Things on Facebook can get downright confusing, especially when it comes to using it to market. Recently I have seen a lot of businesses that have created profiles and are using their profile to get their potential customers to follow them. First of all this practice is against Facebook Terms of Use.
Businesses often set up a profile, because it's easier to add friends quickly - but if it is found that you have two profiles regardless of whether one is a personal and one is a business they can be canceled for TOU violation. Multiple accounts or profiles on Facebook is a serious violation of Facebook TOU. If Facebook discovers a business under a personal profile, they may deactivate the profile as it is against their TOU. Do you really want to run that risk?
You will gain the most from Facebook by setting up a Facebook Fan Page or a Group. There is a difference in the two, so evaluate which will serve your needs and make the most sense for your business.
The Difference in Facebook Fan Pages and Groups
A Facebook Fan Page enables current customers or even potential customers to become fans of your page and by doing so this it allows them to follow you and receive any updates that you post to your page.
A Facebook Group is built around a group of people rather than your business or your brand. You can message those who are a part of your group, but they do not have the feature that allows users to become fans, they only become members. The downfall of this is it will not share as much information with friends of "group" members as they interact with the group.
Learn how to setup your Facebook Fan Page or your Facebook Group and begin using Facebook to create awareness and market your business.
I do find Facebook terms a little harsh. So I searched for a site that was similar that allowed me to sign up with a profile for my business with the best online marketing tools and I couldn’t believe it was all free. And not to mention it is extremely simple to use…much easier than Facebook. I think it’s a new site and it’s called FLOOPLA.com.
Anyway, I do love Facebook for family and friend but when it comes to business I choose FLOOPLA.
Great article.
i find floopla.com is very confusing.
Without a account there ’s not much fo rit. they have so many things on the page and its difficult to find what they are trying to be.
a place for advertising business, but they don’t even provide any search function??
maybe I just not intelligent enough to get it.
One great tool to browse and check shared groups or fan pages with friends in facebook is xibya Groups-Explorer. I found it easy to use, insightful and with no spam ads.
You can explore what groups you share with your friends, browse groups members and make new contacts. Hope you find it as helpful as I did.
http://www.facebook.com/Groups.Explorer
How do I know if I have set my page up as a fan page or as a group? Maybe that explains why the page I have set up is an extension of me.
Turns out I do have a Fan Page, but I have never been able to understand why they make it be part of my profile. Why can it not stand alone with no association to me?
We are a social media marketing company, and are among a growing group of professionals screaming for allowing people two personal profiles: one for friends and family, and one to use as the “face of a business” which would then be linked to a business page.
With so many security issues, and FB constantly changing things, having pictures of your kids on your profile that you also use to keep in touch with clients, and potential clients, just doesnt jive.
The problem lies in the fact that you use your personal profile to invite people to your business page. So if I meet someone who I want to connect with, and be able to message with etc, they must be a friend. Them liking my business page closes out this opportunity of a personal connection beyond just the business page. BUT I dont want this potential client to see pics of my kids, or posts i make about a Harry Potter movie or something more controversial like a religious debate on my wall.
So we would be allowed on personal profile to keep in touch with family and friends, and people we know who we are fine sharing pics of kids, vacations, and discuss controversial topics, then one personal page that would be the face of the business page which would connect to this 2nd personal profile. Seems simple enough.
The only thing to do, is for all of you who want to be allowed 2 profiles, is to go to FB help page, and you will see “make a suggestion” buried in there. Well, suggest they allow 2 personal profiles. If they get this in motion, you wont ever have to worry about being shut down, your privacy, and what you post where.
Go do it now, and spread the word!!!! Facebook DOES listen, but you need to speak.