Start Your Business From Facebook & Instagram

THE NEW ERA OF BUSINESS

With the rise of technology, we’ve seen a big shift in people’s preferences. The things we used to do a few years ago are still being done today — but the way we do them has changed. This means we need to adapt ourselves to technology so we can stay relevant in the market.

Just 10–15 years ago, if we wanted to buy something, we had to go to a physical store. But today, we can order that same thing online. Platforms like Flipkart, Amazon, Meesho, and many others now let us shop from the comfort of our homes.

Earlier, cash was the most common method of payment. But now, even the smallest shops — whether in villages or cities — accept digital payments through apps like PhonePe, Paytm, and Google Pay. This shows that no matter what level a person is at, they’re either choosing or being forced to come under the influence of technology.

Many old-style markets and businesses have shut down simply because they didn’t adapt to technological change. On the other hand, those who embraced technology have grown and moved ahead.

The product may be the same — but the way of marketing and selling it has changed completely.

So, it should now be clear to you how important it is to understand this shift and apply it to your own business.

HOW WE START OUR BUSINES ONLINE 

Now we need to understand how we can take our business online so that we can stand out among people and reach more customers. There are many ways to do this, such as through a website, Facebook, Instagram, and other platforms. Today, we’ll try to explore what strategies we can use so that we don’t miss out on our potential customers online and can also attract a good audience. For this, there are two main methods — paid and unpaid (organic). But going online doesn’t mean we have to shut down our physical shop or store. We can easily manage both together. At this point, there are usually two types of business owners: those who are starting something new, and those who already have an existing business but want to take it online. In both cases, the steps to go online are more or less the same.

Getting Started with Facebook and Instagram for Your Business

Many of us today use Facebook and Instagram. Some people scroll through reels, some chat with friends, and some even run their businesses on these platforms. Our potential audience — people who may be interested in our business and could become our customers — might already be around us, but we don’t know them yet. If we can connect with them through Instagram or Facebook, it can give a big boost to our business growth. That’s why, to begin with, let’s start by focusing on Facebook.

How to Set Up Your Business on Facebook

You’ve probably used Facebook at some point — and setting it up for business is actually very simple. If you want to bring your business to Facebook, the first thing you’ll need is a Facebook Page.

To create a Facebook Page, you must first have a Facebook account. Once your account is ready, you can go ahead and create a Page for your business. This Page should be named after your business so that it’s easily recognizable.

Next, you’ll be asked to choose a category that best describes your business — it could be education, retail, food, or anything else depending on what you do. After that, you’ll write a short description of your business. This helps Facebook understand what your page is about and makes it easier for customers to find you.

You’ll also need to upload a profile picture and a cover photo that represent your brand. This makes your page look professional and trustworthy.

If you want to get real visibility on any social media platform, consistency is key. You need to keep posting regularly. These days, many people are creating short, entertaining reels to attract customers — and it really works.

This is how you can easily bring your shop or business online through Facebook, and start reaching more people every day.

SETTING UP PAGE ON INSTAGRAM

You may have noticed how many people have gradually shifted from Facebook to Instagram. In fact, there are now a lot of users who aren’t active on Facebook at all — they only use Instagram. That’s why it’s important that we also create a presence on Instagram, so we don’t miss out on any potential audience.

To promote your business on Instagram, you’ll need an Instagram account — and from there, you should set up an Instagram business page. Just like on Facebook, you’ll need to add a business name, write a product or business description, and make sure your profile looks complete and professional.

Setting this up isn’t difficult at all. In fact, it’s quite easy — especially because most people are already familiar with how the Instagram app works. Once your page is live, you can start posting about your products, sharing reels, and reaching people who might be interested in what you offer.

Using Paid Tools to Boost Your Online Business

As you’ve seen, everything we’ve done so far with Facebook and Instagram has been completely free . But running a page and growing it takes time. It’s not as simple as creating a page today and expecting product sales tomorrow. For your business to truly grow online, it’s important to present it in a way that builds trust and helps people understand what you offer. That’s where paid tools come in. These tools allow you to reach more people, target the right audience, and grow faster. So now, let’s take a look at how these paid tools actually work and how you can use them effectively for your business.

