6 Facebook Marketing Tips for Managing Your Facebook Page

Wondering what works and what doesn’t for your Facebook page?

Or are you overwhelmed with all of the Facebook tactics you read about?

No matter how long you’ve had a Facebook page, it’s good to review some of the basics for creating a page for your business.

This article includes six simple tips that will make you a more effective admin and make your page more professional starting today.

#1: Check Your Wall-posting Preferences

Does your page get a lot of, ahem, critical commentary on its timeline? Or maybe just more than you have time to deal with easily? If so, it might be time to set your page’s Posting Ability tab so that only your page admins can post.

Here’s how: Choose Edit Page from your Admin panel. Then choose Edit Settings.

You can add/remove admins directly from the Admin panel.

From there, edit the Posting Ability tab and decide if you want everyone to be able to post on your page, or if you want to allow only your page admins to post.

You can adjust the posting ability to fit your page’s needs.

While I normally advocate allowing open access to a page, and even leaving negative posts up so your customers and future customers can see how you deal with criticism, for some businesses it’s just simpler to let people message you privately if they have an issue. Setting to “Posts by Page Only” also prevents Facebook users from spamming you.

You’re able to choose to allow everyone to post to your page or limit posting.

#2: Use Insights to Determine What’s Working for Your Page

There are two basic types of Facebook page admins: Those who post based on hunches as to what motivates engagement, and those who look at Facebook’s Insightsto see what actually drives engagement.

Checking Facebook Insights will help you give your fans what they want. For example, if you notice that the posts with images have better reach and engagement than those that are text only, try removing the images to see what happens.

Since Facebook is always messing with EdgeRank, it can seem like just when you have figured out the formula for engagement, something changes. Checking Insights will help you stay on track, no matter what algorithmic changes Facebook throws your way.

A few months back, Facebook did a complete overhaul of Facebook Insights and Jon Loomer wrote a nice article for Social Media Examiner that walks you through the latest features.

Facebook Insights provide valuable information about the actions of your fans that can enhance your Facebook presence.

#3: Assign Admin Roles

Facebook allows five different administrator roles: manager, content creator, moderator, advertiser and insights analyst. Each role has different capabilities—only managers have the ability to change each admin’s role. Facebook makes all admins managers by default.

Each admin level has different capabilities for a Facebook page.

You can have as many admins on a page as you want. To add an admin, go to Edit Page on your timeline and then click Admin Roles. Scroll down and select Add Another Admin.

Note: To make someone an admin of your page, the person must have liked the page.

To prevent conflict among your employees and before you assign your Facebook page’s admin roles, establish some company-wide guidelines. Some things to consider:

• Have a quarterly Facebook training session. Discuss roles and address etiquette and expectations for employees who manage the page. At the quarterly meeting, discuss new Facebook features, address concerns about previous posts and talk about new tactics that you’d like to implement.
• Define the voice of your page. Each individual has a unique voice, but when representing a business or brand on a Facebook page, the page admins should work together to form a consistent voice. Make sure that your page admins understand the established voice and that they are expected to use that voice when communicating with users and fans online.
• Keep a shareable document (e.g., a Google doc) that outlines companysocial media policies. Employees should refer to the document at any time when they need to know what to post—and what not to post. This document should also include recommendations about how to interact with your Facebook fan base.
• Keep admins to a minimum. Don’t give just anyone admin rights to the Facebook page. The fewer people managing a page, the better. Two or three admins actively updating, responding to inquiries and managing the page are plenty.
• Keep communication between admins open. “If you’re not sure, ask!” is an elementary concept, yet it’s an important one. Whether responding to a particularly difficult user comment or sharing an article on the timeline, establish a rule of thumb that if any admin is unsure about whether something is appropriate, s/he should ask another admin for an opinion. Encouraging page admins to have open communication with one another will help reduce mistakes.

Adding new admins is easy as long as the person has liked your page.

