I have received a number of emails from clients asking the most effective way to leverage Facebook for Search. The answer …. Facebook has almost zero impact on the organic search engine optimization process, or websites search rankings.
Almost all of the content in FB is located behind a password protected log-in, preventing the search engines from ever finding and indexing it. The one exception is the public page you are allowed to develop.
The primary reason for creating a public profile is Branding. If someone searches for your brand or product name, you want the search results to be rich with positive content. The only way to accomplish this for most businesses is to create the information yourself. An easier way is to have your Social Media Marketing team do the work for you. Call us, and we can fill those shoes for you!
Here are the steps to creating a public page on Facebook if you are the DIY type:
Log-In to your FB account, and from the Home Page locate the Advertising link; Hint, look in the footer of the page. From the Advertising page click on “Pages” located on the top of the page. Now click the big green button that says “Create Page” and follow the instructions from there.
Short-Cut Method – go directly to http://www.facebook.com/pages/create.php and log-in to your account.
Items to Consider when you Create a Public Page on FaceBoook:
Content – Original (not copy and paste) text that sums up your business or mission.
Visual – Upload your logo, photos, and video via the FB interface.
Links – Make sure to add a link back to your sites – this is the one item that will help your SEO in a minor way.
Applications – There are dozens of FB applications that you can insert into your Page to make it more interesting and generate community traffic. Click on the “pencil” icon located just to the right of the Application menu. You can integrate your photos from Flickr, videos from YouTube, and Tweets from Twitter.
WAIT, You Must Publish – Your page may be done, but its not public yet. You must publish it. To publish your Facebook page click on the Advertising link again, now click on Pages, and select Manage your Existing Pages, (under the green Create Page button.) Now select the page you want to publish, and click “Edit Page.” Now in the Settings drop down menu change the Published Status to “Public.” Note, this is not the same “Settings” you will find at the top of your home page which makes changing your settings a difficult and frustrating adventure – Enjoy!
If there is an easier way to do this, let me know. I find the FB navigation to be clumsy, and very non-intuitive. Maybe its because I am over 40?
No I’m setting it up right now for my company and there’s like a 3 hour learning curve just to figure out what everything even is. Very frustrating.
Dennis – I feel your pain! Make sure the title you pick is exactly how you want it to appear, you can not change it later. This is a message I just got from FB,
“It’s not currently possible to edit the name of a Page. If you would like to change your Page name, you will need to delete your Page and recreate it. The Facebook team isn’t able to change Page names for you.
Is it still April 1??? Cuz I am feeling like a fool!
Anyone having trouble finding their allegedly “public” Facebook pages after publication? When I log in to my personal Facebook page, I can’t find Awdeeo’s anywhere, through any search. I’ve had friends and family do the same thing, to no avail. Facebook is, as you might imagine, predictably silent to my pleas for help.
This is a great article — just the right level of detail, for someone who wanted to know about “FaceBook Pages”, who started out knowing almost nothing about them, and after a quick read of this page … now I DO HAVE ONE. Thanks so much !!!
So I’m not the only 40+ have trouble with FB interface?
I hope it will be some customization alternatives for FB Pages like Twitter or YouTube channels already have. A great logo in the corner is not enough today. Thanks for the post.
I’m 31 and I think the interface sucks too.
It’s like they use Twitter to create instructions. 140 characters later, you’re outta luck. Their interface is horrible – especially when you add the “Fear Factor” of “once you do this, you can’t change it”.
Trying to view public page to no avail. any help – thanks
I like your informative post.
Thanks for sharing.
No luck making our facebook page searchable, if anyone has an answer please email me at trek444 at gmail dot com. Thanks.
Thanks for the information. I have had some sights suggest that facebook public page will increase you ranking quite a bit.
Can I RETROSPECTIVELY turn my page facebook.com/RockyHorrorAlfresco into a public page?
Hi Ben,
You have a “public” page already!
I have to disagree with you on Facebook not affecting organic search. Have you ever searched for yourself? Your Facebook page will come up. If you search Dove Soap Facebook it comes right up. If you search Dove Soap, it’s on page three. (Interestingly…lots of You Tube videos show up before it.) Google also has several patents that describe the incorporation of social media into their algorithms. But despite my disagreement there, you have a nice informative post – thank you
Man, I sure wish I could figure out how to make my page PUBLIC.
It’s…
Dan Levin > Objects of Curiosity
I read the above directions. Are you saying that without paying to advertise – you can make it PUBLIC?
~D
Hi fivekitten!
Wholeheartedly agree with you there. But when we are talking about SEO value we are talking more about being found for searches outside of your brand or personal name. Don’t get me wrong, populating your brand or personal name with your own “assets” is better than letting whatever else might show. We actually make that a priority goal for our clients – to dominate their own page as well as all the subjects they are about.
The instructions up here, could not use it. Either because Facebook navigation has changed in the meanwhile, or maybe because I did not understand it. One thing I agree on: Facebook navigation seems to me too as clumsy, and I am too over 40.