some basic information about your business.

• Page name: The name of your business.
• Category: The category that best describes your business. Facebook has hundreds of options, so start typing, and it will auto-populate with your business type/industry.
• Bio: Keep it short and sweet. Enter a sentence or two about who you are, what you do, and what you stand for.

Now, it’s time to make it official. Click Create Page . Congrats! You are the proud owner of a Facebook Business Page.

Next, you’ll need to enter some additional information about your business, such as:

• Phone Number
• Email Address

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Pro tip: Check out your page’s mobile view to ensure everything looks correct when accessing your page via phone.

As of 2023, 98.5% of Facebook users access the site via mobile, and 81.8% exclusively use their phones to browse the social media site. So, it’s safe to say that a mobile-conscious approach is warranted.

3. Add your profile pic and cover photo.

Now’s the time to add some style to your page with high-resolution photos that represent your brand.

• Your profile picture should include some iteration of your logo.
• Your cover photo can be more stylized, but consider using a colorful background that is consistent with your brand style guide .

We recommend using the PNG format for profile pictures and cover photos that include text/logos.

Recommended image sizes:

• Profile picture : At least 170px x 170px
• Cover photo : 851px x 315px

4. Add an action button.

An action button is a custom call-to-action (CTA) that appears below your cover photo. You can set it to direct visitors to a landing page, book an appointment, or contact you directly (and more).

A thoughtfully selected action button can help drive conversion from your Facebook Business Page. Check out the video above or the steps below to learn how to add one:

• From your Page, click the button with a dash, then click Add Page Button .
• Select a button from the list of options, then click Next .
• Follow the instructions on the screen and click Save.

5. Put on the finishing touches.

At this point, you’re almost done creating your business page and ready to start churning out engaging posts. However, there are a few final touches we recommend taking advantage of.

Customize your tabs

• To manage tabs, navigate to your page management dashboard and select More > Manage Sections .
• Choose the most relevant tabs to display on your Facebook page, depending on your industry.
• For example, you can choose to hide or show reviews or hide tabs such as “Music,” “Sports,” and “Check-ins,” which may not be necessary for a business page.

Create a custom URL

• A custom URL will make your Facebook page appear much more legitimate. Your customers would rather see facebook.com/yourbusiness than facebook.com/page18376657 when they visit your page.
• Set your custom URL by navigating to General Page Settings and clicking Edit next to Username.
• Choose a post you want to remain at the top of your page and pin it. It can be an exclusive offer, a new product announcement, or a welcome message to new visitors.
• Pin a post by clicking the pin icon on the post you want to pin.

If you’ve followed the above steps, you’re ready to hit the ground running and cultivate an engaging Facebook Business Page that resonates with your audience and drives sales.

However, the work doesn’t stop there. You need to keep the ball rolling by posting regularly. If you’re unsure where to start, check out our 41 Facebook Post Ideas for Businesses guide.

15 Tips for an Engaging Facebook Business Page

So you’ve got your Facebook Business Page up and running, but what now? We have some tips to help you get the most out of your page. Check out 15 tips for an engaging Facebook Business Page below.

1. Create engaging graphics.

Image Source

Your business page should be clean, stylish, and consistent with your brand style guide. However, that doesn't mean you need a full-time designer to churn out those assets.

Use tools like Canva to easily create custom graphics for your posts, cover photos, and profile pics using Canva’s templates and free design assets. Canva features templates for every type of social media post you can imagine, so you never have to worry about choosing the correct dimensions.

2. Assign page roles.

It takes a village to manage a Facebook Business Page. That’s what they say, right?

If you work with a team, take advantage of page roles to assign users different access levels to your page so your team can help out without stepping on one another’s toes.

As the page creator, you’ll be the admin, meaning you have full access to everything about your page. As the admin, you can create new admins and users with other access levels. Page roles include:

3. Integrate your YouTube channel.

People love watching videos on social media, and that includes your customers. If you have a YouTube channel ( which we recommend ) you can integrate it directly into your Facebook page by following the steps in the video above.

Linking your YouTube to your Facebook page allows you to easily share your YouTube video content with your followers on Facebook for maximal engagement.

4. Post consistently.

Consistency is key when it comes to posting on Facebook (and social media in general). Make the most of your Facebook page by adhering to a consistent posting schedule .

For B2B brands, we recommend 4-6 times a week, while every day is optimal for B2C brands. Consistently posting will improve your standing in the eyes of Facebook’s algorithm, getting your posts in front of more customers for increased engagement.

5. Promote your page.

For a few dollars, you can use Facebook’s advertising tools to run ads on the platform promoting your page and get it in front of new eyeballs.

Click the Promote button on your page, and Facebook will guide you in creating an ad that matches your goals.

Choose your goal, plug in your assets, and you’re off to the races!

6. Go Live.

You can use Facebook Live to engage with your audience in real time by broadcasting live video directly from your Facebook Business Page. When going live from your page, prioritize building an authentic connection with your audience and bolstering your brand story.