FACEBOOK ADS MANAGER ACCOUNT- META ADS

If you want to grow your business faster through Facebook, setting up a Facebook Ads Manager account is extremely important. With its help, you can promote your page, reach a wider audience, and drive real results. Growing a new page organically takes time — Facebook needs time to understand your content and audience. But you can’t just sit back and wait for the page to grow on its own before starting your business. That’s why using paid ads becomes essential. You pay Facebook to promote your page or posts, and in return, Facebook shows them to the right people who are more likely to engage or buy. The good news is, this doesn’t require a huge budget — you can start with as little as ₹1,000 or scale up to ₹10,000 or even ₹1,00,000 depending on your budget. Also, since Facebook and Instagram are both part of Meta, you don’t need to manage them separately. You can link both platforms and run ads for both Instagram and Facebook from a single place, making it easy and efficient to handle your promotions.

What Can You Do with Facebook Ads Manager?

With Facebook Ads Manager, you can attract a large number of potential customers to your business — all based on your chosen budget and goals. The platform allows you to create different types of ads depending on what action you want from your audience. For example, you can set up ads that encourage people to message you on WhatsApp, call you directly, or even chat with you through Facebook Messenger. This not only increases your page’s reach, but also helps you gain more followers and grow your page faster. One of the biggest strengths of Meta Ads (which covers both Facebook and Instagram) is its targeting power. You can choose exactly who sees your ads based on location, age, gender, interests, online behavior, and much more. This ensures your product or service reaches the right people — those most likely to engage or make a purchase. If you're new to Meta Ads, there are many helpful videos available on YouTube that can guide you step-by-step and help you understand how the system works.

Do You Really Need a Website to Sell Online?

This is a common question: Can we run a business online and sell products just through Facebook, without creating a website? The answer is — yes, you can sell without a website. But there’s a catch. Let’s say you run an ad, and a customer sees it. One of the first things they might wonder is, “Is this business real? Is it trustworthy? Or is it a scam?” Many people hesitate to buy from a brand that doesn’t have a proper online presence. Now, if you have a website, and someone searches for your business on Google, they’ll find your site — and that builds trust. A website makes your business look more genuine and professional.

In my opinion, if you’re serious about bringing your business online, you should eventually build a website. Otherwise, you may miss out on a lot of potential customers. Along with that, you should also create a profile on Google My Business, so people can find your shop location, read reviews, and either visit your store or place an order online. A strong presence on both social media and search platforms gives your business more visibility and credibility — and that can lead to real growth.

WEBSITE 

Your website is your identity. Even if people don’t know your name personally, they’ll recognize your business through your website. A simple example — most people don’t know who founded Amazon, but almost everyone knows the brand Amazon. That’s the power of a website. You can build a basic website or an e-commerce website depending on your needs, but if you're planning to sell products online, having an e-commerce website is a much better choice.

These days, building a website has become very easy. You can create one using WordPress, or use platforms like Shopify, or even AI-based website builders. To get started, you don’t need a big setup — just a few basic things:

Both domain and hosting are paid services. If you want to target customers in India, you can choose a .in domain, or go for a .com if you’re planning for a wider reach. Good hosting is important because it makes your website load faster and creates a better experience for users.

For most small businesses, a budget of around ₹5,000 to ₹6,000 per year is enough to cover both domain and hosting. It's a small investment that adds a lot of credibility and visibility to your business in the long run.

Google My Business: A Powerful Tool to Attract Customers

Google My Business is a great free platform that helps you easily connect with customers. Imagine you’re visiting a new place and want to buy something—you simply type “shoe shops near me,” “sweet shops near me,” or “hospitals near me” in Google. The results that appear with shop names, ratings, and locations come from Google My Business listings. This tool helps your business gain visibility among local customers based on your ratings and reviews. It’s a simple and effective way to reach new customers and increase your business’s local presence.

What are the benefits of using all these?

  1. You can reach more people online easily.

  2. Having a website builds trust with your customers.

  3. You can communicate directly with your customers on Facebook and Instagram.

  4. Paid ads help you quickly reach the right potential customers.

  5. Google My Business makes it easy for local people to find your business.

  6. Your business will show up higher on Google, so more people will know about it.

  7. Customers can leave reviews and share good feedback about your business.

  8. People can easily see your contact details, address, and working hours.

  9. Online marketing doesn’t have to cost a lot of money.

  10. Using different platforms together makes your business visible everywhere and helps it grow better.

Negative Impact to Keep in Mind

  1. Managing all these platforms can take a lot of time and effort.

  2. Paid ads might get expensive if not used carefully.

  3. There is a lot of competition online, so it can be hard to stand out.

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