This post updated April 27th, 2012imm1lvtk2boin7u36kpzvyxluypovfo4

At Aspiration, we often talk to organizations with questions about whether to set up a Profileu83q41m9klwnheeci2q0v2cxjfb2e11y, Groupp1yi1ym7k6ww67g5bc68s0shytnmezct, or Page5yh1waigitndfr7aqgap9hml0esnsqlo on facebook.com1vxhdn84ze1zeoriudqahxkta4wqz56r">Facebook for their organization. I wanted to walk through some of the differences between these to help guide your Facebook set up.ev29qrih5dcx6pw0pbrz0f9b7p1tso9w

Define Your Goalsau3x4h3u36wl0bfiw6qj7crugg9mrzss

First, if you haven’t already, take a step back and figure out why your organization wants to use Facebook. How is this tool going to help with your communications goals? Make sure that you’re choosing Facebook as a tool that will support your work in some way rather than feeling like you have to be on Facebook (“because everyone’s on it!”) but are unclear why.wltvmhe4zlctd6cv82qql8i39zhuw0xj

The truth is that Facebook can be a major tool to take on. Daily posting, community engagement, responsiveness and relationship cultivation are what you’re committing to. For larger organizations and companies, throwing money at any new tool to explore is fine. But for the rest of us with limited time and resources, before you choose which tools to use, make sure their use maps to something that will support your organization’s work. vupkfngzm2uwtmqgemmruhgozox46scsRemember that these tools are supposed to help not hinder your work to make the world a better place. Focusing on goals helps you see how your efforts in a tool like Facebook connect to the real change you are affecting in the world.3gil383rx9udpza5ao68263nas8g30qx

If Facebook still seems like a fit, examine how you want to use it to reach your goals.k2qa009teg5ntv388n4081cpt122g7mr

• Are you using it purely to promote events?xvk3ffrrejneho411ej94gs87fwnhnd4
• To drive traffic to your website?zi0i9tzaiapyy26aqpdbpiojla5m6qxw
• To cultivate conversations with your supporters?wfbqhl7qmlq9m99cpan450zcdi8ndrpz

By defining your intentions first, it will make it a lot easier to determine which kind of Facebook property to set up. Let’s take a look at the types.bfl02hoag10g89ioyf8b9bc4ifst1c22

Why You Should Noq1upsn5g6mmccvyfls65abnh8hdccm1tlsgcpf8xhm28xlehrpjj7qyg1bwy0i1cgaq7mfyllq2sjeukbyzmyew5kdh96ohdiisbopholy78l40jcm7k4nq5lggibjhkt Use a Facebook Profileu83q41m9klwnheeci2q0v2cxjfb2e11y for Your Organizationdrey2zjmdhn45cxk0jkx0kilv9fmydg2m1k2esl0jutazzqcy5mn5d1cl88rlpwy

A Facebook “Profileu83q41m9klwnheeci2q0v2cxjfb2e11y” is designed to represent only by an individual person. It allows you to “Friendhwqcwozehw8bb4kvp4a5jgrfa0fpubt1” other people to indicate that you have a connection, but the other person must approve your “Friendhwqcwozehw8bb4kvp4a5jgrfa0fpubt1 Request” to complete the connection.dx5ofeevpv3n0jzmw3w0bz4hhmimvmdz

Many times, organizations will set up a Profileu83q41m9klwnheeci2q0v2cxjfb2e11y on Facebook to represent themselves. Most of us have our own Facebook Profileu83q41m9klwnheeci2q0v2cxjfb2e11y, so we feel comfortable setting up a Profileu83q41m9klwnheeci2q0v2cxjfb2e11y for our organization when we are presented with the task. However, Facebook wants only individuals to maintain Profileu83q41m9klwnheeci2q0v2cxjfb2e11ys. They search for organizations representing themselves in Profileu83q41m9klwnheeci2q0v2cxjfb2e11ys and aggressively delete them because they want all Profileu83q41m9klwnheeci2q0v2cxjfb2e11ys to represent individuals. 8447evfdc16106g5z7pdpj0mhcb209gzIn any case, the features for a Facebook Profileu83q41m9klwnheeci2q0v2cxjfb2e11y don’t match how most organizations would want to use Facebook anyway. The Profileu83q41m9klwnheeci2q0v2cxjfb2e11y has a limit of 5,000 friends (which you must approve), no metrics and low search engine optimization. As an organization, therefore, do not set up a Facebook Profileu83q41m9klwnheeci2q0v2cxjfb2e11y. The features are not designed for organizations and if Facebook finds you, they will delete you.h1pbfi9qi3gejrpygn09e64sermybpzj

