Facebook for Business Changed Again While You Were Sleeping. Here’s What You Missed.

What’s new on the Facebook for business front?  That’s a good – and relevant – question as our favorite social network has been tossing us lots of goodies lately.  So, let’s not waste time, and let’s take a look at some of our favorite new additions and changes Facebook recently introduced and how they will affect your business.

Keep the Conversation Going

With Facebook’s new Reply feature, it’s not only polite to talk back – it’s easy and expected.  This new feature is a big winner for businesses.  You now have the ability to reply directly to your fans’ comments, questions or complaints.  Here’s the kicker – you better have a social media marketing strategy in place that includes Facebook for business page monitoring and a plan for handling replies.

Searching High and Low

Been wondering how Facebook’s Graph Search might help improve traffic to your business’s website.  Well, there’s no need to scratch your head and put on your thinking cap any more.  Facebook will actually tell you.  With a little digging, business’s can discover which Graph Search queries are sending Facebook folks to their websites.

Hit Your Target

Just recently the social network began rolling out a new type of targeted posts.  These posts allow businesses to send out status updates that do not appear on their Facebook for business pages – only in the targeted fans’ News Feeds.  Imagine if you are a retail store and Valentine’s day is approaching: You could target men with posts suggesting gifts for the lady in their life, and women with statuses suggesting what to add to their wish-lists.  Your Facebook for business page may not have access to these new targeted posts yet, but you likely will in the near future.

Covering the Bases

This new blog post wouldn’t be complete without including a mention of the once-again changing Cover Photo rules in Facebook’s Terms of Use policy.  Yes, the 20% content rule is still in effect.  But remember those rules barring you from using  calls-to-action or contact information on your Facebook Cover Photos?  Well, those rules have been rescinded.  But before you get all content-happy and plaster your brand’s Cover Photo with sales pitches, just remember that your fans probably will be turned of, and you’ll probably be in violation of the 20% rule.

So there you have it.  Some of the latest changes to the social network known as Facebook.  By the time you read this, there will likely be quite a few more notable ones to add to the list.  If you have any you would like to share, please do so in the comments below.