Tag: tools

Comparing Facebook Groups and Facebook Pages

 

Facebook  Pages vs Facebook Groups

Should you have a Facebook Page or a Facebook Group?  What are the pros and cons, similarities and differences?

To determine this we need to know your objectives as a business or organization and how you plan to be using Facebook.

Compare Facebook Pages and Groups

Feature FB Page FB Group
Who can join Anyone can LIKE a Facebook Page You can request to JOIN a group.  The administrator must authorize it or you can be INVITED to join a group. A group can also be private.
Purpose Usually the page owner wants to promote and get as many LIKES as possible. A Group may be for communications within the group.  It is not necessarily the intention to broadcast to the general public.
Branding You can upload 2 images – a header and a profile image.  These can brand your page, There is no branding on your Facebook group.  The header image is photos of members of the group.
Files You can upload photos or video but not word documents or PDF files.  No WYSIWIG editing or create a file. You can upload files in different formats for your group and members can upload in a Post.  Also “Create a file” with editing functions.
Photos and Videos Can post photos and video Can post photos and video
Posts A post by the Administrator appears with the name of the page.  You do have the option as Admin to post, like and share under your own name as well.  Posts by people who “Like” the page show up on the right column.  Not as prominent. Security levels to allow administrator to review and authorize posts before they appear on the group.   Once a post is authorized it appears on the main news timeline for the group.   Posts are made under the name of the person (including administrators).
Members People who LIKE a page have limited access to other people who like the page. A group is MEMBER oriented.   Option to allow all members to invite new members.   People can request to join the group and must be authorized by an administrator. There are various levels available.  Members can view other members with photo and profile text.
Integration with Website You can integrate a Facebook PAGE into your website to display activity, posts and likes. A Facebook GROUP cannot be integrated into a website or blog. You can link to it.

Create a Facebook Page

  • To raise awareness about a cause, organization
  • To build an audience
  • To promote your business or organization
  • To create a fan base
  • To build a brand

Create a Facebook Group

  • To communicate with members of the group
  • To build a group of people with similar interests
  • To share files with members of the group

Sample Facebook Group Header

Facebook Group header area
Facebook Group header area

The Facebook Group can display an image, group name and type of group.  Members, Discussion, Events, Photos and Files are featured as the links below the header.

Sample Facebook PAGE header

Facebook Page Sample
Facebook Page Sample

Brand your Facebook page with a logo or other profile image (small square) and a Header image that reflects your business or organization. Below the header appears a brief ABOUT statement and your choice of Icons for photos, likes, notes or other apps.

Possibly you will want to create a Facebook Page AND a Facebook Group to achieve different objectives.  If you decide to do this, make your Facebook Group Members aware that you also have a Facebook Page and invite them to LIKE the page in order to see your posts.

It is not possible to migrate or move a Facebook Group and change it to a Facebook Page – so you may decide to have both or notify members of your Group that you now also have a Facebook Page and ask them to LIKE it.

More information

There are other similarities and differences. Do you have BOTH a Facebook Page and a Group? Or why did you choose one over the other? Are you satisfied with your choice?    Please feel free to leave your comments below.

 

5 Ways to Use Online Conferencing

Online conferencing has come a long way over the past few years. Review of GVO Conference its benefits and suggestions on how to use it for your organization or business to save time, money and reach out to clients, staff, volunteers, board members and sponsors. Share powerpoints, online video, chat and more.

online conferencing as a piece of the puzzleOnline conferencing has come a long way over the past few years. I have been reviewing Online Conferencing software from GVO Conference and its set of tools really expands the variety of ways that you can use it to maximize the value to you and your business or organization.

As with any new technology review the tool and get familiar with how to use it – then examine your target audience and your communications strategy to see where this fits and how you can adapt and integrate it into your marketing and communications.

5 Ways to Use Online Conferencing

  • Online Seminars:  Decide on a topic that you want to present.  GVO includes the ability to upload a powerpoint presentation and also to share videos inside the conference room.  You can choose to mute the visitors to the seminar and then open the chat for questions and answers.
  • Staff and Board Meetings:  Your staff may be out on a project, your board members may be located anywhere in the world, your volunteers need to meet without the inconvenience of travel – online conferencing software saves you time and money and you are able to setup up your meetings and keep everyone connected and participating no matter where they are located.
  • Tutorials:  Record your online seminar – or record a tutorial with no attendees on topics that are useful to your staff, volunteers, board members, clients and customers.  These may be topics that you have as frequently asked questions.  What are the questions you get often?  Tutorials don’t have to be long.  A short tutorial on a specific topic is a great way to add value to your different audiences.
  • Interviews:  You can use the conference software to interview people.  GVO allows you to have more than one moderator at a session.  This is a great way to collaborate and build interest and value for your audience
  • Information products:  The ability to record your sessions gives you a start on creating information products such as detailed seminars on DVD, CD or for download that you would charge for.

Features of GVO Conferencing

You can do any of these and more:

  • You can be visible in video to your audience
  • You can present in audio while showing powerpoint, video, chat or sharing a desktop
  • Upload and show a powerpoint – and easy controls for presenting your powerpoint
  • Upload videos or show videos directly from YouTube
  • Have ongoing chat with members
  • Invite people to a seminar or meeting – with no setup required on their side
  • Easy audio and video controls
  • Able to record your session for later play back and editing
  • Manage attendees
  • MANY more features

Benefits of GVO Conferencing

Just a few of the benefits:

  • Save travel time for you and your attendees
  • Reach a global or local audience
  • Develop content
  • Save on communications costs
  • Develop training tools

I plan to use this myself for online seminars and meetings. Very impressed with the online tutorials that are provided and the information sessions that are available.

This online system costs a FRACTION of other online conferencing software that I have tried before and has many many more benefits and plus features.    They also have a free trial period and you can attend any of the info sessions.   There is no locked in timing on a subscription.  There is a bit of a learning curve on it as is to be expected but all the tools are there and after you learn to navigate it only your imagination and planning will be required to use it to benefit your business or organization.

 

GVO Online Conference
Link to GVO FREE TRIAL

This link goes to a short video and overview to give you more details and screen shots of the GVO Conference system.  Try the free trial version.

Denise Davies is an Internet and media consultant.  She works with nonprofit organizations and small businesses to maximize their effective use of the Internet to build their organization and achieve their objectives.  If you have questions or would like to learn more contact through the contact form

Create a PDF

Creating a PDF file is easy and works with many file types.

A PDF is a useful format – it saves the formatting of a document so that you can be sure that the person receiving it is viewing it correctly and that they cannot make changes to it.

Try Primo PDF – this is a free PDF creator software.  You can download it here –> http://www.primopdf.com/

  • Click on the free download
  • Install the software on your computer
  • After you have installed it – try it out.  For example – open up a WORD document Spreadsheet, or powerpoint file
  • Then click on FILE – PRINT — and you will see PRIMO PDF as one of your listed printers.
  • Select PRIMO PDF as your printer, click on BROWSE and decide on where you want to save your PDF file
Primo PDF Screenshot
Primo PDF Screenshot
Primo PDF Screenshot
  • Click on the CREATE button – and in a few seconds (depending on the file size) – you will see your PDF file.

You can use PDF files on your website, to send by email, to provide to your printing company when you are creating flyers or other publications.

You can also create a PDF from a web page following the same process. This is useful for saving an exact view of a web page to review later.

Please send any suggestions on other PDF software that you have tried and your comments.