Facebook Setup

[FreelanceSoftwareDeveloper]

A question for the Facebook experts!

I want to setup a Facebook account to advertise events for a local sports club I am involved with, what should I setup and how does it work:

1. Create a Regular Facebook account and add friends,ask them to ask their friends to join, spread the word that way to get a large group of friends then use the status, events, invitations to promote events.

2. Create an Official Page? This is the one I really don't know anything about. How do people see updates on the page, will this account allow me to post messages on friends 'walls' reminding them of events. For example if I want to leave a comment on the local radio station page along the lines of 'Please mention....'.

I would appreciate any comments people have, I have a reasonable understanding of a Regular account, my other half is always on hers! Not really sure how the Official pages work. Do you, can you, have both 1 and 2, are they separate?

[Vintage06]

Create one for your personal self. then create a group. and invite everyone you think would use the club. that way you can send messages to everyone who joins etc.

Be careful though. I'm on facebook and i joined lots of bars/clubs around newcastle and when at uni in Sunderland. and i was flooded with spam, Some over-using and messaging me with offers/promotions 3-4 times a day.

So if you create your group, Don't send them too often Or people will just leave your group.

Also alot of people will ignore your messages, Try offers to a certain amount of people etc.

[maxh]

Yes the magic bullet on facebook is to NOT invite people to things all the time.

One invite a month maximum I would say. However use facebook, put interesting links on your page and engage the people there.

Promoting your group or event in your status is more acceptable than actually inviting someone. Infact inviting someone to your event is the least likely thing to get them there.

[FreelanceSoftwareDeveloper]

If you post a message on the group page, does it appear to the group members the same way as posting a personal message appears to your friends?

And anyone on Facebook can ask their friends to join the group, I would just be the 'administrator'?

Thanks for the input.

I wouldn't be spamming it just announcements as and when, maybe once/twice a week.

[zookx]

you need to decide whether you want to have a page or a group. There are diffrences between the two, this article give you the details; http://mashable.com/2009/05/27/facebook-page-vs-group/

[FreelanceSoftwareDeveloper]

I did a bit of research and it looks like a group is the way to go so I have done what Vintage suggested and created a personal account and a group.

[dots and spots Jeff]

Have to say I favour pages over groups.

If you have a page then when you write something on that page's wall, all those that have 'liked' the page will see what has been written. This doesn't happen with groups.

If you're still unsure, why not join some groups & pages yourself, and see how they differ to you, as the user not the owner.

I do, however, think that FaceBook is the perfect vehicle for what you are trying to do.

Jeff

[Steve202]

So if you create your group, Don't send them too often Or people will just leave your group.

This is one of the main reason I leave groups/pages. When I log into facebook I really don't want to see loads of spam. I don't mind one update, invite, etc once a day but when some of them send three or four I start to get a little pee'd off.

[Scootek]

I find you can't do much with facebook business account apart from advertise. So a personal account is probably the way to go.

[DotNetWebs]

...If you have a page then when you write something on that page's wall, all those that have 'liked' the page will see what has been written. This doesn't happen with groups....

IMO Pages are FAR more an effective marketing tool than groups for this reason.

Regards

Dotty