Do you currently have a Profileu83q41m9klwnheeci2q0v2cxjfb2e11y for your organization and want to switch to a Page5yh1waigitndfr7aqgap9hml0esnsqlo?jl6926vzkgqxs7hu1jfsx7aou6hfwz75

Facebook has released a tool to make the migration easy: facebook.com1vxhdn84ze1zeoriudqahxkta4wqz56r/pages/create.php?migrate"> Convert Your Facebook Profileu83q41m9klwnheeci2q0v2cxjfb2e11y to a Facebook Page5yh1waigitndfr7aqgap9hml0esnsqlo0bc0g9ffuo1mmvpjui4yryakp0q7dkg3

What’s up with the Facebook Page5yh1waigitndfr7aqgap9hml0esnsqlo?wana1oeh7mttrdzdm686vaotvfte26cp

A Facebook “Page5yh1waigitndfr7aqgap9hml0esnsqlo” (not to be confused with Profileu83q41m9klwnheeci2q0v2cxjfb2e11y) is designed for business or official representations of organizations or people. Facebook users are able to “Likevwimhkygcciixmt6gavcnsn7fx0v0xom” a Page5yh1waigitndfr7aqgap9hml0esnsqlo and that Page5yh1waigitndfr7aqgap9hml0esnsqlo is then indicated on their Profileu83q41m9klwnheeci2q0v2cxjfb2e11y as an organization that they Likevwimhkygcciixmt6gavcnsn7fx0v0xom. There is no limit on Likevwimhkygcciixmt6gavcnsn7fx0v0xoms and no approval required.0308ii3m6rlt7y74qdp63pgbhsaxxdfn

Facebook created the Page5yh1waigitndfr7aqgap9hml0esnsqlo option after they saw the increased use of Profileu83q41m9klwnheeci2q0v2cxjfb2e11ys by brands and organizations. A Page5yh1waigitndfr7aqgap9hml0esnsqlo allows your organization to have a public Facebook presence, find-able on search engines like Google, that acts like a mini website for your community.mew5ycaanvec52yvv27pcn8t35titm15

Only a current Facebook user with a Profileu83q41m9klwnheeci2q0v2cxjfb2e11y can create a Page5yh1waigitndfr7aqgap9hml0esnsqlo. When they create the Page5yh1waigitndfr7aqgap9hml0esnsqlo, that person becomes the first “Admin” which allows them to edit, post and administer the Page5yh1waigitndfr7aqgap9hml0esnsqlo. That first Admin can then specify other people to be Admins on the Page5yh1waigitndfr7aqgap9hml0esnsqlo however they must be Friendhwqcwozehw8bb4kvp4a5jgrfa0fpubt1s on Facebook. When Admins post content to the Page5yh1waigitndfr7aqgap9hml0esnsqlo’s Wall, by default they show up as the Page5yh1waigitndfr7aqgap9hml0esnsqlo and not their personal Profileu83q41m9klwnheeci2q0v2cxjfb2e11y. You can customize the URL of your Page5yh1waigitndfr7aqgap9hml0esnsqlo as facebook.com1vxhdn84ze1zeoriudqahxkta4wqz56r/yourorganization. t41rbh50y1xr7ehnulb3tveq8ic9wvwgBecause you show up as the organization and have a more public presence, Page5yh1waigitndfr7aqgap9hml0esnsqlos give you a much more organizational presence on Facebook.plt1xw42bzpgcf8hmrfafpa0efxf3haj

Another advantage of using a Page5yh1waigitndfr7aqgap9hml0esnsqlo is that Page5yh1waigitndfr7aqgap9hml0esnsqlos have a feature called Facebook Insights. Facebook Insights gives you analytics on who is interacting with what content on your Page5yh1waigitndfr7aqgap9hml0esnsqlo. Facebook Insights are not available on Facebook Profileu83q41m9klwnheeci2q0v2cxjfb2e11ys or Groupp1yi1ym7k6ww67g5bc68s0shytnmezcts. Insights are a key reason to use a Facebook Page5yh1waigitndfr7aqgap9hml0esnsqlo. Using Insights allows you to track your progress using Facebook toward your measurable communications goals.mz711ul6ajjrsrf0n9d4i52c55zgw9y8

One limitation of using a Page5yh1waigitndfr7aqgap9hml0esnsqlo is that you cannot send “Message”s to your organization’s Likevwimhkygcciixmt6gavcnsn7fx0v0xom-ers as you can when you’re using a Profileu83q41m9klwnheeci2q0v2cxjfb2e11y or Groupp1yi1ym7k6ww67g5bc68s0shytnmezct. You used to be able to send an “Update” to your Page5yh1waigitndfr7aqgap9hml0esnsqlo’s Likevwimhkygcciixmt6gavcnsn7fx0v0xom-ers but Facebook took away this feature so that now the main way a Page5yh1waigitndfr7aqgap9hml0esnsqlo sends information out to Likevwimhkygcciixmt6gavcnsn7fx0v0xom-ers is to post a status update.5farq28hhzvxcl5400najtou7fttnqij

