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Does your Facebook Business Page automatically redirect to Facebook’s Homepage? Or can you only see your page when you’re logged in?

This question has popped up many times from clients in the past few months so I decided to write about it.

**NOTE, since this article was written, Facebook has implemented a “log in” pop-up window, (to get folks to either join or log in) but this doesn’t mean that the page isn’t public. (users and Google can see your content) You can simply close the window or log in.

If this is happening to your business page, this is obviously bad for your site’s search engine results. In other words if the search engines can’t see it, then your customers (and many potential others) can’t find it either!

How to check to see if your page is view-able without being logged in: Make sure you’re logged out of Facebook.com *then* visit your Facebook Business Page. If you can see the page, you’re good.

Pretty simple… in most cases it’s simply the “permissions” that are set incorrectly. Remember there are literally millions of different types of Facebook Business Pages out there, each with specific information, audiences and needs. What?? Yes, some FB pages can to be viewed (or blocked) by different languages, ages and some are even blocked by IPs, words and other FB accounts.

*Note: Facebook does a pretty darn good job at making their technology as robust and configurable as possible. So don’t complain… just learn how to use it! ;)

So, to verify your security settings and to leave your page “wide open” for all to see:

1) Log in
2) Go to your business page
3) Click “Edit Page”
4) Check the most popular culprits of this issue:
a. Country Restrictions – uncheck it
b. Age Restrictions – choose Anyone (13+)

Click “Edit Page”

Facebook Page Admin Screen - Click edit button first

Click to Zoom

Check the most popular culprits of this issue:

Facebook Page Admin Screen - Check your permissions

Click to Zoom

Here are excerpts from Facebook explaining some of these elements:

Countries:
Entering one or more countries means that only people located in those countries listed will be able to view your Page. This also means that logged out users will not be able to see your Page. If no countries are listed, your Page will be visible to people located in all countries. You understand that you are responsible for setting the proper country restrictions to ensure that the content of your Page is appropriate for the country or countries where you allow it to be visible.

Age:
Selecting an age restriction means that anyone under the specified age will not be able to find your Page in search or on friends’ profiles or view the content in other ways. This also means that logged out users will not be able to see your Page.

The Alcohol-Related age restriction sets the minimum age based on the location of the user. Only users in Canada, South Korea or Nicaragua who are 19+, in Japan, Iceland or Paraguay who are 20+, in Cameroon, Micronesia, Palau, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka or the U.S. who are 21+, in India and Sweden who are 25+, and elsewhere who are 18+ will be able to view your Page. You understand that the Alcohol-Related age restriction is for convenience and that Facebook does not represent that by using that setting your Page will be legally compliant in all countries where your Page is visible. You understand that ultimately you are responsible for setting the proper legally compliant age restrictions for each country where your Page is visible.

Keywords:
You can add comma-separated keywords to the “Moderation Blocklist”. When users include blacklisted keywords in a post and or a comment on your Page, the content will be automatically marked as spam. More information can be found here. Facebook will block the most commonly reported words and phrases marked as offensive by the broader community.

Still locked out? Leave a comment below and I’ll have a look.

Cheers,
//D

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