One of the key decision points is whether to set up a page or a group.
- Facebook Page: public-facing, where only admins can post, but anyone can comment on a post. This option might be chosen if it is expected that the posts will only need to be made by the page administrators.
- Facebook Group: public or private, where any member can post. Admins have control over membership. This option might be chosen if you want to foster a sense of community, with Group members posting their questions or stories of their personal experiences.
| Features | Facebook Page | Facebook Group |
| Purpose |
Promote a brand, business, or organization, share information |
Facilitate discussion and sharing among a community of people information |
| Access |
Public by default, but can be made private |
Private by default, but can be made public |
| Discoverability | Pages are more visible in search results | Groups may require invitations or discovery by members |
| Rumors & Misinformation | Less chance of happening as admins control content | More chances of happening as members can post and comment freely (but goes through the admin's apporval) |
| Advertising | Can be used to run ads | Cannot be used to run ads |
| Resource Sharing | Can share documents, links & resources | Allows for file sharing, document collaboration, etc. |
| Reach | Can reach a large audience, but reach is limited to those who have liked the page | Can reach a smaller audience, but reach is more targeted to those who are interested in the group's topic |
| Content | Posts, photos, videos, events, offers, etc. | Posts, photos, videos, discussions, files, etc. |
| Control | Admins have full control over page content | Members can post and share content, which requires moderation |
| Content Monitoring | Require less effort than group | Require heavy content monitoring |
| Analytics & Insights | Provides detailed analytics and insights | Provides limited analytics and insights |
Considering the following factors and Signpost’s needs, we encourage new Signpost programs and partners using Facebook to start with a page as opposed to a group.
- The lower burden on administrators for membership: having to review group members' requests adds an additional task for the administrators.
- The lower burden on administrators for monitoring post content: Groups allow group members to create their own posts, which administrators must then review. There are many scenarios where posts could be problematic or create risks that you may wish to avoid.
- Less chance of rumor and misinformation: As the admins and moderators control the contents, there is less chance of spreading rumors and misinformation in Facebook pages.
- Content promotion facility: We frequently advertise our content in social media for wider reach in pages, but content advertisement is not possible in groups.
- Facebook pages are more discoverable: We want people to find us as easily as possible. Facebook pages allow more discoverability than groups.
- Analytics: Signpost can only support analytics for Facebook Pages, which includes engagement, reach, content performance, and user demographic information.
- Tech integration: the particular architecture of a Facebook Page makes it much easier for developers to build tools on top of it. In the case of Signpost, we built a webhook to block any comments on posts where a user posts their phone number. This is only possible on a Page, and many similar functions are only possible on a Page. Other plugins can be related to preventing spam or bots from conducting unwanted traffic.
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IMPORTANT: If you find that a group is more suitable for your specific context or if you already have a group in which you wish to continue operating, you can utilize a Facebook Group. However, it's important to note that integrating the group into Signpost Business Suite and your existing technology platform may NOT be feasible. This means that the group would need to operate separately, resulting in the inability to receive analytical and technical support from the Signpost teams. |