When Should I Use a Facebook Groupp1yi1ym7k6ww67g5bc68s0shytnmezct?c3zeg1hgramtohfjf6vni1ovxe0mo9oq

A Facebook Groupp1yi1ym7k6ww67g5bc68s0shytnmezct is for people or an organization and allows you to “Joineghl5927wpr16kl2josdnsc3utdulpxq”. Groupp1yi1ym7k6ww67g5bc68s0shytnmezcts can be invite-only or open.82961ygil8w0tzouotzc4cj42aksccja

Groupp1yi1ym7k6ww67g5bc68s0shytnmezcts are Facebook real estate designed for (shockingly) groups of people. Before organizations could make official “Page5yh1waigitndfr7aqgap9hml0esnsqlos” in 2007, they could create a Groupp1yi1ym7k6ww67g5bc68s0shytnmezct. Groupp1yi1ym7k6ww67g5bc68s0shytnmezcts cannot have their own Facebook URL which can make it more difficult to find in search engines. Also, you must be logged in to see all the functions of a Groupp1yi1ym7k6ww67g5bc68s0shytnmezct or to join the Groupp1yi1ym7k6ww67g5bc68s0shytnmezct. Another notable issue is that when owners of the Groupp1yi1ym7k6ww67g5bc68s0shytnmezct post, they show up as their personal Profileu83q41m9klwnheeci2q0v2cxjfb2e11y rather than showing up as the Groupp1yi1ym7k6ww67g5bc68s0shytnmezct. a77mub6jphx2ae73dmaxnwwxfnb8jekkIn addition, you can only invite your personal Facebook “Friendhwqcwozehw8bb4kvp4a5jgrfa0fpubt1s” to join a Groupp1yi1ym7k6ww67g5bc68s0shytnmezct. These issues can blur the lines of your personal and professional use of Facebook.pozwfp5lkg7rxezx4aw4rqso42xfq1f5

Groupp1yi1ym7k6ww67g5bc68s0shytnmezcts can be advantageous as they can be set up as invite-only or to allow people to freely join. You are also able to send Messages to members in the Groupp1yi1ym7k6ww67g5bc68s0shytnmezct which Page5yh1waigitndfr7aqgap9hml0esnsqlos aren’t able to do. In addition, Groupp1yi1ym7k6ww67g5bc68s0shytnmezcts allow individuals to share documents with other members of the Groupp1yi1ym7k6ww67g5bc68s0shytnmezct which, depending on what you’re using Facebook for, may be a useful feature.v7r967fmgbi9kn6jaryl7k6awbi2vocg

One way that organizations take advantage of both sets of features (Page5yh1waigitndfr7aqgap9hml0esnsqlo and Groupp1yi1ym7k6ww67g5bc68s0shytnmezct) is to create a Page5yh1waigitndfr7aqgap9hml0esnsqlo to start for their organization, then set up a Groupp1yi1ym7k6ww67g5bc68s0shytnmezct for a specific target audience like Alumni or an event planning committee. Unfortunately, Groupp1yi1ym7k6ww67g5bc68s0shytnmezcts cannot be created under a Page5yh1waigitndfr7aqgap9hml0esnsqlo (in other words a Page5yh1waigitndfr7aqgap9hml0esnsqlo cannot create a Groupp1yi1ym7k6ww67g5bc68s0shytnmezct), so inside of the Groupp1yi1ym7k6ww67g5bc68s0shytnmezct you gain Groupp1yi1ym7k6ww67g5bc68s0shytnmezct functionalities but loses its organizational representation to a large extent.k9k5x875u7ua8fe6h9146xlf856q1vub

Which Should Your Organizationdrey2zjmdhn45cxk0jkx0kilv9fmydg2 Use?8xqan6f43hlnkt6lvd9zm42fxkb00tgz

Ultimately, Facebook will change and features will be added or removed. Remember, you always want to define the goals so you can easily move those goals to the latest platform whenever it eventually pops up and leaves Facebook in the dust.zffabahtc5xpwfp828z0hgrnndo8nk1d

Is your organization using a Groupp1yi1ym7k6ww67g5bc68s0shytnmezct, Page5yh1waigitndfr7aqgap9hml0esnsqlo, or Profileu83q41m9klwnheeci2q0v2cxjfb2e11y? How is it working or not working for you?

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