You can run a Q&A session, introduce team members, tour your facilities, or run a live giveaway contest. The sky’s the limit! Get creative and go live with a specific goal to enhance your customer engagement.

7. Experiment with different post formats.

Facebook offers a plethora of post formats beyond just photos and videos. You can share polls, stories, live videos, events, links, and questions.

Video is still the dominant post format, but experiment with all post types and see what resonates most with your audience. Facebook will reward you for thoroughly using all its tools by serving your posts to more people.

8. Collaborate with influencers.

Influencer marketing is an essential part of today’s social media landscape.

Of Gen Z and Millennials, 72% follow influencers on social media, so collaborating with word-of-mouth mavens is a safe bet for driving traffic to your Facebook page by introducing your company to a new audience.

When working with influencers, the key is to create relatable content and integrate branding subtly in order to foster an authentic connection with people interacting with your brand.

9. Post when your customers are online.

We know that posting consistently is important, but the time of day you post is also essential. On average, the best times to post on Facebook across industries are in the evening and mid-to-late afternoon, specifically between 6-9 p.m. and 12-3 p.m.

You want to avoid times when customers are less likely to be online, such as early morning and late night hours.

That being said, you should view your Facebook Page Insights to learn valuable information about how people engage with your page.

Using this data, you can make informed decisions on when to post based on when your customers are typically online and engaged with your page.

10. Optimize your videos to play without sound.

When was the last time you were browsing Facebook and clicked on a video to expand it and hear the audio? Probably not recently, and definitely not when you’re in a public space like the train or waiting in line for lunch.

86% of Facebook videos are viewed without sound, so when creating video content for your page, optimize it for silent playback by using text, subtitles, and strong, descriptive visuals that get the point of your content across without relying on audio.

Check out our guide on optimizing silent videos on Facebook .

11. Incorporate user-generated content.

When someone tags your page or product in a post, you can send them a request to feature their content on your page. This is referred to as User-Generated Content (UGC) .

UGC helps foster a sense of authenticity and social proof. Showing customers that other people are enjoying your business makes them want to enjoy it too.

You don’t just have to sit around and wait for people to post about your product, though. Try incentivizing your customers to generate UGC by offering discounts or running a giveaway, for example.

12. Engage with your audience.

If you want your customers to engage with your Facebook page, encourage them to do so by engaging with them right back. When your customers leave comments on your posts, be sure to reply from your business account and be as friendly and helpful as possible.

Maybe you show gratitude and thank customers for enjoying your product or offer technical support from the comments. In any case, engaging with your customers is key is fostering a sense of loyalty and community on your Facebook Business Page.

13. Analyze Page Insights.

Facebook Insights is an analytics dashboard where you can track user behavior and post performance on your Facebook Business Page.

Take advantage of this dashboard to measure your success and determine areas of your page that need some TLC. If you consistently leverage the data in Page Insights, you can create better content and generate more revenue for your brand.

14. Connect your Instagram.

Only 0.1% of Instagram users are unique to the platform, meaning most Instagram users are on Facebook as well.

If you have an Instagram for your business, we recommend connecting it to your Facebook Business Page so you can crosspost your pics and stories from IG directly to Facebook. Doing so ensures consistent content across your platforms and gives your audience more opportunities to connect with you.

15. Share content related to your industry.

Your Facebook Business Page isn’t just a place to talk about how amazing your product or service is. Give customers a reason to consistently check on your page by sharing relevant articles, amplifying content from other brands, and starting discussions on events related to your industry.

Make sure the content you share comes from a trusted source, and encourage engagement by asking your customers what they think.

Kickoff Your Facebook Business Page Today

With these steps and tips in hand, you’re well on your way to creating a successful, engaging Facebook Business Page for your brand.

Once you have the foundation laid, don’t forget to keep up with consistent posts and respond to follower comments. Increase your customer engagement today with a compelling presence on Facebook.

Don't forget to share this post!

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Business Plan Template for Facebook

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Looking to build the next big thing in social media? Planning your own Facebook-like platform requires a solid business plan that outlines your vision, target market, and growth strategy. ClickUp's Business Plan Template for Facebook is here to help you create a comprehensive roadmap for your venture!

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Don't leave your social media dreams to chance. Use ClickUp's Business Plan Template for Facebook and turn your vision into a successful reality!

Business Plan Template for Facebook Benefits

A business plan template for Facebook can provide entrepreneurs and startup founders with a wide range of benefits, including:

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• Target market analysis: Conducting a thorough analysis of your target market helps you understand your audience's needs, preferences, and behaviors, allowing you to tailor your platform to meet their specific requirements.
• Effective marketing strategies: Developing effective marketing strategies enables you to attract and engage users, increase brand awareness, and drive user acquisition and retention.
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Main Elements of Facebook Business Plan Template

Planning your Facebook business venture has never been easier with ClickUp's Business Plan Template for Facebook. Here are the key elements included in this template:

• Custom Statuses: Track progress with statuses like Complete, In Progress, Needs Revision, and To Do, ensuring that each section of your business plan is accounted for and easily managed.
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With ClickUp's Business Plan Template for Facebook, you'll have all the tools you need to create a comprehensive and effective roadmap for your social media platform or online community.

