For every one web-savvy person I meet, I come across 2 or 3 for whom this information might not yet be second nature. I attended a very helpful 'Social Media 101' presentation lately, hosted by Java Media, a local(ish) marketing company, and I'll be blogging about it over the next few weeks. All text within quotation marks is from the presentation.
I decided to start with Facebook because almost everyone understands it to some degree, and most people I know are on it now. As it's become more popular, there's been some confusion about the four different types of Facebook presences.
A Profile is what we all have. You, me, my great-aunt...basically everyone has one of these and they must be maintained under one individual's name/identity.
A Page is, under Facebook's current rules, the territory of "businesses, brands, and public figures." These pages must be maintained by "authorized representatives of a business, brand, celebrity, or organization." So, GRC Direct has a Page. Nearly every consumer brand you like has a Page. And so does my husband, for example, who is an automotive journalist with a big web following.
Community Pages were created by Facebook after it became obvious that regular folks were creating Pages for those businesses, brands, and public figures that they had no connection to. The topic matter here can be almost anything, from TV/movie fandom to pictures of kittens in coffee mugs to social and political causes. Whatever you're into, there's a Facebook community page for it...or you can create your own!
A Facebook Group can be open or restricted (people can only join if invited by an administrator). This is a good way for like-minded individuals to communicate without the off-topic banter that occurs in message forums, or Fan/Community Pages, and away from prying eyes.
As it relates to fundraising, all four of these presences can have a place. But try to avoid redundancy. I got inspired to write this post because I realized there was too much overlap between GRC's official Page, our Community Page, and our Group, and none of them were getting the attention they deserved!
Also, make sure your personal Profile's employment information links to the exact presence you want people to see. In most cases this will be your organization's official Page, but every situation is different.
See you next week!
—Sherene




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