Facebook is a popular social network that can be very beneficial for businesses. When used effectively, it is in my opinion, the most cost-effective form of advertising. The ability for you to specify your target market down to age, interest and location is invaluable. However, there are some businesses that are using the tool improperly as there seems to be confusion as to whether a Profile, Group or Page should be used to represent their company.
Profile vs Group vs Page
What is the difference between the three?
Profiles
Simply put Profiles are for individuals or sole traders; nothing else. There are some companies that use Profiles for their Facebook presence. By doing this companies run the risk of Facebook closing down their accounts at any time. Sole traders who use profiles to advertise their skills must be careful not to mix business with pleasure. No one wants to hire you if openly boast about how many times you got drunk over the weekend. Keep your profiles professional.
Groups
Groups can be created by individuals or businesses. Groups are great for discussions on specific topics or causes and can be used to advertise your business/skills. For example a sole trader may start a photography Group on Facebook and invite persons who have a similar interest to join. Once the discussion is kept fresh and lively the Group could garner quite a following.
Pages
Pages are ideal for businesses. The most powerful features for tracking interaction are found with Pages. Unlike groups which are great for discussions, the posts on a Page are mainly one way traffic. You can use your Page to highlight your different services, offerings etc. Moreover you can then advertise these individual posts or the entire page and attain a decent following in a short space of time. What is great about advertising this way is that you can view real-time feedback of how persons are interacting with your posts and adjust or amend them accordingly.
Please feel free to contact my for any Social Media advice for your company.