How To Use Business Plan Template for Facebook

If you're looking to create a business plan specifically for Facebook, here are four steps to help you get started:

1. Define your business objectives

Before diving into the details, it's important to clearly define your business objectives for using Facebook. Are you looking to increase brand awareness, drive traffic to your website, generate leads, or boost sales? Knowing your objectives will shape your overall strategy and help you create targeted Facebook campaigns.

Use Goals in ClickUp to define and track your business objectives for using Facebook.

2. Identify your target audience

Next, identify your target audience on Facebook. Who are your ideal customers and what demographics, interests, and behaviors do they have? Understanding your target audience will allow you to tailor your content, messaging, and ad campaigns to reach the right people and maximize your results.

Utilize custom fields in ClickUp to capture and analyze data about your target audience.

3. Plan your content strategy

Develop a content strategy for your Facebook business plan. Determine what types of content you will create, how often you will post, and what topics or themes you will focus on. Your content should align with your business objectives and resonate with your target audience. Consider using a mix of text posts, images, videos, and other engaging formats.

Use the Board view in ClickUp to visually plan and organize your content strategy.

4. Set a budget and schedule

Lastly, determine your budget and schedule for your Facebook campaigns. How much are you willing to spend on advertising and promoting your content? Allocate your budget across different campaigns and track the performance of each to optimize your spending. Additionally, create a schedule for when your posts and ads will go live to ensure consistency and maximize your reach.

Use the Calendar view in ClickUp to schedule and manage your Facebook campaigns and content calendar.

By following these steps and using ClickUp's features, you can create a comprehensive business plan for Facebook that will help you achieve your marketing goals and drive success for your business.

Get Started with ClickUp’s Business Plan Template for Facebook

Entrepreneurs and startup founders looking to launch their own social media platform or develop a similar online community can use the Business Plan Template for Facebook in ClickUp to outline their vision, target market, marketing strategies, revenue streams, and growth plans.

Here are the steps to get started:

Hit “Add Template” to sign up for ClickUp and add the template to your Workspace. Make sure you designate which Space or location in your Workspace you’d like this template applied.

Next, invite relevant members or guests to your Workspace to start collaborating.

Now you can take advantage of the full potential of this template to create a comprehensive business plan:

• Use the Topics View to brainstorm and organize your ideas and sections of your business plan
• The Status View will help you keep track of the progress of each section, whether it's complete, in progress, needs revision, or still to do
• The Timeline View will give you a visual representation of your business plan's milestones and deadlines
• The Business Plan View will provide you with a comprehensive overview of your entire plan, including all sections and details
• The Getting Started Guide View will provide you with a step-by-step guide on how to complete each section of your business plan

Customize the template by adding the custom fields Reference, Approved, and Section to track additional information and progress.

Update the statuses of each section as you work through them to keep everyone informed of progress.

Monitor and analyze your business plan to ensure it aligns with your goals and objectives.

By using the Business Plan Template for Facebook in ClickUp, you can streamline your planning process and create a solid roadmap for your social media platform or online community.

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How to Write a Business Plan for a Small Business

Noah Parsons

24 min. read

Updated September 2, 2024

Writing a business plan doesn’t have to be complicated. 

In this step-by-step guide, you’ll learn how to write a business plan that’s detailed enough to impress bankers and potential investors, while giving you the tools to start, run, and grow a successful business.

• The basics of writing a business plan

If you’re reading this guide, then you already know why you need a business plan . 

You understand that writing a business plan helps you: 

• Raise money
• Grow strategically
• Keep your business on the right track 

As you start to write your business plan, it’s useful to zoom out and remember what a business plan is .

At its core, a business plan is an overview of the products and services you sell, and the customers that you sell to. It explains your business strategy: how you’re going to build and grow your business, what your marketing strategy is, and who your competitors are.

Most business plans also include financial forecasts for the future. These set sales goals, budget for expenses, and predict profits and cash flow. 

A good business plan is much more than just a document that you write once and forget about. It’s also a guide that helps you outline and achieve your goals. 

After writing your business plan, you can use it as a management tool to track your progress toward your goals. Updating and adjusting your forecasts and budgets as you go is one of the most important steps you can take to run a healthier, smarter business. 

We’ll dive into how to use your plan later in this article.

There are many different types of plans , but we’ll go over the most common type here, which includes everything you need for an investor-ready plan. However, if you’re just starting out and are looking for something simpler—I recommend starting with a one-page business plan . It’s faster and easier to create. 

It’s also the perfect place to start if you’re just figuring out your idea, or need a simple strategic plan to use inside your business.

Dig deeper : How to write a one-page business plan

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• What to include in your business plan

Executive summary

The executive summary is an overview of your business and your plans. It comes first in your plan and is ideally just one to two pages. Most people write it last because it’s a summary of the complete business plan.

