Facebook Pages vs. Facebook Groups - Which One is Right for You?

On the surface, Facebook Pages and Facebook Groups can appear to be very similar. As Facebook Groups have become more popular for cultivating community (and organic reach has become harder to achieve on Business Pages), I have seen many people jump ship and abandon their Page for a Group. This is not the right approach! You can have both a Page and a Group – but the purpose of each one is different. Let’s explore how these two features differ and how you can benefit from each one.

Facebook Pages

Think of a Facebook Page as your own virtual storefront! For example, if you own a winery, think of the Facebook Page as the winery itself. People can come to your Page to find out information about your business, such as hours, location, details of your services and reviews. Customers can even “check in” on Facebook when they visit your business, which is then shared with all of their friends.

People can choose to “Like” your Facebook Page, and once they do your business posts will appear on their newsfeeds. They can leave you Reviews and send you a Private Message.

Use your Facebook Page to tell your story and help others find out more about you and what you do. Since your Page is public, it is a great way to attract new customers and clients and to stay in touch with your current fans.  Share valuable content with your followers, such as photos, relevant articles and special announcements. You can also boost posts and run ads on your Facebook Page to increase your reach and target your audience (which you can’t do in a Facebook Group).

Facebook Groups

Facebook Groups are more exclusive and intimate than Facebook Pages. Back to the winery example, think of a Facebook Group as the wine club. (Now we are talking!)  It’s a smaller subset of people with a special interest in your business or product, not a public page that everyone can see.

There are two types of Facebook Groups: closed and private. Closed groups are semi-public, meaning anyone can see the name, description and members of the group. But they have to join to see posts and all the juicy details. Private groups are completely hidden, so nobody can see the group unless they are a part of it. Both are great options, it just depends on which one makes more sense for your business.

When established and managed correctly, Facebook Groups tend to have more organic engagement than Facebook Pages. This is often because members of the group have a special interest in the topic. They share commonalities with other group members and because the group is private, they can be more authentic and honest than on a public Page. Once you create a Facebook Group, you can share more targeted information within it and even reward members with exclusive deals. To make the most out of your Facebook Group, be selective with who you allow in it.  Populate the group with members who are invested in the topic to ensure that interest and engagement is high. You can even ask questions of your members when they join to find out more about them.

So, how do these two Facebook features differ? To summarize:

• Facebook Pages are public. They offer better insights and metrics and you can boost posts and advertise. Communication is often one-way: you telling your story and attracting your fans.
• Facebook Groups are private. While you can schedule posts, your insights are limited and you cannot boost posts or target your audience. Communication is among group members around a specific topic or shared interest and your role is to start conversations and moderate dialogue.

Businesses benefit from both Facebook Pages and Facebook Groups. You can determine which one is best for you based on your goals and time available to invest in them. I would recommend starting with a Business Page and then developing a Group for your biggest fans. You can also tie the two together so fans of your Page can find out about and request to join your Group. Whether you have a Page or a Group, your goal is to develop and post valuable and relevant content that is created with your target audience in mind! I also recommend that you Go Live. Facebook’s algorithm hugely favors profiles that Go Live, so it’s an important element to any Facebook strategy. And there is no better way to tell your story and connect with your audience than getting in front of the camera.

Do you have a Facebook Page, a Facebook Group or both? What do you like about each one or what are you struggling with? Leave a comment with your feedback!

Prefer video? Check out my Facebook Live video on this topic!