For Australian small businesses, a Facebook Business Page is often the first place a local customer looks to check your opening hours, read reviews, or see if you’re still active. It’s more than just a social profile; it’s a digital storefront that helps you appear in local search results and allows you to run targeted ads to people in your specific Brisbane suburb or region.
Prerequisites: What You’ll Need Before You Start
Before we dive in, make sure you have the following ready to go:- A Personal Facebook Account: You must have a personal profile to be the 'admin' of a business page. Don't worry, your personal information remains private.
- Business Name: The official name you want the public to see.
- Business Description: A short blurb (255 characters) about what you do.
- Images: A profile picture (360x360 pixels) and a cover photo (820x312 pixels).
- Contact Details: Your Australian phone number, website URL, and physical address (if applicable).
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Step 1: Access the Creation Suite
Log into your personal Facebook account. On the left-hand sidebar of your home feed, click on Pages. From there, click the + Create New Page button. What you should see: A split screen showing a form on the left and a live desktop/mobile preview of your new page on the right.Step 2: Enter Your Basic Info
Fill in your Page Name (use your trading name) and Category. You can choose up to three categories. Be specific—if you’re a plumber in Chermside, type 'Plumber' rather than just 'Home Services'.Add your Bio. This is a one-sentence elevator pitch. *Example: "Professional residential plumbing and gas fitting services serving the Greater Brisbane area since 2010."
Step 3: Provide Contact and Location Details
This is crucial for local SEO.- Website: Include your full URL (e.g., https://yourbusiness.com.au).
- Phone Number: Use the +61 international format for Australia.
- Address: If you have a physical shopfront, enter it here. If you are a service-area business (like a mobile dog groomer), you can sometimes leave this blank or just list the suburb, but having a full address helps you show up on Facebook Check-ins.
Step 4: Set Your Trading Hours
Select your operating hours. If you are a 24/7 service, mark it so. Otherwise, select 'Open during selected hours' and enter your Monday-Friday and weekend times. This prevents customers from messaging you at midnight expecting an immediate response.Step 5: Upload Your Visuals
Click the camera icons to upload your Profile Picture and Cover Photo.- Profile Picture: This should usually be your logo. Ensure it is centred, as it will be cropped into a circle.
- Cover Photo: Use this space to show your team, your shopfront, or a high-quality photo of your work. Avoid putting important text too close to the edges, as it gets cut off on mobile devices.
Step 6: Customise Your Action Button (CTA)
Click 'Edit Action Button'. This is the blue button that sits at the top of your page. For most Australian small businesses, 'Send Message', 'Call Now', or 'Book Now' (if you use a booking system) are the best options. This makes it incredibly easy for a lead to convert immediately.Step 7: Connect WhatsApp (Optional)
Facebook will prompt you to connect a WhatsApp Business account. If you use WhatsApp to communicate with clients, follow the prompts to link your number. If not, feel free to click 'Skip'.Step 8: Build Your Audience
Facebook will suggest inviting your friends to like the page.Pro Tip: Don't invite everyone. Invite people you know will actually engage with your content. High engagement from a small group is better for the Facebook algorithm than a large group of followers who ignore your posts.
Step 9: Configure Privacy and Notification Settings
Go to Settings (usually in the left-hand menu under 'Manage Page'). Under Privacy, ensure your 'Page Status' is set to 'Public'. Under Notifications, decide how often you want to be alerted. We recommend keeping 'New Message' notifications on so you never miss a lead.Step 10: Complete the 'About' Section
Navigate to the 'About' tab on your new page. Fill in the 'Price Range' and 'Services' sections. For Australian businesses, mentioning your ABN in the 'Additional Information' or 'Legal Info' section can add an extra layer of trust for savvy consumers.---
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using a Personal Profile for Business: Never create a 'fake' personal profile for your business (e.g., a profile named "Bobs Plumbing"). Facebook will eventually delete these, and you will lose all your data. Always use a Page.
- Ignoring the 'Username': Once your page is created, create a @username (URL slug). Instead of
facebook.com/Bobs-Plumbing-12345678, you wantfacebook.com/BobsPlumbingBrisbane. - Low-Quality Imagery: Pixelated photos make your business look unprofessional. If you don't have professional photos, use a free tool like Canva to create a clean cover image.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
- "The name is taken": If your business name is common, you might need to add your location (e.g., "Total Cleaners Brisbane").
- Can't see the 'Create' button: Ensure you are using the latest version of the Facebook app or a modern desktop browser like Chrome. Sometimes ad-blockers can interfere with the page creation overlay.
- Page is 'Unpublished': If you can't find your page in search, go to Settings > General > Page Visibility and ensure it is set to 'Page published'.
Next Steps
Now that your page is live, your work is just beginning! To make the most of your new digital asset, we recommend:- Post an Intro: Write a 'Welcome' post pinned to the top of your page.
- Set up Meta Business Suite: Download the app to manage your Facebook and Instagram in one place.
- Gather Reviews: Ask three loyal customers to leave you a 5-star review to build immediate social proof.
If you find the technical setup overwhelming or want to discuss a professional social media strategy to grow your Brisbane business, the team at Local Marketing Group is here to help. Contact us today to get started.