Facebook: to use a group or page?
Technologies / / December 19, 2019
It is no secret that many users already "moved" to Facebook, where quite successfully engaged in the promotion of their products, services, or simply themselves. But not everyone knows the best way to start this way. It is better to create - group or brand page, magazine, blog, for yourself or your pet cat?
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Facebook Group
To start to define what a group in Facebook? Group - a community in which people can communicate with each other, share information and interact, but only within a given theme or idea.
Groups can be wonderful marketing tool. One of the main functions of the group - a report the necessary information on specific topics to the target audience. Some users are using for this purpose the same page. But the group plus the fact that the entrance to it is possible to limit only to those who have received the invitation, or make limited access to various criteria.
Facebook Page
Unlike groups, pages are publicly available. In general, they are organized by various organizations or individuals as open source for all those who somehow interested in the topic of the page (for the fans, the fans, etc.). If you want to know about your business as much as possible the number of people, then it is better to create a Facebook page.
Facebook Groups and Pages: comparison functions
Small comparative analysis functions just for those who are still undecided in their choice. So which is better - a group or page?
Bulk messaging
One of the great features of the groups - the ability to send messages to all the participants of this group directly in the inbox of Facebook users. But there is a limit - no more than 5 000 participants. That is, if your goal is to disseminate information to the largest possible number of people, this feature will not be decisive for you.
Indexing by search engines
And indexed pages and groups. But the page administrators can optimize for the search engines using a variety of applications (eg, Static FBML). This does not mean that the groups are not indexed by Google. You can control the flow of information in groups, and this would be sufficient for indexing in search engines.
Publication in the general flow
Another of the functions of the groups and pages - the ability to publish posts participants. When people on Facebook Update your status (something written on the wall), their friends will see these updates. Exactly the same function have groups and pages. It is difficult to say who has the advantage in this briefcase substantial. But in the pages administrators a little more right, and they can moderate the user activity.
Targeted entry into streams
It is possible to filter access to the records in the order in which language users to communicate through. That is, if you have an English-speaking fans, of course, you would like to reach them information in English only. Russian they still will not be able to read. Just as not all of your EXHIBITORS can understand the complex teskt in English. This feature helps to not clog the news feed and convey a specific content to the end user.
application Support
One of the biggest differences groups of pages - it is an opportunity pages include application. Applications are available to administrators who integrate them into the page. For example, administrators can create custom page tab using Static FBML application. That is, in this case, applications create pages for administrators in Facebook is very wide field of activity.
Restricting access
One of the advantages of groups of pages - is the ability to regulate the flow of participants, that is, access to the group. There are three types of groups: open, closed and secret. Public groups are working in the same way as the page - they can join anyone. Closed group though and appears in the search results of Facebook, but administrators decide whether to include you in the group. Secret group you will not find through search, access to them can only be obtained if you were sent an invitation.
Events in incoming messages
One of the shortcomings in the work with Facebook pages - is the inability to send messages about events in users' mailboxes. Disseminate this information only to members pages can, share the its host. Although a large percentage of your users see the update, the others will not notice. But you can use in Facebook ads in order to disseminate information to the largest possible number of users.
In groups, you can send event invitations to each group member. But, again, the number is limited to 5000 users.
Turn metric
In the Facebook page has a wonderful feature called "Page Insights«. It enables administrators to monitor the "demographic" information on their pages - to keep track of which users are looking for certain posts and photos, monitors their activity.
advertising widgets
If you want to market to your clients page for your business (or your personal page) in Facebook, you will help a special widget. But in groups, unfortunately, this is not possible.
At the moment, for page administrators only available widget fans of the page. The rest of the work in progress.
Vanity URLs
And the last feature - Vanity URLs (also called «usernames»). This unique URLs, which redirects the user directly on your page to Facebook. In groups such feature is not present, because they are designed for a variety of discussion and dissemination of information and not to increase brand awareness or public person. The idea is to simplify the advertising itself to Facebook. For example, you can just tell your customers, so for more information, they went to Facebook dot com slash «my business».
conclusion
And finally, a small comparative table of Facebook Pages & Groups
And do not forget Lifehacker.ru page on facebook!