Ideally, the executive summary can act as a stand-alone document that covers the highlights of your detailed plan. 

In fact, it’s common for investors to ask only for the executive summary when evaluating your business. If they like what they see in the executive summary, they’ll often follow up with a request for a complete plan, a pitch presentation , or more in-depth financial forecasts .

Your executive summary should include:

• A summary of the problem you are solving
• A description of your product or service
• An overview of your target market
• A brief description of your team
• A summary of your financials
• Your funding requirements (if you are raising money)

Dig Deeper: How to write an effective executive summary

Products and services description

When writing a business plan, the produces and services section is where you describe exactly what you’re selling, and how it solves a problem for your target market. The best way to organize this part of your plan is to start by describing the problem that exists for your customers. After that, you can describe how you plan to solve that problem with your product or service. 

This is usually called a problem and solution statement .

To truly showcase the value of your products and services, you need to craft a compelling narrative around your offerings. How will your product or service transform your customers’ lives or jobs? A strong narrative will draw in your readers.

This is also the part of the business plan to discuss any competitive advantages you may have, like specific intellectual property or patents that protect your product. If you have any initial sales, contracts, or other evidence that your product or service is likely to sell, include that information as well. It will show that your idea has traction , which can help convince readers that your plan has a high chance of success.

Market analysis

Your target market is a description of the type of people that you plan to sell to. You might even have multiple target markets, depending on your business. 

A market analysis is the part of your plan where you bring together all of the information you know about your target market. Basically, it’s a thorough description of who your customers are and why they need what you’re selling. You’ll also include information about the growth of your market and your industry .

Try to be as specific as possible when you describe your market. 

Include information such as age, income level, and location—these are what’s called “demographics.” If you can, also describe your market’s interests and habits as they relate to your business—these are “psychographics.” 

Related: Target market examples

Essentially, you want to include any knowledge you have about your customers that is relevant to how your product or service is right for them. With a solid target market, it will be easier to create a sales and marketing plan that will reach your customers. That’s because you know who they are, what they like to do, and the best ways to reach them.

Next, provide any additional information you have about your market. 

What is the size of your market ? Is the market growing or shrinking? Ideally, you’ll want to demonstrate that your market is growing over time, and also explain how your business is positioned to take advantage of any expected changes in your industry.

Dig Deeper: Learn how to write a market analysis

Competitive analysis

Part of defining your business opportunity is determining what your competitive advantage is. To do this effectively, you need to know as much about your competitors as your target customers. 

Every business has some form of competition. If you don’t think you have competitors, then explore what alternatives there are in the market for your product or service. 

For example: In the early years of cars, their main competition was horses. For social media, the early competition was reading books, watching TV, and talking on the phone.

A good competitive analysis fully lays out the competitive landscape and then explains how your business is different. Maybe your products are better made, or cheaper, or your customer service is superior. Maybe your competitive advantage is your location – a wide variety of factors can ultimately give you an advantage.

Dig Deeper: How to write a competitive analysis for your business plan

Marketing and sales plan

The marketing and sales plan covers how you will position your product or service in the market, the marketing channels and messaging you will use, and your sales tactics. 

The best place to start with a marketing plan is with a positioning statement . 

This explains how your business fits into the overall market, and how you will explain the advantages of your product or service to customers. You’ll use the information from your competitive analysis to help you with your positioning. 

For example: You might position your company as the premium, most expensive but the highest quality option in the market. Or your positioning might focus on being locally owned and that shoppers support the local economy by buying your products.

Once you understand your positioning, you’ll bring this together with the information about your target market to create your marketing strategy . 

This is how you plan to communicate your message to potential customers. Depending on who your customers are and how they purchase products like yours, you might use many different strategies, from social media advertising to creating a podcast. Your marketing plan is all about how your customers discover who you are and why they should consider your products and services. 

While your marketing plan is about reaching your customers—your sales plan will describe the actual sales process once a customer has decided that they’re interested in what you have to offer. 

If your business requires salespeople and a long sales process, describe that in this section. If your customers can “self-serve” and just make purchases quickly on your website, describe that process. 

A good sales plan picks up where your marketing plan leaves off. The marketing plan brings customers in the door and the sales plan is how you close the deal.

Together, these specific plans paint a picture of how you will connect with your target audience, and how you will turn them into paying customers.

Dig deeper: What to include in your sales and marketing plan

Business operations

When writing a business plan, the operations section describes the necessary requirements for your business to run smoothly. It’s where you talk about how your business works and what day-to-day operations look like. 

Depending on how your business is structured, your operations plan may include elements of the business like:

• Supply chain management
• Manufacturing processes
• Equipment and technology
• Distribution

Some businesses distribute their products and reach their customers through large retailers like Amazon.com, Walmart, Target, and grocery store chains. 

These businesses should review how this part of their business works. The plan should discuss the logistics and costs of getting products onto store shelves and any potential hurdles the business may have to overcome.

