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.
Still confused? It definitely can be a challenge to fully understand all of this. Take some time to look around Facebook and see what businesses and organizations similar to yours are doing. Sometimes this can help clarify your own ideas and plans for using the popular social networking site. And if you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact us here at WSpider in San Jose—we’ll do our best to lend a hand.
