When starting your business, you have so many avenues to reach your target audience and Facebook is a huge platform full of people ready to spend their money with you. So what should you start? A Facebook Page or a Group? Which will bring you more benefits down the road? The answer might surprise you.
When to Choose a Facebook Page
Facebook Pages are my go-to when starting a business. Why? The features you can access from simply having a business account on the platform are truly amazing. From selling right on Facebook to being able to run ads — all of this (and more) is available to you if you have a Page.
Think of your Facebook Page as the top of your marketing funnel, the first step someone takes to go from knowing nothing about your company to becoming a customer. People who don’t know you are able to access the information they need from you in order to start that sale, moving down your funnel until they pop out at the end with your baked goods in hand.
Another tool at your disposal as a Page owner are Facebook’s paid ads. You can only run ads if you have a Facebook Page, and what better way to get your name out there than with some tailored Facebook ads to drive traffic and increase sales? With ads, you can send potential new customers to your website, where they’ll be able to review your products and make a purchase. Ads are a great way to show your target audience exactly what you’re about.
Your Facebook Page is constantly collecting data for you. What if you could get back in front of people who were interested in you in the past? Facebook has collected and stored the data you need to do just that, so when you’re ready to roll out a new offering, you have that data right at your fingertips.
When to Choose a Facebook Group
You’re probably waiting for me to say that Facebook Groups are the worst since I just sang the praises of Pages, right? Don’t worry — that’s not going to happen. Groups are a great way to create and grow brand loyalty — AKA customers for life.
Groups offer bakers and cottage cooks features that you don’t get on a Page, like exclusivity, where only group members can see certain content. This can be a huge distinguisher when it comes to building your brand’s fanbase, giving your biggest fans first dibs to your content, sales, and pop-ups.
Groups can also help you reach your audience more consistently. If you have a Facebook Page, only about 10% of your content gets shown to your audience. Groups have such a high reach right now (until Facebook’s next algorithm change!) that they’re almost a no-brainer for getting your content in front of folks who actually want to buy your baked goods.
So... now that you still don’t have an answer as to which approach you should take on Facebook, I’ll give you my expert opinion on the matter. There are benefits to both Groups and Pages. If you can dedicate time cultivating a following on your Facebook Page, but don’t have the time to manage and engage with a Group, stick with the Page. Think that a Group can help you with sales and brand loyalty? Focus on creating a relationship with your Group members.
No matter which you choose, both Pages and Groups can drive people — and revenue — to your home bakery business when used as a part of your marketing strategy.
By Corrie Miracle. Corrie Miracle is one half of the Miracle duo behind Sugar Cookie Marketing. They have dedicated their time to growing bakery businesses through tested methods with over their decade of experience in online marketing and sales.
