How to set up a Facebook business Page the right way

TL;DR: To set up a Facebook business Page, log in to your Facebook profile, go to Pages, select Create new Page, enter your business name and the category that best describes it, then add a bio, profile picture, cover photo, contact details, location and hours. Meta says the only Page feature that is not free is advertising. Keep full access in the business’s hands and give staff or agencies partial access through Meta Business Suite.

Key takeaways

• Anyone with a Facebook profile can create a Facebook business Page, according to Meta.
• Meta’s steps: go to Pages, select Create new Page, enter the Page name and category, then add a bio, profile picture and cover photo.
• Meta says the only feature of Pages that is not free is advertising; posts, Stories, the inbox, events, shops and insights are free.
• Give staff and agencies partial access through Meta Business Suite and keep full access with the business.
• DataReportal reported Facebook’s UK ad audience at 38.8 million people in late 2025.

Why does a local business need a Facebook business Page?

A Facebook business Page gives your business its own presence on Facebook, separate from your personal profile. Meta says a Page helps you manage your professional presence, build your brand or business, grow your audience and connect with followers. For local businesses, it is often where customers check opening times, events and recent photos.

Facebook still reaches a large UK audience. DataReportal’s Digital 2026 UK report, based on Meta’s advertising tools, put Facebook’s UK ad audience at 38.8 million people in late 2025, which measures who ads can reach rather than daily users. Many customers, especially older ones, still look for local businesses there.

This guide follows Meta’s own instructions for creating a Facebook Page and its page on free tools for business, checked on 15 October 2026. If you also use Instagram, see our guide to setting up an Instagram business account, which links to your Page.

How do you create a Facebook business Page?

Meta says you need a Facebook profile to create a Page. On a computer, log in, select Pages on the left, select Create new Page under Your Pages and profiles, enter the Page name, choose the category that best describes it, and select Create Page. Then add your bio, profile picture and cover photo.

On the Facebook app, Meta’s steps are:

1. Open the Facebook app and tap Menu.
2. Tap Pages, then Create.
3. Enter your Page name and tap Next.
4. Choose a category, searching or picking from popular ones, and tap Create.
5. Add your bio, contact information, location and hours.
6. Add a profile picture and cover photo.
7. Turn on Page notifications, then tap Done.

Use your exact business name, as it appears on your sign and Google Business Profile, and the most specific category Facebook offers. The Page is then separate from your personal profile, although your profile is used to manage it.

What should you fill in on your Page?

Fill in everything a customer might need: a short bio that says what you do and where, your phone number, email, website, address or service area, opening hours, and a profile picture and cover photo that are clear on a phone. Keep every detail identical to your website and Google Business Profile.

Section	What to put
Page name	Your business name exactly as on your sign
Category	The most specific option that describes your business
Bio	What you do and where, in one or two sentences
Contact	Phone, email and website
Location	Your address, or the areas you serve
Hours	Opening hours, including holiday hours when they change
Profile picture	Your logo, clear at small sizes
Cover photo	Your premises, team or best work

Consistency matters. Customers often check your Page, Google profile and website before they get in touch, and matching details build trust. Our guide to UK business directories explains why the same name, address and phone number should appear everywhere.

Which free Facebook tools should a local business use?

Meta says the only feature of Pages that is not free is advertising. The free tools most useful for a local business are posts, Stories, the inbox for messages and comments, events, the shop for products or services, and Insights to see how your Page performs. Groups can also help build a local community.

Meta’s free tools page describes each one:

• Posts. Pictures, videos, polls and milestones to engage customers.
• Stories. Short pictures and videos, similar to Instagram Stories, for behind-the-scenes content.
• Inbox. All your messages and comments in one place, including Instagram if connected.
• Events. Meta says followers who mark that they are interested get a reminder on the day.
• Shops. Share your products or services and simplify buying.
• Insights. Free access to audience data, engagement and actions people took on your Page.
• Groups. A space to talk with people who care about your products and services.

