I’ve been asked by many people recently to describe what a Facebook fan page is. For this reason, I thought I would write a short explanation.

A fan page on Facebook is a miniature landing page or micro-site on Facebook that serves as a “home base” for your business or organization. It is different from a Facebook profile (which is designed for people). While your Facebook profile represents you as a person, your fan page represents your business or organization.

Fan pages contain information such as business contact information, website, hours, location, and other basic business information. A fan page is also a great platform for posting your blog articles, events, and photos.

Fan pages are also designed to collect Fans in the form of other Facebook users who have subscribed to updates from your fan page. This means that your fans will be notified of new updates to your fan page.

Fan pages also get indexed by Google, which is a great way to drive additional traffic to your business.

Fan pages are also great places to engage with your customers. Some companies carry on discussions with customers via their fan pages and embrace the transparency it provides. Customers who have an easy way to offer open feedback are happier and more satisfied.

A fan page is easy to set up and free. If your business does not maintain a Facebook fan page, consider setting one up and becoming active in posting information. It can be a great way to expand your brand presence.

To see an example, consider becoming a fan of SpinWeb’s fan page.

To set up a fan page, scroll to the bottom of any Facebook page and click on “Advertising”. Feel free to comment here with any questions.