What is a Social Media Page?

What is a Social Media Page?

The convenient shorthand “page” has become common parlance to describe any social media URL.

This verbiage is acceptable for common public use, but I would urge you to rethink this terminology if you you’re a creative or entrepreneur.

At the least, there are three distinct types of destinations:

  • Profiles. This refers to a personal profile. It’s what you signed up for when you first joined Facebook. You can use your profile to share about anything you want, including your business, but guaranteed it’s one of the first things people will see when googling your name. Make a good impression!
  • Pages. This could be a company page (i.e., LinkedIn) or fan page. Technically, there is no such thing as a “fan page” on Facebook, only pages. But a page is distinct from a profile for the primary reason that you can accumulate “likes,” which reflects the size, popularity, and reach of your page. Pages also allow boosting and advertising.
  • Groups. A group is like a community discussion forum. It’s a place where people can gather to ask questions, interact with each other, discuss their favorite burger, promote their upcoming performance, and so forth. If you’re a group owner, you’re the facilitator of the community.

Why does this matter?

Because each type of “page” was designed with different functionality. You literally cannot perform the same functions across the board. You may be able to accumulate “followers” for a profile, but you can only accumulate “likes” for a page. Others may be able to post on your “wall” or comment on your posts, but the only place where you can create a sense of belonging and community where others are free to contribute is a group.

If you want to teach social media or digital marketing in any capacity, make this distinction.

If you want to be effective in your own online marketing efforts, make this distinction.

And if you aren’t clear on how these destinations differ, study.

Marketing is Not the Hard Part

Marketing is Not the Hard Part

Knowing whether something is worth marketing is, especially for the solopreneur or independent business owner.

When you’ve created a product or service with resonance, it will almost seem to sell itself. Put it in front of your target audience, and they will respond.

When you’ve created a product or service with zero resonance, it will sit on (virtual) shelves mostly untouched. Put it in front of a larger audience, and the chirping of the crickets will be deafening.

Now, there are many shades of grey in between – products with some resonance, products with a little resonance, and so on.

But we’re usually much too quick to turn to tactics before creating something that’s worth marketing.

I have no tactical issues. I know all the platforms and can share my products to hundreds of channels blunt force trauma on zero budget, and maybe even sell a few.

Will it be worth it? Not if it means pulling myself away from what I’m good at so I can spend all my time and energy doing what anyone could do.

You’ve got to know whether you have something worth marketing. That’s the hard part.

Make things that are worth promoting. Then promote them. The appropriate time to discuss tactics is when your product is the strategy.

The appropriate time to discuss tactics is when your product is the strategy. Click To Tweet