Over the years we’ve set up quite a few websites for Clubs, including links to their social feeds; Facebook being one of the most popular ones. During this time, we’ve noticed that a few use a Facebook profile account, aimed at personal use, over the recommended Page.
What’s the difference between Profile & Page?
In the beginning, the only option Facebook gave users was to create a profile, so it’s no surprise that there are still many using this, but with the introduction of Pages there’s no reason why we shouldn’t switch.
At first, it’s hard to see a difference when you’re looking at the URL, but once you dig a little deeper there are many differences between a Facebook Profile and Page.
| Aspect | Profile | Page |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Individuals connecting with friends and family | Businesses, organisations, public figures, or brands connecting with an audience |
| Privacy Settings | Personal privacy settings, visibility to friends | Generally public, visible to anyone |
| Friend Limit | Maximum of 5,000 friends | No friend limit; likes and follows without approval |
| Followers | Can have friends; others can follow without being friends | Likes and follows without requiring approval |
| Connectivity | Connects through friend requests | Connects through likes and follows |
| Features & Tools | Primarily personal updates and interactions | Business-oriented features, analytics, ads |
| Content Distribution | Shown to friends in the news feed | Shown to both followers and page likers |
| Messaging | Private messaging with friends | Public and private messaging with followers |
| Verification | No verification badge available | Verification badge for public figures, brands, and businesses |
| Groups | Can join and participate in groups | Create and manage groups linked to the page |
| Conversion | Cannot be converted into a Page | Can be created and converted from a profile |
| Administrators | Single account owner | Multiple administrators with different roles |
| Events | Create and join events for personal use | Create and manage events for promotional purposes |
| Advertising | Limited advertising capabilities | Allows running targeted ads and sponsored content |
| Insights & Analytics | Limited insights into personal post performance | Detailed analytics and insights into page performance |
Why should I migrate?
The main reason that you should migrate is that it’s technically against Facebook Terms to use a Facebook Profile for a business or organisation. Another reason that specifically impacts Clubs using the Club and County theme is that a Profile doesn’t allow you to embed your Facebook feed into your website homepage.
Other reasons why you should migrate include the ability to:
- Publicly share your Page with all your club members,
- Reach more people than you ever could with a profile,
- View analytics and useful data to help you create better posts
- Use tools to help your club earn money from your posts
- Manage the page from multiple different Facebook accounts by setting roles (big security issues are raised by using a Facebook profile and sharing login details between multiple different users)
Ok, how do I switch?
Converting a Facebook profile into a Page used to be a straightforward process, but with changing times and the evolving Meta platform, it can no longer be automated. Please follow these steps on how to set up your page:
- Go to Create a Facebook Page Based on Your Profile.
- Click “Get Started.”
- Follow the on-screen instructions, selecting the appropriate categories for your GAA club and deciding which friends, photos, and videos to retain.
- Review your choices.
- Examine the “Publish Page when done” setting; turn it “off” if you prefer manual control over when the Page is published.
- Check your privacy settings.