The Great Debate: Facebook Fan Pages vs. Groups
With the new re-vamp and new look of Facebook groups, I’m getting this question… a lot: “What’s the difference between a Facebook Group and a Facebook Fan page and why should I use one or the other?” (Many groups have been around for a long time and can no longer be changed into a Fan page… making this a royal pain in the butt for some users. Especially those users in the Guinness Book-1,000,000,000-users-or-something-like-that-group on Facebook). I, personally, prefer Fan pages.
Here’s the lowdown/breakdown/411:
FAN PAGES:
- ALLOW for custom usernames above 25 fans
- Are BETTER for building a long-term relationship with users and allow for an easier connection
- CAN send updates to an unlimited amount of users/fans (no set number)
- CAN create, manage, and publish events
- CAN send updates to Twitter
- CAN import blog posts and write notes
- CAN create an advertisement on Facebook for Fan page
- You CAN customize/code tabs on Fan pages to better suit your needs
GROUPS:
- Have ugly URL’s – they don’t allow for a custom URL
- CAN create, manage, and publish events
- CAN’T advertise group through Facebook
- Are BETTER suited for fostering a quick, active discussion, or a cause (they’re not set-up for a really active long-term connection with users)
- DON’T have note/blog capability
- CAN’T send updates to Twitter
- Updates DON’T appear on the news and mini feed of users
- CAN bulk-invite users (which is harder for pages to do… pages can only “suggest” to users)
- DOESN’T show up in search engines
Ultimately, in my honest opinion, it’s a matter of comparing red apples with green apples. They’re similar, yet they are still very different. I believe a Fan page really helps to foster a positive connection with users and a particular brand, idea, person, or campaign. Groups don’t foster this type of interaction and atmosphere. I advise you to look at some groups you are a part of and then look at some pages you are a Fan of, what is the difference that you see? Do you see more interaction on the Fan pages or within the group? Let me know what you think.
BTW: Here are some great Facebook Fan Pages (both large and small) that I think are really doing what works and engaging their audience (and I am definitely part of that audience, but regardless, what they are doing is still totally awesome):
I hope that helps. At least for now, until Facebook decides to change their layout again… 😉
All for now.
I, personally, prefer Fan pages….
Thanks,
adloussopy,
http://www.facebook.com/pages/SPACIFY/79444799925
So get in there now and get your username, girl! 🙂
They changed it over the summer – I got this from the Facebook website. Hope this helps!
FROM FACEBOOK:
“I tried to secure a name for my Page but Facebook said the Page was not eligible. What are the requirements?
All Pages created after May 31, 2009 or that had less than 1,000 fans on that day are eligible to claim usernames if they have more than 25 fans.”
You can register your username on personal FB pages, but for Fan Pages you need to have 1,000 fans to get a custom URL. They had a short window (until sometime in May or June this year, IIRC) where, with 100 fans, you could get a custom Fan Page URL. That window slammed shut on my fingers as I built the fan page for “Cancer for Christmas” – working hard to get to 1K fans now!
You mentioned that fan pages can allow for custom usernames above 25 fans. I thought it was for over 1,000 fans. I maintain the fan page for our company and we only have just over 100 fans. How do I go about getting a custom username?
http://www.facebook.com/pages/ABB-Medium-Voltage-Instrument-Transformers/73253719479?ref=nf