Facebook Places is a fairly new feature and it works much the same as Google Places. Giving a map, hours, details, even allowing Facebook members to check-in plus more.  You can even merge Facebook Places with your Business page, which is wise for some small businesses.

This is how Facebook describes Facebook Places:

“Places is a Facebook mobile application that allows you to see where your friends are and share your physical location. You can check in to nearby Places to tell your friends where you are, tag your friends in the Places you visit, and view comments your friends have made about the Places you visit. Use Places to experience Facebook in a completely new way by connecting with your friends in the real world.

Facebook Places provides a presence for your business’s physical store locations encouraging your customers to share that they’ve visited your business by “checking in” to your Place. When your customer checks into your Place, these check-in stories can generate powerful, organic impressions in friends’ News Feeds, extending your brand’s reach to new customers. Best of all, it’s free.”

There are reportedly over a million Facebook Places already automatically created for storefront businesses in the North America.  With the traffic in Facebook alone it is well worth capturing and integrating Facebook Places with your Facebook Business page, if you have not already.

Here is some information on the how-to.

First step is to see if yours  already has been created and claim it.

To find your Place, (from Facebook’s instructions) -

“Your Place may already have been created by Facebook or a Facebook user. To see if your Place already exists, search on  www.facebook.com via the Search bar on your computer. If you find your Place, you may proceed through the claim flow on the following page.

Otherwise, you may need to physically be located at your store’s location. Once there, launch Facebook Places using your Facebook for iPhone Application or any HTML5-enabled mobile device via  touch.facebook.com. Search nearby Places to find your Place. If you are unable to find it, you may add it by clicking the ‘+’ or  Add’ icon.”

Not there?  You can Create your Place.

“Creating your Place on Facebook is easy. To add a new Place, enter your Place’s name and description (this can be edited later on). Click add. You have now successfully created your Place and you may check-in.”

Now claim your Facebook Place, this is much the same as it is in Google Places.

Claim your Place as this will allow you to manage your Place’s address, contact information, business hours, profile picture, admins and other settings. Managing a Facebook Place is similar to managing a Facebook Page, but there is additional functionality including maps, directions to the business, and check-ins.

1) Login to www.facebook.com, search for and select the name of your Place. Click on “Is this your business?” to claim your Place.

2) Check the box to declare that you are an official representative.

3) Next, we will attempt to verify your Place by calling the phone number listed for it. Please ensure that you can accept phone calls at the listed number. Click the “Call me now” button. During the call, we will provide you with a 4-digit verification PIN.

4) Enter your 4-digit verification PIN to verify your business. If you don’t receive a phone call, click on the “Call me again” link. Once you’ve verified your Place, you will receive a confirmation message that it has been claimed.

If you have multiple Places to claim, you must go through the claiming process for each of your Places. In addition, a solution for linking multiple Places to a single Facebook Page may become available in the future (emphasis added).

The last step for merging your Place and Business Page is optional and not recommended if you have multiple business locations.  That may be changed if the possible solution mentioned above is provided by Facebook in the future.  But, if you have only one location and are likely to have only one location for the forseeable future I would merge the pages.

This is what Facebook has to say about the features of a merged page.

“You will be able to manage your business centrally on Facebook if you choose to merge your single Place and Page. This includes posting status updates, photos, and links. Most importantly, all of the people who Liked your Facebook Page will remain connected to your business and you can continue interacting with
them.

Your new merged Page will now be updated with a richer design that includes Place information such as maps and check-ins. Your core Page content – Photos, Videos and Events will remain, as well as any custom tabs. In addition, you will keep your existing vanity URL if applicable.”

There is not much to do proactively for the merge, Facebook will likely prompt you to merge the two if you have both a single Business page and a claimed Place page attached to your Facebook profile record.  Facebook recommends the merge upon the following conditions -

1. You are prompted to merge
2. You have just one physical store location
3. You have one Facebook Page representing your business

For more details please review the following resources -

The Facebook Places Help FAQ – http://www.facebook.com/help/?page=1159

The Facebook instruction guide, 6 page illustrated pdf – http://ads.ak.facebook.com/ads/FacebookAds/Places_advertisers.pdf

Let me know if you have any questions, or need assistance.  I feel this is an excellent way to extend your business and website further into social media.  Particularly if your site is already integrated and socially enabled. SEO has become much more than just keyword marketing on a webpage. Today it has to include social media.  It almost calls for a new term.