If your business is much simpler than this, that’s OK. This section of your business plan can be either extremely short or more detailed, depending on the type of business you are building.

For businesses selling services, such as physical therapy or online software, you can use this section to describe the technology you’ll leverage, what goes into your service, and who you will partner with to deliver your services.

Dig Deeper: Learn how to write the operations chapter of your plan

Key milestones and metrics

Although it’s not required to complete your business plan, mapping out key business milestones and the metrics can be incredibly useful for measuring your success.

Good milestones clearly lay out the parameters of the task and set expectations for their execution. You’ll want to include:

• A description of each task
• The proposed due date
• Who is responsible for each task

If you have a budget, you can include projected costs to hit each milestone. You don’t need extensive project planning in this section—just list key milestones you want to hit and when you plan to hit them. This is your overall business roadmap. 

Possible milestones might be:

• Website launch date
• Store or office opening date
• First significant sales
• Break even date
• Business licenses and approvals

You should also discuss the key numbers you will track to determine your success. Some common metrics worth tracking include:

• Conversion rates
• Customer acquisition costs
• Profit per customer
• Repeat purchases

It’s perfectly fine to start with just a few metrics and grow the number you are tracking over time. You also may find that some metrics simply aren’t relevant to your business and can narrow down what you’re tracking.

Dig Deeper: How to use milestones in your business plan

Organization and management team

Investors don’t just look for great ideas—they want to find great teams. Use this chapter to describe your current team and who you need to hire . You should also provide a quick overview of your location and history if you’re already up and running.

Briefly highlight the relevant experiences of each key team member in the company. It’s important to make the case for why yours is the right team to turn an idea into a reality. 

Do they have the right industry experience and background? Have members of the team had entrepreneurial successes before? 

If you still need to hire key team members, that’s OK. Just note those gaps in this section.

Your company overview should also include a summary of your company’s current business structure . The most common business structures include:

• Sole proprietor
• Partnership

Be sure to provide an overview of how the business is owned as well. Does each business partner own an equal portion of the business? How is ownership divided? 

Potential lenders and investors will want to know the structure of the business before they will consider a loan or investment.

Dig Deeper: How to write about your company structure and team

Financial plan

The last section of your business plan is your financial plan and forecasts. 

Entrepreneurs often find this section the most daunting. But, business financials for most startups are less complicated than you think, and a business degree is certainly not required to build a solid financial forecast. 

A typical financial forecast in a business plan includes the following:

• Sales forecast : An estimate of the sales expected over a given period. You’ll break down your forecast into the key revenue streams that you expect to have.
• Expense budget : Your planned spending such as personnel costs , marketing expenses, and taxes.
• Profit & Loss : Brings together your sales and expenses and helps you calculate planned profits.
• Cash Flow : Shows how cash moves into and out of your business. It can predict how much cash you’ll have on hand at any given point in the future.
• Balance Sheet : A list of the assets, liabilities, and equity in your company. In short, it provides an overview of the financial health of your business. 

A strong business plan will include a description of assumptions about the future, and potential risks that could impact the financial plan. Including those will be especially important if you’re writing a business plan to pursue a loan or other investment.

Dig Deeper: How to create financial forecasts and budgets

This is the place for additional data, charts, or other information that supports your plan.

Including an appendix can significantly enhance the credibility of your plan by showing readers that you’ve thoroughly considered the details of your business idea, and are backing your ideas up with solid data.

Just remember that the information in the appendix is meant to be supplementary. Your business plan should stand on its own, even if the reader skips this section.

Dig Deeper : What to include in your business plan appendix

Optional: Business plan cover page

Adding a business plan cover page can make your plan, and by extension your business, seem more professional in the eyes of potential investors, lenders, and partners. It serves as the introduction to your document and provides necessary contact information for stakeholders to reference.

Your cover page should be simple and include:

• Company logo
• Business name
• Value proposition (optional)
• Business plan title
• Completion and/or update date
• Address and contact information
• Confidentiality statement

Just remember, the cover page is optional. If you decide to include it, keep it very simple and only spend a short amount of time putting it together.

Dig Deeper: How to create a business plan cover page

How to use AI to help write your business plan

Generative AI tools such as ChatGPT can speed up the business plan writing process and help you think through concepts like market segmentation and competition. These tools are especially useful for taking ideas that you provide and converting them into polished text for your business plan.

The best way to use AI to write a business plan is to leverage it as a collaborator , not a replacement for human creative thinking and ingenuity. 

AI can come up with lots of ideas and act as a brainstorming partner. It’s up to you to filter through those ideas and figure out which ones are realistic enough to resonate with your customers. 

There are pros and cons of using AI to help with your business plan . So, spend some time understanding how it can be most helpful before just outsourcing the job to AI.

Learn more: 10 AI prompts you need to write a business plan

• Writing tips and strategies

To help streamline the business plan writing process, here are a few tips and key questions to answer to make sure you get the most out of your plan and avoid common mistakes .  

Determine why you are writing a business plan

Knowing why you are writing a business plan will determine your approach to your planning project. 