Meta notes that some features of its Appointments tool started going away in mid-July 2024, so for bookings, link to your own booking page instead.

How do you give staff or an agency access safely?

Keep full access with the business owner and give everyone else partial access. Meta says Pages in a business portfolio are managed from Meta Business Suite, where you can assign partial access for business tools only, partial access for business tools and Facebook, or full access, which can manage all Page settings.

Meta’s steps are: go to Meta Business Suite on a computer, select Settings, then under Profiles select Pages and choose your Page, select Assign people, choose the person, pick the access level and, for partial access with business tools only, the specific tasks they need, then select Assign. Meta says you must have full access to the Page or the business portfolio to give someone else access.

Give a social media manager or agency partial access, so they can post, reply and run ads without being able to remove you. Never share your personal Facebook login with anyone, and remove access when someone leaves. This keeps the Page in the business’s hands whatever happens.

What is the difference between a Page, a profile and a group?

A profile is for a person, a Page is for a business, and a group is a space for people to talk together. Use a Page for your business so customers can follow it, message it and see its details, and use your personal profile only to manage the Page. A group is optional and suits businesses that want a community, such as a running club or a regulars’ group.

Meta’s free tools page says you can join or create a group as a Page, which lets your business host a community without mixing it with your personal account. For most local businesses, the Page comes first; add a group later if customers want to talk to each other, not just to you.

How do you get your first followers?

Start with the people who already know you. Meta’s setup steps include inviting friends to build your Page audience. Then add the Page link to your website, email signature, receipts and Google Business Profile, put a QR code by the till, and ask happy customers to follow for updates and offers.

• Invite friends when you set up the Page, as Meta suggests.
• Link it everywhere: website footer, emails, invoices and your Instagram profile.
• Mention it in person: a small card or QR code at the counter.
• Post something useful first, so new followers see an active Page.
• Create an event for your next opening, offer or evening, which followers can share.

Growth is usually slow at first. Focus on posting regularly and replying quickly; a smaller, local following that books is worth more than a large one that does not.

How do you keep your Page secure?

Protect the Facebook account that manages your Page, because whoever controls it controls the Page. The National Cyber Security Centre lists social media accounts, including Facebook, among the important online accounts small businesses should secure, with passkeys where available or a strong, unique password and 2-step verification.

Make sure at least two trusted people have full access, so losing one login does not lock the business out, and remove access promptly when someone leaves. Be wary of messages claiming your Page will be disabled unless you click a link; log in to Facebook directly to check. Our website security checklist covers the other accounts behind your business.

What should you post on your Facebook Page?

Post what helps customers choose and visit: your products or services with real photos, what is on this week, events, offers, reviews and the people behind the business. Share the same posts you make on Instagram, and use events for anything with a date. Three to five posts a week is a realistic target for most local businesses.

Our guide to how often to post on social media explains the research behind that number, and our list of restaurant social media ideas works for many other local businesses too. Meta Business Suite lets you plan and schedule posts for Facebook and Instagram together.

Reply to every comment and message. The inbox brings Facebook and Instagram messages together, so one person can keep on top of both. Fast, friendly replies turn a question into a booking.

How do you write a good Page bio?

Keep the bio short and specific: what you do, where, and one thing that makes you different. Customers read it in a second, often on a phone, so lead with the facts. The same approach works for your Instagram bio and your Google Business Profile description, so write it once and adapt it.

Examples:

• Café: Independent café and bakery in Southsea. Bread and cakes baked here every morning. Dogs welcome.
• Salon: Hair and beauty salon in Fareham, specialising in colour and balayage. Book online any time.
• Plumber: Gas Safe plumbing and heating across Portsmouth and Havant. Free quotes, same-day callouts when we can.

Avoid slogans that say nothing, such as quality service you can trust, and avoid listing prices that will go out of date. Our guide to the Google Business Profile description has more examples you can adapt.

How do you keep the Page up to date?

