Whether you’re an old pro at the Facebook game or still learning the difference between a Page and a Place, a new resource from the social-media giant can help you step up your credit union’s Facebook marketing efforts.

At the end of April, Facebook released a free Best Practice Guide for Marketing on Facebook. The 14-page guide packs a powerful punch, with step-by-step instructions for using the site’s many tools to reach specific objectives. The guide also highlights successful strategies used by real companies, as well as a comprehensive glossary of Facebook resources that’s practically tailor-made to hang up in your office–it’s a great cheat sheet!

Facebook bases the strategies contained in this resource on five guiding principles:

1. Build a strategy that is social by design. Integrate Facebook into broader marketing efforts.
2. Create an authentic brand voice. Provide straightforward information about your business.
3. Make it interactive. Always engage in two-way conversations.
4. Nurture your relationships. Understand that building relationships requires a long-term investment.
5. Keep learning. Take advantage of the ability to get feedback from people in real time.

That’s a solid foundation for any social-media strategy.

For more great advice on Facebook marketing, download the Best Practice Guide. And if you’re tweeting for your credit union, check out our recent post on Five Twitter Accounts Your Credit Union Should Follow.