#4: Choose Your Featured Likes 

Liking other business pages helps you build connections (and when they reciprocate, gives you added exposure), but you might not want certain pages to be among the first things visitors to your page see. Luckily, you can control which of the pages you’ve liked appear on your timeline.

Five of these likes are displayed at any one time, and the five that appear randomly change each time the visitor to your page refreshes—unless you edit which pages appear.

Why would you want to do this? You might want to feature pages that are related to your business. Or perhaps you want to feature pages that you think will be relevant to your readers. (If you pick more than five, they will rotate randomly.)

To choose featured likes, go to your Admin panel, choose Edit Page, then Edit Settings. Next, click More and then select Featured. From there you can edit your featured likes.

Try choosing featured pages that are relevant to your business that you think your fans would like.

#5: Bookmark Facebook’s Page Guidelines and Reacquaint Yourself With What’s Changed Recently

Facebook changes its terms of service…often. And unless you follow the company’s blog or frequently check their Page Guidelines, it can be difficult tokeep track of what’s allowed—or not—during a given month.

Of course reading social media blogs like Social Media Examiner will help you stay in the know, but page admins should still bookmark Facebook’s Page Guidelines and read the document at least once a quarter.

The constant changes of Facebook’s Page Guidelines require businesses to read and reference them often.

#6: Use Facebook as a Page Instead of as Yourself

Chances are if you’re the admin of a page, you simply head over to your business page and when you comment or post, you act as the business. But did you know that you can actually change your profile so that you are on Facebook as a page and not just as a personal profile acting as an admin on the page?

Why would you want to do this? If you happen to own or work for a B2B company, it’s a good way to build alliances with other businesses that are in your same industry (but aren’t competitors).

Let’s say you own a restaurant. You’d want to interact with hotels nearby so that when people check out the hotel’s page, they see your (positive and helpful) comments and are motivated to check out your business. Of course there’s a fine line—you don’t want to post too often or be so complimentary that your posts appear insincere, spammy or otherwise annoying. But posting as a page is a great way to network with similar businesses and leverage the marketing power of Facebook.

To act as a page on Facebook, click on the Settings icon in the top right corner of your Facebook profile and you’ll see an option to “Use Facebook as” with a list of the pages for which you’re an admin. When you choose to “Use Facebook as a Page,” you are able not only to post and comment as that page, but also your news feed contains the updates from the businesses your page follows instead of your personal friends and page likes.

Using Facebook as a page offers a variety of benefits to B2B companies.

Hope you find these tips helpful as you look for new ways to invigorate your Facebook presence!

What do you think? Do you have any Facebook tips to share? Please share your comments below.

When sex goes wrong

Having sex without protection is risky. You're risking pregnancy, getting a sexually transmitted infection (STI) and maybe stress too. Find out where to go for help if you have unprotected sex.

Unprotected sex is any sex without contraception or a condom. You may have forgotten to use contraception, or it may not have worked. Sometimes a condom might split or slip off during sex.

This still counts as unprotected sex, and you're at risk of STIs and pregnancy. Always hold on to the base of the condom when the penis is pulled out. This will stop the condom slipping off and leaking sperm. Get tips on using condoms.

Women who have sex with women also need to know about safer sex because they can also pass infections on to each other. Find out more about sexual health for women who have sex with women.

Unsafe sex and infections

There are lots of STIs, and you only have to sleep with someone once, or have oral sex once, to catch one or more. You can't tell by looking at someone whether they have an STI. Even if you or your partner only had unprotected sex once before you may have caught an infection.

The best way to avoid getting an STI is to use a condom every time you have sex. Always buy condoms that have the CE mark on the packet, because this means that they've been tested to European safety standards. 

Getting a check-up

Go for a check-up if you've had unprotected sex and you have any unusual symptoms around your genitals (vagina or penis), such as:

• pain when you pee
• itching
• discharge that isn't normal for you
• sores
• unexplained bleeding

Some people don't notice any symptoms when they have an STI. It's important that you get tested even if you don't have any symptoms if you think you might be at risk.

