Over 3 billion people around the world use Meta technologies on a monthly basis to build connections and discover things that matter to them. Businesses can use Meta technologies such as Facebook, Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp to grow, stay connected to customers, tell their stories and share updates about their products and services with their communities.
Facebook
People use Facebook to share what matters to them and discover what’s going on in the world. Facebook helps businesses make connections, accomplish their goals and tell their stories on devices with Facebook Pages, posts and more.
Messenger
Enables people and businesses to conveniently connect with one another
Instagram
A photo and video sharing app that allows people to get inspired, find and explore interests, share passions and create connections
WhatsApp
Helps businesses contact customers everywhere and build connections via texts, voice messages and video calls
Enable connections that matter
There are many actions businesses can take with Meta technologies to develop a presence online and enable connections that matter.
Develop a business presence
With Facebook Pages, businesses can add personalized information to help their customers find them. Businesses can share posts and Stories on a Facebook Page to stay in touch with their customers. To save time, they can use Meta Business Suite or Meta Creator Studio to manage and schedule posts.
Sell with shops
Businesses can create and use Shops as digital storefronts. With this free tool, they can add a store catalog, customize the look and feel of a shop and sell products.
Engage with online communities
Businesses can host events or create and join groups to engage with people online. To communicate with customers, businesses can use Messenger to send and receive direct messages.
Get noticed with ads
Businesses can use Ads Manager to develop advertising campaigns aligned with their business goals. They can create ads, set a budget and select ad placement options across Facebook, Messenger, Instagram and Meta Audience Network.
Establish platform presence
There are several ways you can use Meta technologies to establish a platform presence:
- Use a Facebook Page to establish a business’ online presence, build a
community and find new customers. - Create engaging experiences on and off Facebook with Facebook Stories, Reels, Live, Groups, Events and Fundraisers, and sell products and services with Shops, appointments and offers.
- Instagram Business accounts provide tools like Instagram Shopping, message organization and advertising options that can help businesses build a presence
on Instagram. - Use Meta Business Suite to manage a business presence on both Facebook and Instagram.
- Use the WhatsApp Business app to communicate more effectively, deepen relationships and build credibility with customers.
- Use Inbox or Messenger to help increase customer acquisition, facilitate transactions, raise awareness and provide customer service with tools like greetings, automated responses and away messages.
Facebook profile versus Page
- A profile is a place on Facebook where you can share information about yourself, such as your interests, photos, videos, current city and hometown.
- Pages are places on Facebook where artists, public figures, businesses, brands, organizations and nonprofits can connect with their fans or customers.
Create a Facebook Page
To create a Facebook Business Page, you must have a Facebook profile created first. Once your profile is established, you will need the following information to create a Business Page: Your business name, business category (services, retail, etc.), a profile picture, cover photo and a description of what your business does.
Instagram business account
Convert your personal profile to a business account to access features that can help you grow your business. With an Instagram business account, you’ll be able to access insights that can help you understand who is engaging with your business, track your performance, access and discover professional tools and explore educational information curated by Instagram.
Engage your audience on Instagram:
- With Instagram Posts, you can share single or multiple photos and videos. Posts appear in the feed and on the business’ Instagram profile. You can use posts to help people learn about the business’ products and services.
- Use Instagram Stories to share short, fullscreen, immersive content that disappears after 24 hours. You can use your story to show the authentic, human side of the business, like behind-the- scenes footage of the team at work.
- Use Reels on Instagram or Facebook to create multi-clip videos up to 60 seconds long that can be edited with music, audio clips, special effects and new creative tools. Reels is the place to get creative and entertain an audience.
- Broadcast long-form Live videos in an immersive, fullscreen format on Instagram. This is a great way to bring an event online, give customers something special to watch or collaborate with another account. Create or upload fullscreen videos up to an hour long.
WhatsApp Business App
To begin, download the WhatsApp Business App, create an account and set up a business profile. Once your profile is created, you will be able to connect with your customers, create seven catalogs to highlight your product and services and answer questions throughout their shopping experience.
Best practices
Create automated away messages, instant replies and greetings when communicating with customers directly via your WhatsApp Business Account.
- Greeting messages enable a business to introduce itself to people and can be sent automatically to customers who send messages. They can include a simple hello,
business hours, expected response times or anything else that can encourage a follow-up. - Quick replies enable a business to save and re-use frequently sent messages, so they can respond easily. Quick replies can also include rich media, such as GIFs, images and videos.
- Away messages automatically tell customers when a business is unavailable and when they can expect a response. You can set up an away message to specify when a business is not available and it will automatically be sent to everyone who messages the business during that time.
Messenger
Start conversations
There are several ways you can encourage customer conversations through Messenger. Each provides a unique way to connect with people and highlight your business.
- Facebook website plugins enable businesses to integrate the Messenger experience directly onto their websites; these include the Facebook Chat and send to Messenger.
- M.me links are unique URLs that are attached to your Facebook Page. When someone follows or scans them, they’ll open a Messenger conversation with your business.
- Create ads that click to Messenger to help increase brand awareness and reach new potential customers across Facebook and Instagram. Ads that include a “Send Message” button enable people to open conversations directly with your business and help generate leads, increase transactions, answer questions and offer support.
The value of advertising
You may already have a presence on Facebook and Instagram, but want to grow and reach new people who haven’t engaged with your business. You can create ads to increase brand awareness, encourage excitement around your brand and to get customers to purchase your products or services.
- There are two ways to advertise from your Facebook Page. You can boost a post, or create an ad using the Promote button. Doing this adds a Sponsored label to your post, identifying it as an ad.
- You can advertise on Instagram by promoting an Instagram post.
- Create ads via Meta Ads Manager, Meta Business Suite or Meta Creator Studio
Key takeaways
Businesses can use Meta technologies such as Facebook, Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp to grow and promote their business, stay connected to customers, tell their stories and share updates about their products and services with their communities.
