Often times when I am meeting with client about building their business online, Iʼll ask if they have a Facebook fan page. Most, do not. They find the process confusing and donʼt know where to start. Plus, its just one more thing to do on top of their long to-do list.

Why do you, as a small business or start-up need one? Check out these stats from Facebook:
-More than 500 million users
-50% of active users log on to Facebook on any given day
-Average user spends more than 55 minutes per day on Facebook

Think about this: your clients are not going to log onto your website everyday, but more than half of all users log on to Facebook in any given day. Thatʼs over 175 million people you could potentially reach with a daily status message. Plus, a Facebook page offers these advantages:

1. Visible to even those without a Facebook profile account. If you send a Twitter message or email with a link, anyone can view the page.

2. Indexed on Google. Meaning, if someone does an online search of your company, this is one more link that will come up.

3. Not sure who your target market is? Facebook fan pages can help you figure that out. Each page keeps statistics of who your followers are and who is participating. It will tell you if they are male or female, their age range, where they are located and what language they speak.

4. With a regular Facebook profile you are limited to 5,000 friends. With a Facebook Page the number of fans is unlimited. This might not be a huge thing if you are just starting out, but always plan for your growth.

5. You can further establish your brand. People do business with people they know, like and trust. Social media is all about building the trust over time and Facbook is a great way to do that.

If you’re not sure how, check out this video tutorial on how to create a Facebook Business page. Once you have build your Page, here are 21 Ways to Increase your Fan Base.