Go to your nearest sexual health or genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinic, or see your GP. Find sexual health services near you, including sexual health and GUM clinics.

Pregnancy after unprotected sex

If a man and woman have unprotected sex, the woman can get pregnant. It doesn't matter what position she has sex in, what time of the month it is or whether it's her first time.

There's always a risk of unwanted pregnancy, but usingcontraception and a condom can help to protect against it.

If you think you're pregnant following unprotected sex

Usually, the first sign of pregnancy is a missed period. The only way to find out for sure is to do a pregnancy test. You can buy a test at a pharmacy or supermarket, or you can get one for free at a contraceptive or sexual health clinic, young persons' clinic (call 0800 567 123), or some GP surgeries, pharmacies or NHS walk-in centres.

You can find more information about taking a pregnancy test and what happens if it's positive in Am I pregnant?

If you're pregnant, talk to a doctor or nurse as soon as possible so you can discuss your choices and any difficult questions you may have. They can help you to make the decision that's right for you.

If you've had unprotected sex

Don't panic. Emergency contraception can help to prevent pregnancy after you've had unprotected sex, and you can get tests and treatment for infections.

There are two types of emergency contraception:

• the emergency contraceptive pill (sometimes called the 'morning-after' pill)
• the IUD (intrauterine device, sometimes called a coil)

The emergency pill is more effective the sooner it's taken, especially within the first 24 hours after unprotected sex. The IUD can be inserted into your uterus up to five days after unprotected sex.

You can get the emergency contraceptive pill and the IUD free from:

• a GP surgery that provides contraception
• a contraceptive clinic
• a sexual health clinic 
• some young persons' clinics (call 0800 567 123)

You can also get the emergency contraceptive pill free from:

• some pharmacies
• most NHS walk-in centres and minor injuries units
• some accident and emergency (A&E) departments

You can buy the emergency pill from most pharmacies if you're aged 16 or over (for the emergency pill Levonelle) or 18 or over (for the emergency pill ellaOne), and from some organisations such as bpas or Marie Stopes. The cost varies, but it is usually around £26.

If you're not using a regular method of contraception, find one that suits you (and where to get it) so that you can start using it as soon as possible. Find out more about getting contraception.

You can get help and advice on contraception from:

• a community contraceptive clinic
• a GP surgery that offers contraception
• a sexual health clinic 
• young persons' services (call 0800 567 123)
• some GUM clinics
• FPA: a provider of information on individual methods of contraception, common sexually transmitted infections, pregnancy choices, abortion and planning a pregnancy
• Brook: the sexual health charity for under-25s

Find out what to do if you need help now (includes missing a pill and sexual assault).

Learn more about what to do if you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted.

Keeping your vagina clean and healthy

The vagina is designed to keep itself clean with the help of natural secretions (discharge). Find out how to help your vagina keep clean and healthy – and why you don’t need douches or vaginal wipes.

The vagina is a tube of muscle inside a woman’s body that runs from the cervix (the opening of the womb) to the vaginal opening. The external sex organs, which are called the vulva, surround the vaginal opening.

Looking after your everyday health can help keep your vagina in good shape, says Dr Suzy Elneil, consultant in urogynaecology at University College Hospital, London, and spokesperson forWellbeing of Women. “Generally, good vaginal health is maintained by making sure you’re in good general health,” she explains. “This includes healthy diet and exercise. Normal exercise helps maintain good vaginal function, as walking and running helps the pelvic floor to tone up and helps ensure good general health.”

Find out more about having a healthy diet, exercise and keeping fit, and pelvic floor exercises.

Vaginal secretions or discharge

Other than your period as part of your natural menstrual cycle, it’s normal to produce clear or white secretions (discharge) from your vagina. This mucus is produced naturally from the neck of the womb, known as the cervix.

“Vaginal discharge is not ‘always a bad sign’,” says Dr Elneil. “There is a myth that copious clear or white discharge is associated with sexually transmitted infections. Changes in the amount of discharge can be 100% hormonal – in other words, linked to the menstrual cycle, pregnancy or menopause.”