For example: If you are writing a business plan for yourself, or just to use inside your own business , you can probably skip the section about your team and organizational structure. 

If you’re raising money, you’ll want to spend more time explaining why you’re looking to raise the funds and exactly how you will use them.

Regardless of how you intend to use your business plan , think about why you are writing and what you’re trying to get out of the process before you begin.

Keep things concise

Probably the most important tip is to keep your business plan short and simple. There are no prizes for long business plans . The longer your plan is, the less likely people are to read it. 

So focus on trimming things down to the essentials your readers need to know. Skip the extended, wordy descriptions and instead focus on creating a plan that is easy to read —using bullets and short sentences whenever possible.

Have someone review your business plan

Writing a business plan in a vacuum is never a good idea. Sometimes it’s helpful to zoom out and check if your plan makes sense to someone else. You also want to make sure that it’s easy to read and understand.

Don’t wait until your plan is “done” to get a second look. Start sharing your plan early, and find out from readers what questions your plan leaves unanswered. This early review cycle will help you spot shortcomings in your plan and address them quickly, rather than finding out about them right before you present your plan to a lender or investor.

If you need a more detailed review, you may want to explore hiring a professional plan writer to thoroughly examine it.

Use a free business plan template and business plan examples to get started

Knowing what information to include in a business plan is sometimes not quite enough. If you’re struggling to get started or need additional guidance, it may be worth using a business plan template. 

There are plenty of great options available (we’ve rounded up our 8 favorites to streamline your search).

But, if you’re looking for a free downloadable business plan template , you can get one right now; download the template used by more than 1 million businesses. 

Or, if you just want to see what a completed business plan looks like, check out our library of over 550 free business plan examples . 

We even have a growing list of industry business planning guides with tips for what to focus on depending on your business type.

Common pitfalls and how to avoid them

It’s easy to make mistakes when you’re writing your business plan. Some entrepreneurs get sucked into the writing and research process, and don’t focus enough on actually getting their business started. 

Here are a few common mistakes and how to avoid them:

Not talking to your customers : This is one of the most common mistakes. It’s easy to assume that your product or service is something that people want. Before you invest too much in your business and too much in the planning process, make sure you talk to your prospective customers and have a good understanding of their needs.

• Overly optimistic sales and profit forecasts: By nature, entrepreneurs are optimistic about the future. But it’s good to temper that optimism a little when you’re planning, and make sure your forecasts are grounded in reality. 
• Spending too much time planning: Yes, planning is crucial. But you also need to get out and talk to customers, build prototypes of your product and figure out if there’s a market for your idea. Make sure to balance planning with building.
• Not revising the plan: Planning is useful, but nothing ever goes exactly as planned. As you learn more about what’s working and what’s not—revise your plan, your budgets, and your revenue forecast. Doing so will provide a more realistic picture of where your business is going, and what your financial needs will be moving forward.
• Not using the plan to manage your business: A good business plan is a management tool. Don’t just write it and put it on the shelf to collect dust – use it to track your progress and help you reach your goals.
• Presenting your business plan

The planning process forces you to think through every aspect of your business and answer questions that you may not have thought of. That’s the real benefit of writing a business plan – the knowledge you gain about your business that you may not have been able to discover otherwise.

With all of this knowledge, you’re well prepared to convert your business plan into a pitch presentation to present your ideas. 

A pitch presentation is a summary of your plan, just hitting the highlights and key points. It’s the best way to present your business plan to investors and team members.

Dig Deeper: Learn what key slides should be included in your pitch deck

Use your business plan to manage your business

One of the biggest benefits of planning is that it gives you a tool to manage your business better. With a revenue forecast, expense budget, and projected cash flow, you know your targets and where you are headed.

And yet, nothing ever goes exactly as planned – it’s the nature of business.

That’s where using your plan as a management tool comes in. The key to leveraging it for your business is to review it periodically and compare your forecasts and projections to your actual results.

Start by setting up a regular time to review the plan – a monthly review is a good starting point. During this review, answer questions like:

• Did you meet your sales goals?
• Is spending following your budget?
• Has anything gone differently than what you expected?

Now that you see whether you’re meeting your goals or are off track, you can make adjustments and set new targets. 

Maybe you’re exceeding your sales goals and should set new, more aggressive goals. In that case, maybe you should also explore more spending or hiring more employees. 

Or maybe expenses are rising faster than you projected. If that’s the case, you would need to look at where you can cut costs.

A plan, and a method for comparing your plan to your actual results , is the tool you need to steer your business toward success.

Learn More: How to run a regular plan review

How to write a business plan FAQ

What is a business plan?

A document that describes your business , the products and services you sell, and the customers that you sell to. It explains your business strategy, how you’re going to build and grow your business, what your marketing strategy is, and who your competitors are.

What are the benefits of writing a business plan?

A business plan helps you understand where you want to go with your business and what it will take to get there. It reduces your overall risk, helps you uncover your business’s potential, attracts investors, and identifies areas for growth.