Update the Page whenever something changes: opening hours, holiday closures, prices, menus, phone numbers or staff. Customers who see the wrong hours and find you closed rarely come back. Make it part of the same routine as updating your website and Google profile, so all three always match.

Set a reminder before bank holidays and seasonal changes to update the hours on every channel at once. Pin a post at the top of the Page for anything important, such as a new location or holiday opening times, and remove it when it is no longer needed.

How do you know if your Page is working?

Check your Page’s Insights once a month. Meta says Insights shows your Page overview, engagement and the actions people took on your Page. Look for the actions that matter to your business: messages, calls, website clicks and event responses, rather than likes alone.

Compare month by month, and note which posts led to messages or bookings. Ask new customers how they found you. If Facebook brings few customers, keep the Page accurate and active with shared posts, and put more effort into the channel that works best for you.

Should you advertise on Facebook?

Only once your Page is complete and active. Meta says advertising is the only Page feature that is not free; you set how much you want to spend and Meta aims to get as many results as possible for that amount. A small, targeted local campaign, such as an event or a seasonal offer, is a sensible first test.

Before spending, make sure the Page and the place the ad sends people, such as your booking page, are ready. If you plan to use a Meta pixel on your website to measure ads, remember that UK cookie rules require consent for advertising tracking; our guide to cookie consent explains why.

Common Facebook Page mistakes

The most common mistakes are running the business from a personal profile, an incomplete Page, details that do not match your website, one person holding the only full access, posting rarely, and leaving messages unanswered. Each is quick to fix.

• Using a personal profile for the business. Create a proper Page instead.
• Empty sections. Fill in the bio, contact details, location and hours.
• Mismatched details. Use the same name, address, phone and hours as your website and Google profile.
• Single point of failure. Make sure more than one trusted person, including the owner, has full access.
• Long silences. Post regularly, even if only by sharing your Instagram posts.
• Unanswered messages. Check the inbox every day.

Short on time? We film, edit and post for businesses across Hampshire. See social media management in Hampshire and the real posts we made for El Greco.

Frequently asked questions

Is a Facebook business Page free?

Yes. Meta says the only feature of Pages that is not free is advertising. Creating a Page, posting, messaging, events, shops and insights are free.

Do I need a personal Facebook profile to create a Page?

Yes. Meta says you must have a Facebook profile to create a Page. The Page is separate and public, and your profile is used to manage it.

How do I let my social media manager post on my Page?

Give them partial access through Meta Business Suite: select Settings, Pages, your Page, then Assign people, and choose the access level and tasks. Keep full access for the business owner.

Can customers book appointments through my Facebook Page?

Meta says some features of its Appointments tool started going away in mid-July 2024. Add a link to your own booking page to your Page and posts instead.

Should my Facebook Page and Instagram be connected?

Yes. Connecting them lets you manage messages and comments from both in one inbox and schedule posts to both in Meta Business Suite.

Should I use the same name on Facebook as on Google?

Yes. Use your exact business name on your Facebook Page, Google Business Profile, website and signage. Consistent details make it easier for customers to recognise you and trust that they have found the right business.

How often should I post on my Facebook Page?

Three to five posts a week is a realistic target for most local businesses, and sharing your Instagram posts to Facebook keeps the Page active with little extra work. Events and important updates are worth posting separately.

What should I do if someone leaves a bad comment?

Reply politely once, offer to sort it out by message or phone, and take the conversation private. Use the inbox to keep track, and never argue in public; other customers judge you by how you respond.

Want your Facebook Page set up and run for you?

A complete, active Facebook business Page helps local customers find you, check your details and get in touch. Our social media management plans set up your Page and Instagram properly, with the business keeping full access, and post for you every week.

Related reading: setting up WhatsApp Business for a small business and the UK rules for labelling influencer ads.

Buy online: the Bronze social media plan at £300 a month, the Silver plan at £500 a month and the Gold plan at £800 a month.