The character and amount of vaginal discharge varies throughout your menstrual cycle. Around the time that your ovary releases an egg (ovulation), your discharge usually becomes thicker and stretchy, like raw egg white.

The vagina contains more bacteria than any other part of a woman's body, after the bowel

Healthy discharge doesn’t have a strong smell or colour. You may feel an uncomfortable wetness, but you shouldn’t have any itching or soreness around your vagina. If there are any changes to your discharge that aren’t normal for you, such as a change in colour or if it starts to smell or itch, see your GP as you might have an infection.

You can find out more about vaginal discharge, pregnancy and the menopause.

Bacteria in the vagina

There are lots of bacteria inside the vagina, and they’re there to protect it. Professor Ronnie Lamont, spokesperson for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, says: “The vagina contains more bacteria than anywhere else in the body after the bowel, but the bacteria are there for a reason.”

The good bacteria inside the vagina:

• provide "numerical dominance": they outnumber other potential harmful bacteria that might enter the vagina
• help to keep the vagina’s pH balance (how acidic the vagina is) at an even level, which helps to keep the balance of bacteria healthy
• can produce bacteriocins (naturally occurring antibiotics) to reduce or kill other bacteria entering the vagina
• produce a substance that stops invading bacteria sticking to the vagina walls, which prevents bacteria from invading the tissues

If the balance of bacteria is disturbed, this can lead to infection and inflammation. Bacteria called lactobacilli help to keep the vagina’s pH balance at its normal low level (less than pH 4.5), which also prevents the growth of other organisms. If the pH of the vagina increases (in other words, if it gets less acidic), the quality or amount of lactobacilli can fall and other bacteria can multiply. This can result in infections such as bacterial vaginosis or thrush, which can cause symptoms including itching, irritation and abnormal discharge.

Washing your vagina

It’s a good idea to avoid perfumed soaps, gels and antiseptics as these can affect the healthy balance of bacteria and pH levels in the vagina, and cause irritation.

Use plain, unperfumed soaps to wash the area around the vagina (the vulva) gently every day. The vagina will clean itself inside your body with natural vaginal secretions (discharge). “During your period, washing more than once a day may be helpful,” says Dr Elneil, who points out that keeping the perineal area (between the vagina and anus) clean is important too. “Good perineal hygiene is necessary, by washing that area at least once a day using your normal bathing routines.”

“All women are different,” says Professor Lamont. “Some may wash with perfumed soap and not notice any problems. But if a woman has vulval irritation or symptoms, then one of the first things you can do is to use non-allergenic, plain soaps to see if that helps.”

Vaginal douches

A douche flushes water up into the vagina, clearing out vaginal secretions. Some women use a douche to "clean" the vagina, but using a douche can disrupt the normal vaginal bacteria so it isn't recommended that you use one.

“I can’t think of any circumstances where douches are helpful, because all they do is wash out everything that’s in the vagina, including all the healthy bacteria,” explains Professor Lamont.

There is no evidence that douching protects against STIs or vaginal infections, and it may even increase the risk.

Scented wipes and vaginal deodorants

These perfumed products can disrupt the vagina’s healthy, natural balance. “If nature had intended the vagina to smell like roses or lavender, it would have made the vagina smell like roses or lavender,” says Professor Lamont.

Washing with water and a plain soap should be all you need to keep your vagina healthy. It’s normal for the vagina to have a scent. “Vaginal odour can change at different times of the reproductive cycle and shouldn’t always be thought of as being a sign of infection or illness,” says Dr Elneil.

If you’re worried about the way your vagina smells, if the smell is unpleasant, or you’re using perfumed products to cover up your vagina’s smell, you should see your GP. You might have an infection that needs treatment.

The most common cause of unusual vaginal discharge is bacterial vaginosis, which can cause an unpleasant smell. It’s easily treated with antibiotics, so see your GP if you’re worried.

