Many businesses will choose Facebook as the primary social media channel they use to promote their business.

Whether you are new to Facebook or just looking to use it more effectively, these seven tips will help.

1. Set a cover image. Make it impactful, but respect Facebook's guidelines. The ideal size is 851 x 315 pixels, although smaller images are possible (the minimum allowed size is 399 pixel wide). Your cover image should be impactful and convey the key message of your business. Remember to choose an image that doesn't have an important graphical element in the lower left corner, which is where your profile picture is placed!
   
2. Set a profile photo. This is your brand and Facebook recommends that you select something that won’t change often. The square shape doesn’t always work well, especially for companies with long, horizontal logos, so you may need to be creative to get the picture to work well. Your profile picture also need to scale well from 32x32 pixels up to 180x180 pixels.
   
3. Set a custom username. If you don’t have one already, go to facebook.com/username and then select from the Page Name drop down and check availability of the name. Note once you set your username, it can only be changed once.
   
4. Get connected. To make Facebook worthwhile, you want people to “like” your page, which will see your status updates streamed into the news stream of your “fans”. There are two ways to build fans initially: use the Invite Friends feature and send an email to your contact list (but do this in compliance with the Can-Spam rules!) and the Email contacts option. Many companies are finding creative ways to build likes by pairing them with a contest or special offer.
   
5. Photo-style your page. People are interested in themselves, so when you capture and post photos people will engage. Be careful to make sure you have permission, especially with children. If you are taking photos, let people know they will be online to encourage post-event follow-ups/connections.
   
6. Go visual and pin. Visual status updates get attention online, because they draw the eye and are the easily skimmed. So sharing photos, videos and graphics works very well. Rather than feeling pressure to post new and interesting graphics every day, you can “pin” a post to the top of your Facebook page. To pin a post, click on the edit (pencil) icon that appears in the top right when you roll-over the image and select “pin to top”. Pinned posts stay at the top of your page, adding a visual appeal. Also, remember that you don’t have to be a creator – being a curator can work just as well!
   
7. Engage. People like to get involved on Facebook, so tap into the crowd and invite people to share photos and things that interest them. They key is participation. Ask questions, post interesting images, comments and videos. But do so strategically with a link back to the values and uniqueness of your business! Also, be sure to monitor and respond to interactions in a timely manner.