So you have finally decided to take the plunge and put your business on Facebook. The only problem is you’re not sure what sort of page or group you should be starting.

So let’s break it down. First you need to create a personal profile. Do not, I repeat, do not make this your business page. If Facebook finds out that is what you did (eventually they will) they will take down your profile and all your hard work will be lost. You don’t have to put anything on your personal profile if you don’t want to, but you do need it to create a group or a page.

For businesses, you have 2 options; you can either start a group about your business or create a business page. I strongly encourage you to create a page and not a group. In my opinion, groups are becoming outdated, and have limiting features. For example, Facebook groups are not indexed by search engines like Google, but their business pages are. This means there is no SEO (search engine optimization) value to having a group. Here are six more reasons why you should create a business page, and not a group.

1. Pages allow a business to “Publish to the Stream” (this shows up on your fans homepage)

2. Pages allow a business to engage fans with Rich Media (video, pictures, events)

3. Pages let a business analyze how fans are interacting with the Insights Dashboard (FB has deep analytics)

4. Pages allow you to run highly targeted demographic ads to attract only those that are relevant to your business.

5. Pages allow you to arrange Tabs in the order you like (with the exception of the Wall and Info)

6. Pages allow you to force a particular tab to open first for new visitors. Example: You can have a tab that introduces your team, your area, or you.

List provided by examiner.com

Do you have an opinion? Post your thought about this ongoing debate.