Writing a business plan ultimately makes you more confident as a business owner and more likely to succeed for a longer period of time.

What are the 7 steps of writing a business plan?

The seven steps to writing a business plan include:

• Write a brief executive summary
• Describe your products and services.
• Conduct market research and compile data into a cohesive market analysis.
• Describe your marketing and sales strategy.
• Outline your organizational structure and management team.
• Develop financial projections for sales, revenue, and cash flow.
• Add any additional documents to your appendix.

What are the 5 most common business plan mistakes?

There are plenty of mistakes that can be made when writing a business plan. However, these are the 5 most common that you should do your best to avoid:

• 1. Not taking the planning process seriously.
• Having unrealistic financial projections or incomplete financial information.
• Inconsistent information or simple mistakes.
• Failing to establish a sound business model.
• Not having a defined purpose for your business plan.

What questions should be answered in a business plan?

Writing a business plan is all about asking yourself questions about your business and being able to answer them through the planning process. You’ll likely be asking dozens and dozens of questions for each section of your plan.

However, these are the key questions you should ask and answer with your business plan:

• How will your business make money?
• Is there a need for your product or service?
• Who are your customers?
• How are you different from the competition?
• How will you reach your customers?
• How will you measure success?

How long should a business plan be?

The length of your business plan fully depends on what you intend to do with it. From the SBA and traditional lender point of view, a business plan needs to be whatever length necessary to fully explain your business. This means that you prove the viability of your business, show that you understand the market, and have a detailed strategy in place.

If you intend to use your business plan for internal management purposes, you don’t necessarily need a full 25-50 page business plan. Instead, you can start with a one-page plan to get all of the necessary information in place.

What are the different types of business plans?

While all business plans cover similar categories, the style and function fully depend on how you intend to use your plan. Here are a few common business plan types worth considering.

Traditional business plan: The tried-and-true traditional business plan is a formal document meant to be used when applying for funding or pitching to investors. This type of business plan follows the outline above and can be anywhere from 10-50 pages depending on the amount of detail included, the complexity of your business, and what you include in your appendix.

Business model canvas: The business model canvas is a one-page template designed to demystify the business planning process. It removes the need for a traditional, copy-heavy business plan, in favor of a single-page outline that can help you and outside parties better explore your business idea.

One-page business plan: This format is a simplified version of the traditional plan that focuses on the core aspects of your business. You’ll typically stick with bullet points and single sentences. It’s most useful for those exploring ideas, needing to validate their business model, or who need an internal plan to help them run and manage their business.

Lean Plan: The Lean Plan is less of a specific document type and more of a methodology. It takes the simplicity and styling of the one-page business plan and turns it into a process for you to continuously plan, test, review, refine, and take action based on performance. It’s faster, keeps your plan concise, and ensures that your plan is always up-to-date.

What’s the difference between a business plan and a strategic plan?

A business plan covers the “who” and “what” of your business. It explains what your business is doing right now and how it functions. The strategic plan explores long-term goals and explains “how” the business will get there. It encourages you to look more intently toward the future and how you will achieve your vision.

However, when approached correctly, your business plan can actually function as a strategic plan as well. If kept lean, you can define your business, outline strategic steps, and track ongoing operations all with a single plan.

Noah is the COO at Palo Alto Software, makers of the online business plan app LivePlan. He started his career at Yahoo! and then helped start the user review site Epinions.com. From there he started a software distribution business in the UK before coming to Palo Alto Software to run the marketing and product teams.

Table of Contents

• Use AI to help write your plan
• Common planning mistakes
• Manage with your business plan

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Boeing's turnaround plan is something any business can relate to: focus on the culture and the work

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Good morning! Are you a fan of the "John Wick" franchise? If so, you owe a big thank you to Eva Longoria. She provided $6 million in gap financing when the first movie ran out of money and was at risk of shutting down.

Our sale on a Business Insider subscription also kicks off today. Check out the details here .

In today's big story, Boeing's new CEO has big plans for the company's turnaround, including executives rolling up their sleeves .

What's on deck:

• Markets: Breaking down some theories about what's motivating the Trump "whale" in the betting markets.
• Tech: Tesla trounced Wall Street's Q3 earnings expectations .
• Business: McDonald's E. coli outbreak has a key difference from the one that plagued Chipotle in 2015 .

But first, let's get this flight back on track.

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The big story

Boeing's comeback pitch.

Boeing's new CEO is looking to navigate a turnaround that includes rethinking the aerospace giant's culture.

Boeing reported a $6.1 billion loss in the third quarter , the latest knock for a company that's faced constant setbacks this year, writes Business Insider's Pete Syme.

But new CEO Kelly Ortberg has some ideas for how to fix Boeing's "festering of issues." In a memo to employees, he detailed a four-part plan for how Boeing can regain its place as an "iconic company and aerospace leader," BI's Benjamin Zhang reports.

You might think a nearly $100 billion company that builds airplanes needs a specific solution. But at its core, Ortberg's plan is something any business can appreciate: focus on the culture and the work being done.

