{"id":1405,"date":"2015-09-03T15:32:12","date_gmt":"2015-09-03T15:32:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.pmpazure.co.uk\/blog\/?p=1405"},"modified":"2015-11-13T20:20:07","modified_gmt":"2015-11-13T20:20:07","slug":"how-to-create-a-facebook-business-page-for-your-holiday-rental","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.promotemyplace.com\/blog\/how-to-create-a-facebook-business-page-for-your-holiday-rental","title":{"rendered":"How to Create a Facebook Business Page for Your Holiday Rental"},"content":{"rendered":"

Updated September 2015<\/em><\/p>\n

Social media is a great way to promote your holiday rental.<\/p>\n

It strengthens your online presence, builds trust, grows relationships, and facilitates word of mouth advertising.<\/p>\n

But before you jump right in, it\u2019s important to:<\/p>\n

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  1. Determine where your target market is primarily hanging out<\/li>\n
  2. Have a simple plan in place for how you will use social media to your advantage<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Facebook is an obvious choice for many.<\/p>\n

    It\u2019s visual \u2013 perfect for sharing beautiful photos of your holiday let. It\u2019s familiar \u2013 most people know how to use it, and what to expect.<\/p>\n

    But don\u2019t make the mistake of setting up a personal page. Set up a business page instead. Personal pages are not intended for business use. There are features on a business page that you don\u2019t have on a personal page which are geared to help market your business better.<\/p>\n

    How to create your Facebook Business Page<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Step 1:<\/strong> Setup a Facebook personal page<\/a>. You can\u2019t setup a business page without it. But don\u2019t worry \u2013 you don\u2019t actually have to use your personal page. It\u2019s just the means through which you can go on to create your business page.<\/p>\n

    Step 2:<\/strong> Once you\u2019ve setup your personal page, or if you already have one, click here<\/a> to get straight on with creating your business page.<\/p>\n

    The first step is to select the type of page you want to create.<\/p>\n

    And here is where we hit a bit of a grey area.<\/p>\n

    There doesn\u2019t seem to the perfect category for holiday rental owners. There are two main options to choose from:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Local Business or Place<\/strong><\/li>\n
    2. Company, Organisation or Institution<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      If you decide to create a Local Business or Place page, you will be able to choose a sub-category of Local Business<\/strong> or Property<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

      If you decide to create a Company, Organisation or Institution page, you will be able to choose a sub-category of Travel \/ Leisure<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

      There are pros and cons to each.<\/p>\n

      Ultimately what you decide to go with is up to you. Both categories offer different features. For example the Local Business or Place page allows you to add a Reviews<\/strong> section. The Company, Organisation or Institution page doesn\u2019t appear to do so.<\/p>\n

      But don\u2019t let this be a barrier to getting started, as you can change the category as many times as you like after setup.<\/p>\n

      Whichever one you decide to go with, complete the fields required and click the Get Started<\/strong> button.\"FB<\/a>Step 3:<\/strong> Setup your holiday rental page.<\/p>\n

      The setup wizard walks you through a few simple steps to complete your business page.<\/p>\n

      Don\u2019t rush through them.<\/p>\n

      Just like\u00a0your dedicated website, Facebook is another tool to help market your rental. So take some time to ensure the content promotes it well.<\/p>\n

      Make use of the sub-categories section (if applicable to the page type selected).<\/p>\n

      Start typing and if a sub-category is listed on Facebook, their clever system will auto-complete it for you. For example, Holiday home rental<\/strong>, Cottage<\/strong><\/p>\n

      Select any that are relevant.<\/p>\n

      Next create a short description. This can only be 155 characters, so make each word count.<\/p>\n

      For example: Stylish 3 Bedroom Cottage with Sea Views in idyllic Cornwall. Sleeps 6. Family-friendly beach. Plenty of activities nearby. Your home away from home.<\/em><\/p>\n

      You can then add a longer description once the page has been created within Page Settings<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

      And of course, add your website URL!<\/p>\n

      Choose a unique Facebook page URL. Facebook will provide you with a URL with a load of numbers at the end e.g. https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/pages\/Seaview-Cottage\/807492666032468<\/strong> – so change it to something relevant e.g.\u00a0https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/seaviewcottagesennencove<\/strong><\/p>\n

      You may find that the name you add to your Facebook web address has already been taken. In which case it may take a bit further thinking, and attempts, before you can continue.<\/p>\n

      You can<\/em> change your page URL later if you wish, but be warned, Facebook only allows you to change it once.<\/p>\n

      Over the next few steps you can add your profile picture (the main header image can be added once the page has been setup) and define your target market. The latter of which doesn\u2019t<\/em> mean that your page won\u2019t be visible to those who aren\u2019t technically within your target market. It\u2019s just a way for Facebook to help get it in front of those people who are<\/em>, more easily.<\/p>\n

      Step 4: <\/strong>Edit your Page Settings.<\/strong><\/p>\n

      Once your page has been setup, you should complete all<\/em> the sections on offer, so that it works as hard as it can from a marketing perspective.<\/p>\n

      From the main page you can:<\/p>\n