You can find out more about symptoms of bacterial vaginosis,symptoms of thrush and symptoms that could signal a sexually transmitted infection.

Safer sex

Some bacteria and viruses can get into the vagina during sex. These include the bugs that cause chlamydia, gonorrhoea,genital herpes, genital warts, syphilis and HIV. You can protect your vagina against these infections by using a condom every time you have sex.

Find out some tips about using condoms.

Cervical screening

All women aged from 25 to 64 are invited for cervical screening. Being screened regularly means that any abnormal changes in the cervix can be identified early on and, if necessary, treated to stop cancer developing. Find out more about cervical screening.

Is my vagina normal?

Vaginas are designed to help us have and enjoy sex, have periods and have babies. But what’s normal and what’s not? Find out how vaginas can be different.

Dr Suzy Elneil, consultant in urogynaecology and uro-neurology at University College Hospital, London, has worked with a lot of women. “Like people, vaginas are completely individual,” she says. “No two are the same.”

Don’t compare yourself to anyone else – what someone else’s vagina looks like is normal for them, but won’t necessarily be what’s normal for you. Yours is unique.

The vagina and vulva

Some of a woman’s sexual organs are inside the body (such as the womb, ovaries and vagina) and some are outside. The external organs are known as the vulva. This includes the opening of the vagina, the inner and outer lips (labia) and the clitoris, which is located at the top of the vagina.

The vagina is a tube about 8cm (3in) long, which leads from the cervix (the neck of the womb) down to the vulva, where it opens between the legs. The vagina is very elastic so it can easily stretch around a man’s penis or around a baby during labour.

“Vaginas vary in shape, size and colour,” says Dr Elneil. “Some are small and ovoid (egg-shaped), some are large and cylindrical, and the colours can vary from light pink to a deep brownish red-pink. The important thing is that the vagina functions normally.”

Pelvic floor exercises can help keep your vagina in shape. “These are good for maintaining good pelvic floor tone and can improve sexual function,” she adds. “Normal exercise also helps maintain good vaginal function, as walking and running helps the pelvic floor tone up and helps ensure good general health.” Find out about pelvic floor exercises, including how to do them.

Should I worry about the size of my labia?

Some women worry about the size of their labia (the lips outside the vagina), but there isn’t usually any cause for concern. Labia vary from woman to woman, so don’t judge yours by anyone else’s standards.

“Large labia are only a medical problem if it affects the woman’s working, social or sporting life,” explains Dr Elneil. “Size is really not a problem per se, for most women. However, for cyclists, the length and size of the labia can affect their ability to sit comfortably on the seat, but this is a rare problem.”

If you're worried, talk to your GP.

Vaginal discharge

It’s normal to have vaginal discharge (mucus or secretions), and the texture and amount of discharge can vary throughout yourmenstrual cycle. If your normal vaginal discharge becomes different, for example if it changes colour or smells, this could be a sign of infection so see your GP.

Vaginal itching

A healthy vagina shouldn’t be itchy. Itching can be a sign of thrush or other infection, but it can also have other causes.

“Itching can be part of a generalised skin problem, such aseczema,” Dr Elneil says. “Or it can be a sign of benign or malignant (cancerous) changes to the skin, such as lichen sclerosus or vaginal intra-epithelial neoplasia. All need treatment, so if the itch persists for more than a month, get it checked by a GP or gynaecologist. They need to see the vulva, perineum (between the vagina and anus) and the vagina directly.”

Girls' bodies Q&A

Puberty can be a confusing time because your body and your feelings are changing as you grow up. Here are answers to some of the questions that girls ask about their bodies.

At what age do you go through puberty?

You'll probably start to notice changes from age 10 upwards, but there's no right or wrong time to start. Some people go through puberty later than others. This is normal. If you have no signs of puberty by the age of 16, see a doctor for a check-up.

Find out more about girls and puberty.

Is discharge from the vagina normal?

