Using social media is a powerful tool when it comes to business marketing. It’s an easy way to reach a large number of people in a short amount of time. Facebook is one of the most widely used social media platforms to ever exist. Chances are you’ve been scrolling your newsfeed only to come across an ad. This may have you thinking, “Should I create a Facebook page or group for my business?” 

It has become more and more common for businesses to buy and use ads on Facebook to grow their audience. Is there a way to use Facebook for your business without having to pay for ads? Today we’re going to delve into the differences between Facebook groups and pages, why you may want to have one in the first place and the pros and cons of each.

The Why Behind It All

There are several reasons why someone may want to use a Facebook group va page for their business. It’s a great way to allow Facebook users to learn about your business, contact you if needed, and see where you’re located. They can read real reviews from other Facebook users and see photos of your products or your business’s physical location.

With analytics, you’ll be able to view your target audience and learn how to market your content better. But how do you know whether a Facebook group or page is right for your company? Do they have similarities or are they completely different? Let’s talk firstly a bit more about Facebook groups for businesses.

Facebook Groups For Businesses

When you create a group on Facebook, you have the ability to make it public, private, or secret. It is an area where people can communicate, ask questions, share stories, and connect. 

There are over 1 billion people that use Facebook groups every month. This is reason alone to create one for your business. You will be the group owner and you can assign administrative roles to whomever you’d like on your team. With a Facebook group, you’ll be able to interact with your audience and learn a bit about how they see your company or product.

Main Features

Below are a handful of the main features that Facebook Groups offer:

• Moderating abilities for admins
• Optional survey to give people wanting to join the group
• There is a convenient built-in events calendar
• You can set group rules
• The ability to create a group description and other important information

Benefits Of A Business Facebook Group

1. Creates Community 

Facebook groups are an easy way to create a community for and around your business. Not only can your team members join, but customers can as well. People can share stories of their experience with your company, ask questions, or just chat about your business in general.

2. Customer Insight

Chances are, the majority of your customers are using Facebook. It is a platform built for all ages and demographics. With that being said, you can use a Facebook group to ask customers for insight about your product or service. People love being heard and using a Facebook group is a great way to provide a platform to learn about customer insight. 

3. Makes Your Business More Accessible

While some people may want their experience with your business to be cut and dry, many of your customers will love being engaged with your business. Having a Facebook group makes your company much more accessible to people at all times. This will help you and your business come across as relatable, which customers love.

Drawbacks Of A Business Facebook Group 

1. It’s Informal

Easily one of the biggest drawbacks of using a Facebook group for your business is that it’s informal. If a customer is looking for formal customer support, chances are they’re not going to take to social media. They’ll likely want an email, a phone number, or an online chat option to get a hold of someone who can help them with their needs. 

2. Group Management

If you’re creating the group, you have to manage it or assign someone to manage it. This can be a lot of pressure for you and whomever you choose as your group administrators. If you do it, that takes time out of your already busy day. It’s best to assign someone you trust and who has business experience with to help run the page. This may cost you a fee per month if you’re paying your admins for their time.

3. You’re Not In Control

Since you don’t own Facebook, unless your Mark Zuckerberg (hey, Mark!), you’re likely not in control of the overall platform. Not having control over the platform puts you at a bit of a risk. At any time can Facebook change their policies, which can impact your business’ Facebook group quite a bit depending on the changes. If this sounds too risky for you, you may want to consider if the pros outweigh the cons.

Facebook Pages

A Facebook page, when created for a business, is designed to help customers learn all about your company. They’ll be able to view a menu bar on the left side of the screen that shows them photos, videos, reviews, posts, and more. Facebook pages for businesses are public and easy to set up. Let’s talk a bit about the benefits and drawbacks of creating a Facebook page for your business.

Main Features

Here are the main features of having a Facebook page for your company:

• Company information such as location, operating hours, description, and contact information
• Posts can be turned into advertisements
• The ability to view page analytics
• You have the option to allow reviews on Facebook pages
• Customers may message the company via Facebook
• The page can become verified
• There’s a community tab

Benefits Of A Business Facebook Page

1. Reach A Larger Audience

Easily one of the biggest benefits of using a Facebook page for your business is the ability to reach a larger audience. People spend hours every day scrolling through their newsfeed. With Facebook having so many users online each day, you’re bound to increase your audience reach. It is important to note that on a Facebook page you have followers instead of friends.

2. Communication

You can use your business’s Facebook page to communicate with potential customers and returning customers. This is a relaxed way to be accessible to the online community. You can allow people to privately message your company via the Facebook page, post polls to learn customer opinions, and more.

3. Show Who You Are

With the Facebook page, you’re able to communicate who your company is to millions of people. These people want to know your company’s story. How did you get started? What are your company’s ethics and morals? Do you have any goals for the near future? You’ll be able to share this information and more with your followers. 

Drawbacks Of A Business Facebook Page

1. It Will Cost You

Having a Facebook page for your company may not only cost you money but also time. It’s a commitment and investment that you should be ready to make before creating the page. If you’re planning to run it yourself, this can be a lot of pressure and added stress that you may not need. You can, however, hire someone to run the page for you.

2. You Need A Strategy

You’ll need to have a business strategy when it comes to running a Facebook page. Having a plan will ensure that content is posted on a regular schedule, that you can inform your followers when there is an event taking place, and more. Having a content strategy is a great way to stay one step ahead.

3. A Lot Of Change

Just like Facebook groups, there are a lot of changes that can take place that you may not be a big fan of. Facebook is constantly changing and there are updates almost daily. There may be bugs or issues that your followers and customers may come across with your brand’s Facebook page that are out of your hands.

Final Words

Now that you know a bit about Facebook pages and groups for businesses, you may have a better idea of which you’d like to create. There’s no harm in having both a page and a group for your company. You can also have a Facebook page that is accessible to the public and a group that is private for just you and your employees. 

Whatever you choose, using a social media platform such as Facebook is a great way to reach a larger audience and communicate with your customer base. Make sure you have the time and budget for a Facebook group and/or page, plus the ability to hire someone to oversee it. You are one step closer to improving your company’s online presence. Have fun!