subject: Which Is Best? Facebook Pages Or Groups? [print this page] Local business owners are getting more internet savvy, understanding the importance of social media marketing and search engine optimisation but, with all the recent changes on Facebook, many have been asking the question about which is better - Facebook Business Pages or Facebook Groups.
So here's a short summary of what each can and cannot do.
Facebook Pages Can:
Get Indexed By Search Engines - if you have put keywords in to your username (also known as the vanity url), you could end up on the front page of Google for some search terms.
Allow customers to check in via their mobile phones when they are at your business, as well as interact with the wall by uploading current status updates and photos.
Allow likers to engage with the Page by liking, commenting on or sharing links and status updates that have been posted on the wall.
Commment on other Facebook Business Pages helping to promote brand awareness amongst other local businesses and the customers of those businesses.
Tag Likers in Photographs to alert them to new images that have been uploaded.
Create an event.
Appear in likers newsfeeds - but only if they regularly interact with the page or if the Page has high Edgerank through overall levels of engagement by other users.
Appear in the newsfeeds of friends of likers who have interacted with the Page by sharing or commenting.
Facebook Pages Can't:
Communicate directly with likers other than through Facebook Ads or Sponsored Stories
Promote events or offers other than on the wall
Facebook Groups Can:
Gather together people who have similar interests or concerns, allowing them to post observations, photos, links on the wall.
Communicate with the other members of the group by tagging them so notifications appear in their newsfeeds.
Activity in the group appears in notifications and newsfeed
Promote business blog posts about events or special offerse via links on the wall
Facebook Groups Cannot
Create an event - this option is only open to Personal Profiles and Business Pages.
Communicate with friends of likers as activities don't appear on their walls/timelines.
So, from an SEO point of view, Facebook Pages are still important for local businesses but to communicate effectively with likers, it might also be an idea to have a Facebook Group about an interest related and relevant to their business.
For example, a sports centre could run a group about healthy eating and lifestyle, whilst a martial arts club could run a group about self defence.
The only downside of this is that it can cause confusion with potential likers ending up only in the Group rather than contributing to the action on the actual Page.
