Facebook Places
Facebook Places is essentially the social network’s spin on check-in services (see Figure 18.1). This is the step-by-step process:
Figure 18.1: Facebook Places let’s you “check in” at your favorite venue.
1. Go to a venue.
2. Open Facebook or the Facebook Places app on your smartphone (see Figure 18.2).
3. If you are using the Facebook website, click Places.
4. Facebook lists all the nearby registered venues (see Figure 18.3).
Figure 18.3: Facebook Places lists all the venues close to you.
5. Select the venue where you are by clicking it.
6. Tag any friends who are there with you.
7. Click the Confirm Details link.
8. Facebook announces your location on your Wall and on the venue’s Wall (see Figure 18.4).
Figure 18.4: Checking in to a venue using the Facebook app.
Facebook Places distinguishes itself from other check-in services by offering the following features that other check-in services lack:
• Tagging friends
• Posting on a business’s Facebook Wall
Check-in services are all the rage, but not every business can take advantage of a Facebook Places page. If you own a restaurant, bar, or retail store, you should have an active Facebook Places page. If you run a law office, you might not benefit from one.
For instance, if you run an ice cream parlor, Facebook Places would allow customers to check in when they come into the business. Facebook check-ins allow users to provide commentary, such as, “Raymond’s Ice Cream has the best chocolate sundaes ever! It always makes my day.” The check-in appears on the user’s Facebook Wall, as the user’s Facebook status, and on your Facebook Places page.
Businesses can encourage their customers to use Facebook Places and check in to their store. In return, the business can enter customers into contests for prizes. A local dry cleaner may say “Check in to Facebook Places while we are checking you out. Win free dry cleaning.” A beauty salon might market Places by saying, “Check in on Facebook at Hilda’s Hair and Be Part of the Gossip.” A vet clinic might offer $5 off your bill for checking in. A theater could offer free posters, or even points that lead up to free admissions, free soda, popcorn, or Junior Mints.
Create a Facebook Place
As a business owner, to take full advantage of Facebook Places, you must first set up your Places page online. Signing up for a Facebook Places page is a multi-step process, but it’s relatively straightforward.
 | WATCH OUT |
Facebook has a verification process for setting up Facebook Places, but savvy techies may be able to fool the website into thinking that they’re the owners of your business. Go ahead and set up your Facebook Places page right now, even if it remains dormant. Lock down your Facebook Places page while you can.
Here’s what you do:
1. Go to your business location and open Facebook on your smartphone.
2. Click Places.
3. Click Add.
4. A window appears, prompting you to type in the venue description including name, address, phone number, and other information that may be of interest to customers.
5. Confirm the details and click the Confirm icon.
6. Type in your business name in the Search bar.
7. Open the Facebook Places page.
8. Click Is this your business?
9. Facebook will verify that you are the business owner by phone, usually within a few days.
After Facebook confirms your identity, you can edit the page with your address, telephone, and other data.
Integrating Your Places Page with Your Facebook Page
Facebook automatically integrates your Facebook Places page into your current business page as long as you use the same address for both. A Facebook employee verifies the address, so the process isn’t instantaneous.
 | FRIENDLY ADVICE |
While you’re waiting for your business pages to sync up, why don’t you make sure your main page is accurate? The wrong address, phone number, or email could result in lost business.