Yes, this is perfectly normal. Girls start to produce more vaginal discharge (fluid) as they go through puberty and the hormones in the glands of the vagina and cervix (neck of the womb) begin to work. The fluid helps to keep the vaginal area moist, and protects it from damage or infection.

Before puberty, most girls have very little discharge. After puberty, what's normal for one girl won't be normal for another. Some produce a lot of fluid and some produce very little.

When you start your periods, you'll probably notice that your discharge varies at different times during your menstrual cycle. It might be colourless or creamy white in colour, and it may become more sticky and increase in quantity. Find out aboutperiods and the menstrual cycle.

My discharge smells. Is that normal?

It's not normal if the discharge becomes smelly or green, or if your vaginal area is itchy or sore. These may mean that you have an infection, such as thrush, which is common but easily treated. If you've had sex without using a condom, there's a risk you might have a sexually transmitted infection (STI).

If your discharge is different from what's normal for you, see a doctor or nurse. Advice is free and confidential even if you're under 16.

Read how to keep your vagina clean and healthy.

When should you start your periods?

Girls usually start their periods between the ages of 10 and 16. Most girls start when they’re around 12. As everyone develops at different rates, there's no right or wrong age for a girl to start. Your periods will start when your body is ready, and there's nothing you can do to make them start sooner or later.

If you haven’t started your periods by the time you’re 16, visit your doctor for a check-up.

What should you use when your periods start?

To be prepared for your first period, keep sanitary pads (sometimes called sanitary towels) or tampons at home, and carry some in your bag.

Sanitary pads line your underwear to soak up the blood as it leaves your vagina. Tampons are inserted inside the vagina to soak up the blood before it leaves the vagina. Tampons have a string that hangs outside the vagina, and you pull this to remove the tampon.

Don't flush sanitary pads or tampons down the toilet. Wrap them in paper and put them in the bin. Most women’s toilets have special bins for sanitary products.

There are different kinds of pads and tampons for light, medium and heavy blood flow. Use whatever you find most comfortable. Try different kinds until you find one that suits you. You might need to use different kinds at various points during your period. You need to change your pad or tampon several times a day.

You'll find instructions in the packet on how to use them. Sanitary pads and tampons are available in pharmacies, supermarkets, and some newsagents and petrol stations.

There's a life-threatening infection called Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS), which affects around 20 people in the UK (men and women) every year. It’s not known why, but a lot of these cases occur in women who are wearing tampons, particularly highly absorbent ('heavy') ones. Find out more about TSS.

If you're worried about anything to do with periods or want more information, talk to an older woman, such as your mum, big sister, the school nurse or a teacher. Your doctor or local contraception or young people’s clinic can also help. Find sexual health services near you.

Is my period normal?

Don’t worry if your periods aren't the same as your friends’ periods. Every girl is different. Bleeding can last up to eight days, although it usually lasts about five days. The bleeding is heaviest during the first two days.

During your period, your blood flow may seem heavy, but the actual amount of blood is equivalent to between five and 12 teaspoons. However, you may have periods that are heavier than normal. This is known as menorrhagia, and there's medication to treat it, so talk to your doctor if you’re worried. Find out more about heavy periods. You can also take the heavy periods self-assessment to see if your periods are heavy.

The average length of the menstrual cycle (from the first day of your period until the day before your next period) is 28 days, although anywhere between 24 and 35 days is common.

Your hormone cycle may affect you physically and emotionally. Some women don’t have any symptoms, but on the days leading up to your period you may have symptoms of premenstrual syndrome. These include:

• headaches
• bloating
• irritability 
• backache 
• feeling depressed
• a general feeling of being upset or emotional
• difficulty sleeping
• difficulty concentrating
• breast tenderness
• some weight gain (up to 1kg)

Once your period has started, these symptoms usually improve. When your period has ended they disappear.

Periods can sometimes be painful. The precise cause of painful periods is unknown, but you may feel pain in your abdomen, back or vagina. It usually starts shortly before your period begins, and lasts for a few days. Painkillers can help. Find out more about treating painful periods.

