Facebook 101: A Complete Guide to Getting Started

If you’re trying to grow your business online, one platform you can’t ignore is Facebook. It may not be the shiniest new app on the block, but with over 3 billion active monthly users — and 83% of marketers using it to promote their brands — Facebook remains a go-to channel for reaching a wide and engaged audience.

What makes it stick? For one, it’s been around for more than 20 years — long enough to become second nature for billions of users. It’s familiar, easy to navigate, and home to thriving communities for just about any niche interest. Plus, it reaches a much broader audience than something like BeReal, which is mostly used by the Gen Z crowd. Whether you’re sharing updates, promoting products, or building relationships, Facebook gives you the tools to do it all in one place.

In this guide, we’ll break down how to get started with Facebook, how to find your community, and how to get started with Facebook advertising — plus point you toward a ton of other helpful Facebook content for whatever you need to know.

Getting started by creating your Facebook account

Setting up a Facebook account isn’t hard — after all, over three billion people have managed it. But you’ll need to choose the right kind of account for your business. Here are a few resources to help. 

• Facebook Glossary: Facebook has a lot of its own lingo. Not sure what a timeline is or what the difference is between a friend and a fan? Check out this Facebook 101 crash course.
• Facebook Page vs. Facebook Profile: Everyone needs a personal profile to use Facebook and create business pages. Use this account to share those glamorous vacation photos and join groups for hiking or whatever catches your fancy. Or keep it blank and only use it to log in — it’s totally up to you. 
• How to Convert Your Facebook Profile to a Facebook Page: Once you’ve got your personal profile, set up a public Facebook Page for your business. This is where you’ll post content and talk to your fans. You can also advertise from this page if you want to dip your toes into paid content. As you build your page, you can choose up to three categories — such as “restaurant” or “education” — to describe your brand. These labels help users find the page with the search bar and understand what you’re all about. 
• Adding Photos to Your Page: Posting great visuals is another part of Facebook 101. Some brands use their logos as their profile photos, while others show the outside of their business or even a signature product. 

Choosing the Right Facebook Cover Photo: For the cover photo, try a picture of your smiling team or maybe a satisfied customer — something that stirs up positive feelings. Purina’s cover photo, for instance, is a collage of pet owners with their adorable dogs and cats. The red background matches the color of the logo in the profile photo, giving the page a warm, almost farm-like feeling. 

Now that you’ve covered the basics, it’s time for the strategic use of social media. Setting up your Business Page is only the beginning of your Facebook 101 journey. You also need to fill it with content that will make people actually want to follow you. 

Start by researching your target audience to learn about their interests and needs. These Facebook users might be different from your typical audience, so don’t make any assumptions. For example, your Facebook audience may skew older than the people who normally visit your blog, which may change the type of content they want to see. 

Social listening tools like BuzzSumo and Talkwalker can help you see what people are chatting about on social media. Joining Facebook groups related to your niche is another great way to see what’s trending. Once you build a small following, you can also survey your fans about their interests and pain points. This could be as simple as posting a poll asking something like, “What’s the most frustrating thing about buying formal dresses?” 

As you gather data about your business, the content ideas should start to flow naturally. Feeling stuck? Bounce ideas off a colleague, or ask an artificial intelligence tool like ChatGPT for brainstorming help. Focus on what your audience wants to know or solve. If you own a fitness business, your audience might be people who are nervous about working out and might want how-to guides so they don’t embarrass themselves on the elliptical. Or maybe they’re hardcore enthusiasts interested in the science of recovery and injury prevention.

Mixing up your posts is part of Facebook for business 101, too. You might share a video tutorial on Monday, a photo on Wednesday, some user-generated content on Friday, and so on. A regular schedule of valuable posts will keep your audience — and the algorithm — engaged. 

Essential privacy settings you need to know

Facebook collects your data every time you interact with it — and it doesn’t always use it responsibly. In 2019, for instance, the company paid a record-breaking $5 billion fine after it lied to users about how it was sharing their data. And that’s only one of several scandals in the platform’s history. 

But that doesn’t mean you need to swear off Facebook completely. Protect your information with these Facebook 101 privacy settings: 

• Default audience: For your personal profile, you can choose if your posts are public (available to anyone) or only visible to your friends. You can even choose to exclude certain friends, like a nosy aunt who won’t stop making comments about how you’re still single. 
• Friends and following: Consider hiding your friends list and the Pages you follow. 
• Friend settings: Decide if anyone can send a friend request to your personal account, or only friends of friends. Business Pages are public, so you can’t control who follows you there, but you can block specific fans.
• Your information and permissions: Restrict third-party apps and businesses from sharing your data with Meta if you don’t want targeted ads. 

Advanced privacy controls for better security

For even more control over your account, turn on two-factor authentication. This will make it harder for hackers to get into your account, because you’ll need to approve every login request. 

