Visa Creates Small Business Network on FacebookVisa Creates Small Business Network on Facebook

Visa is designing a small-business network and application for social networking site Facebook and will offer advertising credit to businesses that join.The Visa-Facebook service is intended to provide small businesses with tools and tips on attracting customers, trimming costs, and other such business topics. Members of the network will also be able to use Facebook's communications tools to share ideas and discuss deals.

About 80,000 small businesses already have profiles on Facebook, and Visa will give a $100 advertising credit to the first 20,000 businesses that join the new network. Google is providing some of the network's features, such as a template for creating expense sheets and business cards, and the Wall Street Journal and Entrepreneur will answer questions posed by network members.

Businesses can download the Facebook application and join the network here.Associated Press