Big businesses and local businesses alike may choose to change their trading name at some point. Whether it’s for practical reasons or to support a change of branding, you’ll need to ensure all of your online profiles are updated with the new name. Facebook can be notoriously fiddly to make changes on, with time limits imposed on how often you can make updates to certain details. Ensure you get the job done right first time by following this simple guide to changing your business name on Facebook.
Can You Change Your Business Name On Facebook?
Yes! You can. As long as your new business name meets Meta’s guidelines, of course. As well as that, you’ll need to be the owner of the business profile. Facebook won’t allow you to make any changes to your business name within 60 days of the last change, so ensure you double-check that the spelling is accurate before saving. To change your business name, follow these steps:
- Log in to your Facebook business page or Meta Business Manager.
- Go to your Settings.
- Under ‘General Page Settings’ click on ‘Edit’ next to the page name.
- Type in your new name, triple-check the spelling!
- Click on ‘Review Change’.
- Type in your password and click on ‘Confirm’ to save the new business name.
Once this is completed, the name will be changed and you won’t be able to edit it again for 60 days. It’s a good idea to add your former business name into the ‘Other Names’ section on your Facebook business’s About page, so users can still find you if searching for the old name.
Facebook’s Business Name Guidelines
Your new name needs to comply with Facebook’s guidelines, otherwise they will not let you update it. Some of these rules are more obvious than others, so if you’re unsure why your new name is being rejected it’s worth taking a closer look at them. Dead giveaways for why your name isn’t being approved include:
- Abusive or offensive language or phrasing.
- Use of the word ‘Official’ where inappropriate.
- Capitalisation that isn’t consistent with the actual brand name.
- Symbols.
- Inaccurate names, slogans as titles or keyword stuffing.
- Any mention or variation of the word ‘Facebook’ within the name.
Can’t See The Option To Change Your Business Name?
It’s possible that you won’t be able to follow the steps we’ve given you. If this is the case, a few things might be happening. First, it might be that you don’t have the right permissions to change the business name. Make sure you’ve got the highest level of access possible. If more than one person has the ability to change the name, check when the last time someone did that was. Remember, names cannot be changed within 60 days of a previous change.
There are also some restrictions which may mean you can’t change the name of your business. If this has happened but it’s essential that your name is changed, we’d recommend reaching out to Meta directly for support. Finally, if the page you’re managing is associated with a large, recognisable, global brand, it may not be possible to change a regional page.
If you’ve requested a name change but can’t yet see it, you may need to exercise some patience. It has been known to take a couple of days for changes to update in some cases. If it’s been four days or longer, you may want to reach out to Meta for advice.
Ensure Customers Can Still Find You
A change of name can be risky, as customers may struggle to find your business. As well as changing your Facebook business profile name, you also need to update mentions of your business name everywhere else they appear online. The business name is included in what we refer to as NAP data – which stands for Name, Address and Phone Number. It’s essential that your business’s NAP data matches online, from your website through to directory listings, to social media and more. Inconsistent NAP data is a red flag to search engines, so if you’re changing your Facebook business name make sure you take the time to update all your other online listings.
Written by Alice Farley
