How your 'Name' appears on your Facebook business page is important! And we're not talking about your 'Username' often referred to as your distinct URL - although this is obviously important too.

The Name is what appears at the top of your Facebook page (beside the 'like' button) and your Username is what appears in the URL/address bar. The Name is important because it is the information used to generate search results when people do a search using the Facebook search function.

For this reason, you want to think carefully about what your page name should be. For sales representatives like realtors and mortgage brokers, do you have a name that is well known in your field when people conduct a search? Or do you work for a well known company that people may search for? In other words, is there a benefit to including both the company name and your personal name in your Facebook 'Name'?

It makes sense to 'Name' your page something your customers are likely to think of or be searching for on Facebook, or as close to this as reasonable.

If you are a realtor or a mortgage broker or a specialist of some kind, you may want to include something about your specialty when you Name your Facebook business page. It will make it easier for those who don't know you and haven't heard of you to find you by your specialty.

For instance, say Jane Smith is a realtor in the Abbots ford area. She may decide to set her Username (which is unchangeable once set, at this date) as Abbots ford Homes (assuming this Username is available). When setting up her Page Name she may decide she'd like to use Jane Smith as the Name that appears at the top of her Facebook business page(s). Again, the Name is different from the Username or distinct URL --- and the Name CAN be changed as long as you do not have more than 100 fans. The Username cannot be changed once set.

Here's the potential problem with just Naming the Page Jane Smith: People searching under Abbots ford Homes or Realtors are unlikely to find Jane's Facebook business Page. If she names her page: Jane Smith, Realtor - Re-max Realty, Abbots ford, she now has several possibilities for the Facebook search to grab onto and thus a better chance of being found by someone looking for a realtor in her area.

Here then are a few things to keep in mind when naming your page:

Page names are not limited to just one business or person. They do not need to be approved as unique by Facebook. Unlike the 'Username' that is only available to one user (referring to the distinct URL)

You can change your Facebook page Name as long as you do not have 100 or more fans - after that the name is unchangeable

Once you set your Facebook Username (distinct URL), it cannot be changed.

There are some restrictions on what Name you can use with your Facebook Page and if you use a name that is not yours to use your Facebook privileges can be revoked by Facebook.

To change your Name or to reserve your distinct Username, click on 'edit info' on the top of your Facebook Business Page and it will open up the 'Basic Information' link where you can change your Name or select your distinct Username. While your Facebook 'Name' is key to the Facebook search function, the 'Username' makes it easier to promote your Facebook Page using an easy to remember Facebook URL/address. Your Facebook URL is also important for other non-Facebook search engines like Google and Bing.

Arcler Desk Wishes You Happy Facebook Browsing!