With Facebook’s introduction of Fan Pages in late 2007, many businesses and services providers have moved away from utilizing Groups for use around their organization.  While Pages are the recommended way for you to communicate with your ”Fans”, Groups still offer innovative ways for communication, collaboration, and generating an all-around “buzz” around your brand or service.

Not sure what the differences are between a Page and a Group?  No problem, check out our article, “Facebook Groups vs. Pages: What’s the difference?” before continuing on!

Some Group Basics

One of the powerful features of Facebook Groups is the access setting.  What does that mean?  Well, it means that the administrator of that group can choose not only WHO can become a member, but IF that group is even SEEN in a search and WHO would be able to find it.  You can set access permissions on groups so that they are either:

• Open to ALL
• Closed (where users must get administrator approval to join) not
• Secret (invite only). Groups have administrators that manage the group, approve applicants or invite others to join. Administrators can also appoint “officers” who are nominally in charge – however, being an officer doesn’t mean the person has the ability to administer the group.

5 Ways to Use Groups with your Business

1. Create a public (open) group to promote the collaboration amongst the users of your product or service.  For example, you’re business or product has a Fan Page where you communicate with your fan base.  However, the public group would be where members could have a more “member-to-member” dialogue regarding your business.  They could post comments, tips, pictures, videos; all centered around your business’s product or service.  The Group’s discussion threads are a great way for members to network with each other as well. 
   • PRO:  Members created content to further generate a “Buzz” about your business
   • PRO:  Great way for you to see what your customers are saying about your services or how they really like your product.
   • CON: You must be proactive and create the group so that retain administrative control.  This will allow you to monitor and remove any inappropriate wall posts, discussions or uploads that could be posted by members.
2. Create a closed group for the employees of your business.  This is a great way for employees to communicate and network with each other as well as a way for the company to communicate with it’s employees.  Think of it as an alternative to the break room bulletin board.  It’s a more casual atmosphere where announcements, birthdays, celebrations can be posted.  Things for sale can be listed in the discussions.  Pictures of the new baby can be uploaded.  The possibilites are endless!
3. Use secret groups as a way for employees to virtually collaborate on projects.  Why a secret group instead of just a closed group?  Because a secret group will not appear in any search results.  Think of this type of group much like a virtual workgroup.
4. Professional service providers can utilize closed or secret groups in a similar fashion.  Have a new client?  Use this type of group as a way to communicate and virtually collaborate with them!
5. Coaches and/or consultants that offer teleseminars, classes or other info products can promote a private group as a benefit or feature of the product the client just purchased.  Networking, discussions, links, and additional information are all great selling points!

In the end, it isn’t a matter of having to “choose” a Group over a Fan Page or vice versa.  Each has it’s own purpose and value.  The right combination of both will

The recent redesign of Facebook Groups has them looking and acting exactly like Fan Pages.  Therefore, many are left wondering, what ARE the differences… and which should I use?  That question in itself  has been circulating around since the inception of Fan Page almost 2 years ago.  

With the new redesign, Groups will have their own Wall, and updates will appear in the News Feed along with the ability to comment.  Incidentally, you’ll only see updates from the group when your friends post to it, rather than updates from the group population at large (this would be rather overwhelming for groups with large memberships).

First, let’s weigh in on Facebook’s take on how Groups and Pages should be used: 

“Keep in mind that while Groups and Pages now look the same, they still serve different purposes. Groups are for fostering member-to-member collaboration, while Pages remain the best way to broadcast messages to your fans if you are a business, organization, public figure or other entity.”

Some of the big differences that separate Groups from Pages:

1. Group updates/posts:  When you post something as the group administrator, it comes from you and it is attached to your personalprofile.  Content upates in pages comes from the page itself; no ties to a person’s (admin’s) profile.
2. Pages are indexed by external search engines, groups are not.
3. Only groups that have less than 5000 members can send email updates
4. Updates from groups will only appear in your News Feed if the update was posted by one of your friends.
5. Groups have privacy options, (Open to All, Open to Network, Closed and Secret) while Pages do not. 

The bottom line:

Groups are great for organizing and collaborating on a more personal level and to foster interaction around let’s say, a cause. Pages are better for brands, businesses, or celebrities who want to interact with their fans or customers without having them connected to a personal Facebook account that would be inhibited by a personal profile’s 5,000 friend limit.