For Boeing that means putting executives on factory floors with the hope it will address safety, communication, and employee trust issues, writes BI's Taylor Rains.

Whether you're making sandwiches or 737s, having a front-row seat to how the work is being done often provides a better view of a company's inefficiencies than any boardroom can.

Of course, Boeing's problem's are slightly more complicated than perfecting a BLT.

Just a few days into 2024, a Boeing 737 Max suffered a blowout incident that tanked the company's stock and drew the attention of Congress. Since then, it has also been dealing with a costly strike and a struggling space program.

Plenty of business turnarounds include talking to those in the thick of it.

Starbucks' new CEO Brian Niccol, who is trying to stop the coffee chain's sales slide, is looking to baristas for help.

He mentioned fixing some of the biggest problems Starbucks' "green-apron partners" have flagged to executives, like devising a better way to manage mobile orders .

The effort to get direct feedback from the people doing the work is evident in Big Tech, too. The "year of efficiency" has become more of an era as tech giants like Meta and Amazon continue to flatten their organizations.

Those efforts have downsides, though. Tech giants' focus on the work has meant a steady stream of layoffs as they keep removing layers. The end result could have an impact on morale.

Top headlines

• Boeing workers reject the company's latest proposal , which included a 35% wage hike.
• WPP's former dealmaker is joining investment bank Canaccord Genuity — a sign advertising M&A could heat up .
• This staid software company is kicking butt in AI. The CEO explains how .
• The US is facing a drugstore graveyard as stores close. Filling the leftover spaces is the next challenge.
• The CEO of Perplexity said the AI-powered search engine isn't trying to replace the news .
• Americans are quitting their jobs at the lowest rate in years. It's making it harder to get raises and promotions .
• Life after Intel: After rounds of layoffs and buyouts, some Intel insiders are abandoning the corporate grind altogether .

3 things in markets

What's going on with the "whale" betting on a Trump win? Here are some theories. Someone has bet roughly $46 million on former President Donald Trump reclaiming the White House on Polymarket. Political and betting-market commentators have speculated it's either an influence campaign, a pump-and-dump scheme, or simply a bullish view on Trump's prospects next month .

2. Whether it's Trump or Harris, Steve Schwarzman isn't worried about a post-election recession. The billionaire Blackstone CEO has publicly backed the former president, but he doesn't see Vice President Kamala Harris winning as a recession risk. "The economy is pretty strong and both of the candidates keep mentioning a lot of stimulative policies ," Schwarzman said.

3. Apple stock dips on reports of dimming demand for the new iPhone. Apple stock dropped as much as 3% on Wednesday after analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of TF International Securities said Tim Cook's company cut orders by 10 million units. Kuo also saw "no evidence" AI features were boosting demand. Meanwhile, the production of the Vision Pro is reportedly in flux .

3 things in tech

Introducing AI's power players. Now in its second year, Business Insider's 2024 AI Power list maps out who wields real power in artificial intelligence and machine learning. This year's list honors people hoping to effect change and solve problems across the industry, from Groq CEO Jonathan Ross to Google DeepMind COO Lila Ibrahim.

2. Tesla did better than expected in Q3. The electric carmaker reported earnings per share of $0.62 — a big beat over analysts expectations of $0.51. It also announced the Cybertruck turned a profit , marking a major win for Elon Musk as he enters the electric pickup market. Analysts saw the latest numbers as a clear sign that Tesla shouldn't neglect its roots .

3. A ban on celebrity jet-tracking isn't a bad idea. But Meta still has some explaining to do. This week, the company suspended Threads accounts that shared flight data of figures like Taylor Swift and Donald Trump, citing safety concerns. That seems reasonable, but it doesn't explain why Meta chose to wait until now to apply the three-year-old recommendation.

3 things in business

• Millennials are making a massive financial mistake. If you came of age against a backdrop of two major crises, you might be left a little more risk-averse in your investments. But sitting on your cash will come back to bite you in the long run.
• McDonald's doesn't think its E. coli outbreak will be like Chipotle's in 2015. Execs said Chipotle's cases involved the handling and preparation of food while McDonald's outbreak was related to potentially contaminated ingredients from a supplier. But that hasn't stopped victims of the recent outbreak from getting ready to sue the Golden Arches .
• Hollywood's star is fading. Los Angeles is losing ground as the center of the film industry, as the high cost of living and labor drives entertainment jobs to other locales. New York isn't doing too well either — the country's No. 2 entertainment job market also saw its share of jobs dip. The industry's center of gravity appears to be shifting south .

What's happening today

• Southwest Airlines, Barclays, Capital One, and other companies report earnings.
• G20 finance ministers and central bank governors meet.

The Insider Today team: Dan DeFrancesco, deputy editor and anchor, in New York. Jordan Parker Erb, editor, in New York. Hallam Bullock, senior editor, in London. Milan Sehmbi, fellow, in London. Amanda Yen, fellow, in New York.

Watch: How tech layoffs could affect the economy

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