This is the third in a series of articles on Facebook and how to use it for social web marketing. This one is about how to use Facebook Fan Pages as part of your marketing mix. After reading this article you will have a clear understanding of how Fan Pages differ from Groups and why they are important to you.

Fan Pages are useful because they have no limit, unlike the fact you have a 5,000 Friends limit. The other difference is that they allow people to have a relationship with you without becoming a Friend.

Some people do not want to mix say an interest in a business with their Family and Friends. There are also people who do not want a close relationship with you, but have the idea they may like what you have to offer at some time.

In other words they are a flexible method of putting your brand before the Facebook community without them having to have a formal connection with you.

The main difference between a Group and a Fan Page is the Fan Page is about your business up front from the beginning. So it should have niche related content plus information about you. Plus the types of products and services you sell. I have my Blog RSS feed into my Fan Page to ensure there is always content on the page. I now send a weekly update to Fans again ensuring it is niche related with a link in my signature to my sales landing page.

Fan Pages can have images of your products and maybe the top people who work there, if your company allows it. I would always advise you to name your Fan Page in your Brand Name, if your Brand Name is the same as your name, then obviously no difference. I use the Fan Page widget on my Blog Home page so people can even become a Fan after reading a post on my Blog.

So when creating your Fan Page, it's your product or service area that is focused and it's up front about that fact. It's not a push strategy it's still attraction based you are simply attracting in a more funneled way.

The advantage to the Fan Page is you can send out updates about your Brand without worrying how the people will receive it. You have been up front, it's about your business and that you will be sending information out about it. If some people stop being Fans that's their choice.

One thing I would say is always have email Auto Responder sign up tab. There are applications that allow you to paste the opt-in HTML code from your Auto Responder provider so an opt-in box appears. Now you can be creative about a more 'drip feed' campaign for that email list using Broadcast Emails with say any discounts or specials you are doing, or maybe open webinars your company is doing. Treat it in a similar way to a Blog opt-in list. You are keeping in regular touch and steering people to at least have look at what you have on offer.

So there you have it now go get as many Fans as you can.