What’s the Difference between a Facebook Page and a Facebook Group

There are a lot of differences between Facebook Pages and Groups, deciding which one to use takes a little planning.  

Well, my article on killing my Facebook group, certainly incited a lot of emails back to me and then some new questions about the differences between Facebook Pages and Groups, and which one a business should use.  

My answer is it depends… 😊 Today’s lesson will explain the differences between each for you so if you are trying to decide if one is worth it over the other, what things to factor in that decision. One that can be difficult to make.  

There are three critical differences between Facebook Groups and Pages and that comes down to visibility, communication and ability.  Let’s talk about each of these,  but first we start with the basics.  

What is the Purpose of a Facebook Page vs. a Facebook Group?  

Facebook Pages are the business type of Facebook profile for companies, organizations and public figures. Their purpose is to connect with their audience/ community. 

Facebook Groups are intended to be a community centered on a common interest. Their purpose is to offer a way for people to interact with each other. 

Both are generally owned by a Facebook personal profile (a profile on Facebook is for people only, companies and groups cannot have a profile) and can have multiple Administrators who manage them. Trouble can arise when someone starts a group or page for a business and then moves on… this is one of the biggest trouble people have when it comes to managing groups and pages.  

PRO-TIP >> Always have a trusted backup admin on a page or a group you own.  

VISIBILITY 

Facebook Pages 

• As a Page owner or Admin, you can post as the “Page” and this means people cannot automatically see your personal profile. This is how a person can have a Business Page and keep it all separate. People who like a Page, cannot just see other people’s profiles unless that person’s settings allow it.  
• People become a fan of your Page and “Like” the page and then can see the content the page posts in the newsfeed of their Facebook profile. This is controlled by Facebook’s newsfeed algorithm and we are all at the mercy of Facebook when it comes to how many people actually see the content. You have to be creative and get people engaging to overcome this.  
• Facebook Business Pages have no limits when it comes to who can see them and how many people can connect to them. Some pages have millions of likes (the things we small biz owners can only dream of!) 
• You can lock down pages by country if you want, but I do not recommend it. Almost every case where people has issues seeing a page, it was always that the owner had said the page could only be visible to people in specific countries. 
• People who like the page can post on it directly (if the settings are open for that) and share content, images and videos, as long as you permit this in your settings.  
• Facebook Pages have been said to be optimized for SEO (Search Engine Optimization) which means their content is seen and can be indexed by the search engines. It is limited what they can see / index and you can change this too in your own privacy settings.  If you want to be hidden totally you need to lock down your privacy settings, your visibility of posts, and to be 100% safe, do not post or comment on Facebook Pages.  (Facebook’s Help page has more info on this) 

Facebook Groups 

Groups can be a great way to offer a community for your business. Many people offer private groups as a way to support members, generally as an alternative to forums that may not be ideal for certain situations and audiences. The visibility of groups is often what determines how the group is setup and used.  

• As a page Admin or member, people can see your personal Facebook Profile. You cannot be hidden from members.  
• Facebook Groups work differently from Pages. They can be Open, Closed or Secret Groups… and that will determine who can see the group itself, the members and the posts / activity in the group.  
• Open Groups – Anyone can find the group in a search, see members, all content and join as members.  
• Closed Groups – You can find the group in a search, see members but not the content or what is posted. 
• Secret – No one can find the group, nor see the content and members can only be specially invited in 
• You can read more details on the types of groups and what is possible with each type, this article will explain in full.  

COMMUNICATION 

The purpose of each avenue – Page or Group – determines how people communicate. And it is very different.  

Facebook Pages 

• As we said the main purpose is for Pages to connect with their community. As they Page posts content online people can see and comment – so it is not a one-way street.  
• All the content posted will show in the main timeline, that anyone can see, with the exception of posts initiated by the fans.  
• Posts by Fans (Or Others as it shows on Facebook) are ones started by people who like the Page, these go into a special tab called Visitor Posts and unless you go looking for it are not seen.  
• Engagement on Pages is more reactive. Fans react to the Page posts more than initiate posts. Making them as inviting as possible can be a challenge for Page Admins.  

PRO TIP >> This is why when I respond to these posts, I do not just comment. I hit the share button on them, share to my Page and then add my response. This way they get to be shared on the main Page and seen by all. Generally, these are questions being asked, so I like to answer them publicly so everyone can learn.  

Facebook Groups 

• Communication is very different in Groups. The closed aspect of it makes a difference, and the safety people seem to feel in groups means they tend to see more engagement than most Pages – but not all.  
• The comments in a group will all be seen in the timeline of the group and all members can see it. (remember in open groups, the posts can be seen by anyone on Facebook). 
• When groups get large and they can, they can be difficult to manage and you will start missing posts and as the leader, you will not be engaging much and communication will drop for many.  
• Groups can often be a great way for small groups to connect and communicate. My Mom’s side of the family has a private group and it allows for us to talk and connect without worrying about the world seeing it all.  

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ABILITY 

What Pages and Groups can do is very different and depending on what your purpose is for each will help you determine which one to use. Pages have a lot more “Business “features that give them the ability to do more for the Business. Group features give them the ability to support the interactive and sharing community purposes that many have.  

Facebook Pages 

Some of this may be different depending on the type of page you open, so always check the options and make sure the page type fits your needs.  

• BIO and About area that allows for sharing of the business mission, website links hours, contact info and much more.  
• Advertising options that include a variety of ways to promote the business, boost posts and do a lot more. You cannot do FB Ads that lead to groups. 
• Analytics options that allow for a variety of ways to learn more about your potential customers and what they like or not when it comes to the content you post. And demographic info as well.  
• The Option to permit “Reviews” of the Company that show on the Page, allowing for social proof to be right there.  
• Direct Message options that the Fans can use to talk to the Page privately.  
• Integrations with some email marketing systems that allow for you to content the system and permit people to sign up to your email list direct on Facebook.  
• Options for a Services Tabs where you can highlight your services, with details, info and images as well as links to them 
• Cover Images on Pages can have a link under them to help promote the business in various ways – to start a phone call, visit a website link and more. Experiment with this one.  

Facebook Groups  

The features and abilities of groups are geared to encourage the interaction of members and close conversations people have as they support one another.  

• BIO and group info that can be visible to outsiders to help them decide if the group is for the,  
• The ability to set group rules to help guide what and how the community can share and interact. 
• Moderating tools for admins so that you can check out new members. 
• An option to ask potential members 3 questions prior to joining that will help you learn more for your business.  
• The ability to upload files for members to use and view.  

So those are the main differences between Facebook Pages and Groups.

There is a lot on info there. It helps to sit down and decide what your goal is for your Business presence on Facebook and then layout how you want to achieve that goal(s). The how will probably be the key item that helps you decide whether you want to open a Facebook Page or Group. And maybe you want both.  

My decision to close my Free Facebook group was based on the fact that this Free Group was interfering with how I was marketing the programs I offer both of which have private Groups that support those students. For me the Free group was not working, but then of course, my business page has a large community and I get more out if it than some businesses do.  

This decision was made with a key change in my marketing plans and that is being rolled out now and changing how I use the Page. It is where I am spending my time to connect and engage with my community and potential clients but that is because it works for me. 

All businesses are different and that is why taking the time to determine your goals factoring in your needs when it comes to Visibility, Communication and Ability. These three elements will help you make your own decision… Do you want a Facebook Page, a Group or both – or like some people out there… neither! 

If you are looking for more lessons to help you grow and scale your service-based business, check out my podcast for tons of marketing and business lessons – all free – that can help you Thrive in Business and with your Practice.