Other Facebook 101 security measures include: 

• Switching off location tracking 
• Adjusting “Ad preferences” to manage the information that Facebook shares with advertisers (you’ll still get ads, but they’ll be less targeted)
• Removing connected apps so your data isn’t shared between them

You’ll find all these options in the Privacy Center, so spend some time poking around until you’ve adjusted everything perfectly. 

Navigating Facebook’s interface like a pro 

Facebook’s main menu is the gateway to the platform. It lets you access your news feed (“Home”), friends, Marketplace, and other key pages. On the desktop, you’ll find it at the top; on mobile, it might be at the top or bottom, depending on your device. 

Use the search bar and filters to see what people are talking about in your niche. For example, if you input “fashion” and filter by Groups, you’ll discover communities like FASHION IDEAS and Fashion Trends & Style. You can also explore Pages or head to the Marketplace to see what people are selling nearby — just don’t get caught up in a shopping spree. 

The news feed is where you see posts from your friends, Pages you follow, and anything else the algorithm thinks you’ll care about. Want your own content to show up in other people’s feeds? There are no secret hacks. Just consistently share great content that sparks conversations, like polls or funny videos. 

Finding your community in Facebook groups

Facebook Groups are communities where people gather to talk about their hobbies and interests. You can find groups for any topic, from the popular Programming Group to the niche DFW Cosplayers.

Use the search bar to find and join groups related to your hobbies or business. Facebook will use this data to recommend even more groups in your feed, making it easy to grow your network. 

Take the time to read each group’s rules and policies. Many ban sales posts, politics, and other controversial topics. It’s also best to lurk for a while to make sure you understand unspoken norms before posting. 

Not feeling a specific group anymore? You can easily leave by going to the top of its page and clicking Joined > Leave group. 

Facebook advertising basics

Paid ads are another Facebook for business 101 tactic. These advertisements let you choose a specific audience — like dog owners in their forties — and promote your business. Experiment with different types of ads, like image carousels or short videos. Keep the 20% text rule in mind though: No more than 20% of an ad’s image should be occupied by text for best performance and engagement.

New to paid ads? Start with a small budget — say, a few hundred dollars per month — and stick to around a 24:1 ratio for organic vs. paid content, meaning you’ll want to make 24 regular posts for every one ad. That way, your audience won’t feel like you’re bombarding them with promotion. 

Common Facebook questions answered

Privacy and security concerns

• Can someone know if you viewed their Facebook profile? 

Nope! Facebook doesn’t show users who look at their profile, so feel free to check out your competitor’s content or scroll through your old college roommate’s photos. 

• How can I maintain privacy while staying connected? 

Use the privacy settings to control who can see your Groups, friends, and other information. You can also restrict Meta from sharing your information with advertisers and third-party apps. 

• What information does Facebook collect, and how is it used? 

Facebook gathers data about your content, behavior, location, and devices. They may use this information to personalize your interactions and — if you allow it — to show you more targeted ads. 

Account management issues

• How can I delete an old Facebook account without an email or password?

You can try to recover your account with your phone number, or ask your email provider to help you get into your old email account. Once you’ve regained access, go to Account Settings > Account Ownership and Control > Deactivation or deletion. 

• How do I delete a Facebook business Page? 

Go to your Page and select Settings & Privacy > Settings > Access and Control > Delete Page. 

• How can I recover my account if it’s been hacked? 

Visit Facebook’s hacked page to try to take back control of your account.  

Facebook best practices and etiquette

Your Facebook page is the face — excuse the pun — of your business, so you need to put your best foot forward. Start with these Facebook 101 tips: 

• Focus on posting truly meaningful content, such as helpful resources or discount codes for your Black Friday sale. 
• Facebook’s algorithm favors new content, so post a few times a week. Otherwise, you’ll quickly vanish from your audience’s feeds. 
• Respond to user comments and participate in Groups to show your audience you truly care. 
• Avoid common mistakes like posting spammy content (“FREE gift!!!”) or sharing blurry photos from an old camera. 

Using Facebook to market your business

Sure, you could just post the occasional product photo, but that’s probably not going to intrigue your audience. Be bold and try out different promotion strategies, such as: 

• Humanizing your brand with short employee interviews and silly videos
• Organizing a user-generated content contest to build community (for example, invite followers to post photos of them wearing your hiking gear on the trail or baking desserts with your cookware)
• Sharing behind-the-scenes looks, like a time-lapse of your team packing products or detailing cars

Not sure if your strategies are working? Use Facebook’s built-in data tools to see how and when people are engaging. 

If your morning posts get more reach than your evening ones, for instance, use a social media tool like Constant Contact to schedule content. Your posts can be racking up likes while you’re still sipping your first coffee. 

Your Facebook journey starts here 

With its huge audience and focus on community, Facebook is a crucial marketing tool for small businesses. Get started by setting up your Business Page and joining a few groups to see what people are talking about. 

Of course, this Facebook 101 guide has only scratched the surface of what you can do with this platform. Check out the resources linked above, and watch our in-depth webinar for more content ideas.