Not surprisingly, Facebook just surpassed the one billionth member mark. Suffice the say that nearly everyone active on the Internet, either for business or personal reasons, is on Facebook. Therefore, you need to be as well! Look over the following tips that can help you utilize Facebook for marketing effectively.

1. Select your user name carefully. Make sure it represents your business well and doesn’t contain anything silly or potentially offensive. If possible, make your exact business name your Facebook page name and the marketing transition will go very smoothly. Use your loge as your profile pic or if you prefer, something that represents a current promotion or new product. You want to pack as much info into as little space as possible, so be simplistic and eloquent.

2. Entice people with your interesting content. Your goal is to get people to share what they read on your page with other users, so write with the intent to impact the reader. New industry related information, something surprising that effects consumers or even a brief editorial about a trending topic can really get people reading and increase your fan base.

3. Moderate comments and clean up spam. Because anybody anywhere can say anything on your page, you need to keep an eye on it. Moderate for prank-like comments or outright spam frequently, as you don’t want regular or potential customers to get the wrong impression of your business. Don’t take the junk personally either; everybody gets it and everybody hates it. Reply quickly to the relevant comments, both good and bad, to let people know you are paying attention to them.

4. Run opinion polls. People love to voice their feelings, and running polls on your Facebook page is a great way to solicit interaction with your business. Ask simple questions that can be answered quickly; you can improve your page or your business by finding out what is going on inside people’s minds.

5. Get people to “like” you via contests they can enter. By getting more Facebook likes, you increase the perception of your popularity and gain the attention of new users. Hold any kind of relative contest to get people interested in liking you. For example, if your site sells auto parts, run a photo contest for the clunkiest looking car or the best customized vehicle. Generate enthusiasm for your site, as well as just the interest of the general Facebook population. Some “likes” may convert to sales and some not, but they will all help your business.

6. Link your Facebook to everything else. Make sure you include a link to your Facebook page in with every business-related email you send out. Make your page a part of your signature on any forum you belong to and definitely make Facebook a part of your website, by including a link there as well as providing people with the option to sign into your site using their Facebook account.

These days, Facebook simply must be a part of your business portfolio and if you set up your page right and use the site effectively, it will help you succeed. Try the above tips and get into a groove on Facebook; leveraging its power will be good for your bottom line.