Many small and medium businesses have realized the benefits of having an active Facebook Page. Administering a Facebook Page for your brand takes a little bit of time each day, as well as some creative thoughtfulness, but the investment of that time and energy can be well worth it in terms of bringing new clients and engaging the clients you already have.

So have you decided it’s time to create a Facebook Page for your brand? Here are five simple steps for making that happen quickly:

Log into your Personal Facebook Account. There is an option to create a Business-Only Page without logging into your personal account; however, you can do so much more with your page by having it linked to your personal account.  Never fear — Once your Business Page is created, even though you’ve logged in through your personal Facebook account, the two entities will remain completely separate.

While logged into your personal Facebook account, go to this link: https://www.facebook.com/pages/create.php. Now click on the Box that best describes the main category of your business and use the drop-down menu to get even more specific. If you work from a home office, don’t select “Local Business or Place.”  This will add your home office onto a map, where people can “check in.” In most circumstances, you probably don’t want that.

Name your Page. Think about this for a bit before actually giving your Page just any old name. There is a limit of 70 characters for your Page name. Pick something easy (like your company name or brand name) but also include a descriptive word if you have characters left. Certain keywords can help your page rank higher in Facebook Search.

Next, upload your business profile picture. You can change this at any time, especially if you’re running a seasonal special or sale. However, it’s best to start with a logo or an image of your storefront. If your personality is the face of your brand (for instance, you’re an attorney), then it’s OK to use a professional headshot.

Add lots of descriptive information to the “About” page. The About page is indexed on Google, so use plenty of keywords to help with search rankings. Be sure to include things like your website address, as well as your Twitter handle, LinkedIn profile URL, and blog link if you have those.

Now your Facebook page is fully operational, and it didn’t cost you a dime! The first thing you should do is invite your closest friends and family to “Like” your page to encourage some viral activity. Then, start posting relevant information. If your business is a retail operation, post pictures of some of the items you’re currently highlighting.  Talk about an upcoming sale and schedule special events.  If you work in the business consulting segment, post links to relevant articles from respected magazines and journals. Ask questions in your posts to encourage feedback and engagement. You could even run a mini-contest on your Wall, encouraging comments or testimonials.  Add some personal flare, keep things light, and never get too opinionated on your business page. Remember who your target audience is, and gear your messages directly to them.

When you’re ready to advance and really grow the number of Likes on your Facebook Page, don’t forget to cross-market on Twitter and LinkedIn too. There are tools and websites, which will automatically repost your Twitter feed to your Facebook wall and vice versa. This tactic has been proven to grow traffic tremendously in both places.

There is so much that you can do — for free! — to promote your Facebook Page, grow an active fanbase, and encouragement engagement. Your knowledge of these things will grow eventually, but let’s take things one step at a time. Get that Facebook Page set up and start playing around with it. Go onto your competitors’ Facebook Pages and notice some of the interesting things they are doing to grow their audience. And when you’re ready to move to the next level, don’t be afraid to get some professional help from a local social media agency or expert.