What if my period is late?

If you're worried about your period, visit your doctor or a local community contraceptive or young persons clinic (call 0800 567123). Girls' periods can be irregular for many different reasons, including stress.

Another reason for a late period is pregnancy. If you've had sex without using contraception and your period is late, take a pregnancy test as soon as possible. You can get a test kit from your local doctor, contraceptive clinic or young person’s clinic.Find sexual health services near you. You can also do a pregnancy test yourself, using a test kit bought at a pharmacy or supermarket. 

Are my breasts too small?

No. Every woman is different and everyone’s body develops at its own rate. Don’t worry about what size is ‘normal’.

How do I know if I have breast cancer?

It’s unusual for teenagers to get breast cancer. Lumps, bumps and changes to the breast are common, and most of them are benign (non-cancerous).

There's no set method of checking your breasts, but get to know what they look and feel like so that you'll notice any changes. However, it’s normal for your breasts to change in size or become more tender during your menstrual cycle.

When must I have a cervical screening test?

A cervical screening test (sometimes called a smear) is a test where cells are taken from a woman’s cervix (located above the vagina) to check for changes that could lead to cervical cancer. Cervical cancer can be prevented if it's detected early through cervical screening.

In England, cervical screening tests are offered to women from age 25 onwards, every three to five years. You should have them whether you're straight, gay or bisexual. Women who have sex with women need to have cervical screening as well as women who have sex with men.

What is the hymen?

The hymen is a very thin piece of skin that stretches across the vagina, just inside the woman’s body. Every girl is born with a hymen, but it can break when using tampons, playing sport, or doing other activities, including having sex.

Do you put on weight when you're on the Pill?

No, there's no evidence that the contraceptive pill causes weight gain. Some girls and women put on weight while they're taking the Pill, but so do girls and women who aren't taking it.

If you’ve got any questions about the Pill or any other methods of contraception, such as the injection, implant or patch, go to a GP, local contraceptive clinic or young person’s service (call 0800 567123). Find sexual health services near you. 

You can get free and confidential advice about sex, contraception and abortion even if you're under 16.

Can you get pregnant if you have sex during your period?

Yes. A girl can get pregnant if she has sex with a boy, at any time during her menstrual cycle, and can get pregnant the first time she has sex.

That’s why you should always use contraception. There are lots of different methods, including: 

• contraceptive cap
• combined pill
• condoms
• contraceptive implant
• contraceptive injection
• contraceptive patch
• diaphragms
• female condoms
• intrauterine device (IUD)
• Mirena (intrauterine system or IUS)
• natural family planning
• progestogen-only pill (mini-pill)
• vaginal ring

Only condoms help to protect you against STIs and pregnancy, so use condoms as well as your chosen method of contraception every time you have sex.

What is the clitoris?

The clitoris is a small soft bump in front of the entrance to the vagina. It's very sensitive, and touching and stimulating it can give strong feelings of sexual pleasure. This is how most girls masturbate. Most girls and women need the clitoris to bestimulated in order to have an orgasm during sex.

Boys' bodies Q&A

Puberty can be a confusing time because your body and your feelings are changing as you grow up. Here are answers to some of the questions that boys often ask about their bodies.

At what age do you go through puberty?

Puberty describes all the physical changes that children go through as they grow into adults. Most people start to notice changes at around 11 years old, but there's no right or wrong time to start puberty. It might be sooner or it might be later, and this is normal.

Read more on boys and puberty.

What's the average penis size?

Penis size varies from man to man, in the same way that everyone is a different height, weight and build. Most men's penises are somewhere around 9cm (3.75in) long when they’re not erect, but it’s normal for them to be shorter or longer than this. Some things can make your penis temporarily smaller, such as swimming or being cold.

Most penises are roughly the same size when they’re hard, between about 15 and 18cm (6-7in) long. You can’t make your penis larger or smaller with exercises or medication. Find out more about penis size.

What is circumcision?

