As rapidly as Facebook has grown over the last couple of years, there certainly have been a lot of changes in the format of the social media giant. For new businesses and organizations who are just now deciding to get on the Facebook bandwagon, it's really confusing to get started. It is a good idea though!
Perhaps one of the most confusing aspects of launching a new Facebook
strategy is deciding whether you need to set up a Facebook Profile, a
Facebook Page, or a Facebook Group. They all have their similarities,
but we'll try to cover who they're best for as we move forward here.
Ready?
Facebook Profiles
While the rules maybe weren't so clear in the past, today we know that a
Facebook Profile should only be used for one purpose and one purpose
only-personal use. Facebook clearly explains their requirements here
that Profiles are to be used exclusively for a real person with a real
name. And if your business or organization set up a Profile in the past,
it could be removed at any time. Something you might want to think
about...
Facebook Pages
A Facebook Page is the so-called equivalent of a Facebook Profile for
businesses and organizations. You don't have to associate any real
person with a Facebook Page, although a person with their own Facebook
Profile can be set as the administrator of a Facebook Page and can
control the associated page through their main Facebook account. If you
have a business or organization that you want to have their own place on
Facebook, then Facebook Pages are the option for you.
Facebook Groups
So what is a group to be used for then? Good question-but generally
groups are tailored around a certain topic and focused on maintaining an
ongoing dialogue of discussion among the group members. Rather than
using them as a stand-alone entity, it's probably best to use Groups as
an addition to either your personal Facebook Profile or your business or
organization's Facebook Page. And remember the rule of thumb that
groups are primarily intended for discussion-so if you're not wanting to
actively participate in ongoing conversations surrounding your group's
topic, it's probably best to avoid this option.