The last two PR Tip of the Month issues provided information to help you decide if your business should have a Facebook page. I continue to see small businesses and nonprofits setting up what are called profiles on Facebook, when what they should be setting up are called pages. The purpose of this issue is to clarify the difference between a Facebook page and a Facebook profile.

Profiles Are for Individuals Only

As it says under Facebook's terms, Registration and Account Security, "you will not use your personal profile for your own commercial gain." The word personal before profile in that statement makes it clear profiles are not for businesses or any type of organization.

Pages Are for Businesses

Another way to think of this is that pages are for things larger than a single individual. As Facebook's terms under Special Provisions Applicable to Pages says: "Pages are special profiles that may only be used to promote a business or other commercial, political, or charitable organization or endeavor (including non-profit organizations, political campaigns, bands, and celebrities)."

How to Create a Facebook Page

From the Facebook homepage click on the Advertising link at the bottom. On the top of the advertising page, click on Pages. From there, Facebook provides step by step instructions.