Circumcision is an operation to remove the piece of skin (the foreskin) that covers the tip of the penis. In the UK, it's usually done for religious reasons, and is most common in the Jewish and Muslim communities. If you have been circumcised, it's nothing to worry about. It won’t affect your ability to have sex. 

Female genital mutilation (also called female circumcision) is illegal in the UK. It involves cutting off some or all of a girl’s external genitals, such as the labia and clitoris.

I have spots on my penis and it itches. Is this normal?

If you've recently had sex without using a condom you may have picked up a sexually transmitted infection (STI). Visit a sexual health or genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinic, GP, nurse, young people’s clinic or a community contraceptive clinic. Find a sexual health clinic near you.

Lots of boys have normal lumps and bumps on their penis, and spots can also be caused by an allergy or irritation. But if you're worried, seek advice from a doctor or clinic. Medical people see problems like this every day, so there's nothing to be embarrassed about.

Is it normal for my penis to smell fishy and have whitebits behind the tip?

This can happen naturally from time to time. To prevent it happening, wash gently behind the foreskin if you have one (men who have been circumcised don’t have a foreskin) when you bath or shower. Use water, or water and a mild soap. Find out more about washing your penis.

If you're washing carefully and the symptoms don't go away, and you've had sex without a condom, you may have an STI. See a doctor, or visit a sexual health or genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinic, young people’s sexual health or a community contraceptive clinic. Find a sexual health clinic near you.

What is sperm?

Sperm is produced in the testicles (balls) and released in fluid called semen during sexual activity. Every time a man ejaculates (comes) he can produce more than 100 million sperm. But it only takes one sperm to get a girl pregnant, and that can happen before the boy ejaculates. This is because the fluid that comes out of the tip of his penis before he ejaculates (called pre-ejaculatory fluid) can contain sperm.

If you're having sex with a girl, always use contraception andcondoms to prevent both pregnancy and STIs. Talk to your partner about what contraception she's using, and make sure that you use condoms too.

If you’re having sex with a boy, always use condoms to stop yourself getting an STI or passing one on.

Is it normal to get an erection when you wake up in the morning?

Yes, most boys have an erection when they wake up in the morning, and they can get one when they're not expecting it during the day, even when they’re not sexually excited. This is a normal part of sexual development and growing up.

Is it normal for one testicle to hang lower than the other?

Yes, this is normal and nothing to worry about. One theory is that it stops your testicles banging together when you run.

How do I know if I have testicular cancer?

Check your testicles every month by gently rolling them, one at a time, between your thumb and fingers to feel for any unusual lumps or bumps. You’ll feel a hard ridge on the upper back of each ball. This is the epididymis, where sperm is stored, and it’s normal to feel it here.

If you feel any lumps, it probably isn’t testicular cancer, but get it checked by a doctor. Other warning signs include:

• one ball growing larger or heavier than the other 
• an ache in your balls 
• bleeding from your penis

If you notice any of these, see your doctor. If caught early, testicular cancer can usually be treated successfully.

What is premature ejaculation?

This is when a boy or man ejaculates (comes) too quickly during sex. This is fairly common, especially among younger men, and can be due to nerves or over-excitement. Some people don’t worry about it, and some find that using a condom can help to delay ejaculation. Find out more about premature ejaculation.

If it bothers you, see your local doctor, nurse, or visit a sexual health or genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinic, young people’s clinic or community contraceptive clinic. These places will give you free and confidential advice whatever your age, even if you're under 16. Find a GP or sexual health clinic near you.

Can you pee while having sex?

No. During sex, a valve shuts the outlet tube from your bladder so that only sperm can pass through the tube (urethra), which you use to pee.

Why is it harder to ejaculate when you have sex a second time soon after the first?

If you have sex a second time straight after the first, it can take longer for you to reach orgasm (come). This is normal. If you're worried about this, take a longer break after sex before you start again. Whether it's the first, second or tenth time you've had sex that day, always use a new condom to protect against pregnancy and STIs.