Kim Woodbridge

At the end of February, Facebook introduced the Timeline layout for personal profile pages. Now that the Timeline layout is set to roll out for Facebook business pages on March 30, it's important to prepare your brand for the changes.

The new presentation emphasizes chronological history, with the Timeline extending back to when the business first started using Facebook or back to the beginning of the business--well over 100 years for a company like Coca-Cola. The design also features a large cover-photo area, allowing for new, creative ways to show off your business visually.

Now that you've created a Facebook page for your business, you need to grow your fan base. Before getting started, however, know what your goals are. What do you want the fan page to accomplish for your business? Collecting a large number of fans is great, but you have to decide whether you're happy with exposure alone, or whether you want fans to become customers. Do you want your Facebook page to help you sell more products and services?

Also see: How to Make a Facebook Business Page]

If you own a small business, having a Facebook page lets you reach individuals among the 750 million or so users worldwide who are most likely to be interested in your company. Your interaction on the social network gives customers the sense that they know you and your business, which can increase loyalty and make them more likely to recommend your services.

On Facebook you can easily add features that are harder to implement on your website. You can build a custom page, run contests and promotions, and manage a small e-commerce shop. Plus, Facebook is free. Even if you pay for custom applications or a developer's services, it remains a form of advertising with a small price tag.