Blog post by: Sam Haucke, Marketing Intern
You started your Facebook Profile Page four years ago, you have 800 Facebook friends, and you have uploaded 1500 pictures. There’s only one problem: You are a business. Don’t worry! You are not the only business out there with a personal page. Many businesses have created personal Profile Pages for various reasons. However, a business that has a personal Profile instead of business page is breaking Facebook’s Statement of Rights and Responsibilities. Violating the Statement of Rights and Responsibilities may result in Facebook shutting down your Facebook account. This would mean losing everything you have worked so hard to create. However, there is no reason to panic. Facebook allows its users to switch from a personal account to a business page.
Step1:
When a Profile Page is converted to a business page, only the account username, profile picture, and friends list is transferred from the old Facebook Profile to the new Facebook Page. If you want to save any pictures, videos, or messages, you are going to want to download a copy of your Facebook data. To do this, go to your Facebook General Account Settings and click “Download of a Copy of your Facebook data.”
Click on “Start My Archive”. Once all of the data has been complied and is ready to be downloaded, Facebook will send you an email. Once you receive the email from Facebook, follow the directions within the email to download the copy of Facebook data. (Please note that it may take an hour to compile all of the data, but you can continue to use Facebook as you typically would.)
Step 2:
While your Facebook data is being downloaded, you should appoint new group administrators to any groups that your business manages. Appointing a new group administrator is important because once the conversion from a Profile Page to Facebook Page begins, you will be unable to manage the groups.
Go to the group home page and choose “Edit Page” then “Manage Admin Roles”.
Type the email address of the new admin and click save.
Step 3:
Now it is time to convert your profile to a page. To do this, go to Facebook’s “Help” option.
In the search bar, type: “How do I convert my personal account to a Facebook Page?”
Click “start converting”.
Select what type of organization your business is.
Choose the category that best fits your business, and then click “Get Started”.
Step 4: Facebook will ask you to fill out some basic information pertaining to your business like its location and website. After filling out this information, you will have successfully completed converting your business’ personal Facebook Profile to a Facebook Page.
Having a Facebook business page has many benefits such as being able to track traffic on your page, advertise on Facebook, and most importantly, you don’t have to worry about your Facebook Page being shut down for breaking Facebook’s rules.
