I’ve noticed a lot of blogs coming up with their own Facebook pages lately. Questions like this also arose on Twitter – “do I need a Facebook page for my blog?”
No doubt we are at the social media age where websites like Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Tumblr, etc are probably, to a lot of us, the best things since sliced bread. What better and affordable way to market your website and goods than through these channels?
I’m taking a wild guess that if you’re reading this blog post, you’re either on Facebook or on Twitter. Or both. Many of us use Facebook and Twitter for different reasons. We use Facebook to connect with our friends in school, ex-classmates, family, long-lost relatives, etc. We use Twitter to do just about anything else we wouldn’t on Facebook for the fear that our mothers might find out (I avoid teaching my mother how to get on Facebook and Twitter at all costs. True story).
I’m on Facebook too! 😛
Okay, so back to our first question. Is it necessary to have a separate Facebook page for our blog? Isn’t our personal Facebook page sufficient? But I’m already on Twitter! Why do I need to maintain another social media account?
Oh dear, many questions there. One answer. It depends on who you want to reach.
If you’re marketing your website as a business, you’re selling something, or even wanting to reach out to more readers for your blog, then I’d say you’d want to reach as many people as possible.
Here’s something I’ve noticed. Most of my Twitter peeps are on Facebook (I don’t mean separate Facebook pages for their blogs, but their personal Facebook pages), but not all of my Facebook friends are on Twitter. So if I want my blog to reach as many people as possible, I have to work on both areas – Twitter AND Facebook.
So, do you need a separate Facebook page just for your blog? I’d recommend it. I think it’s vital we keep both your personal and professional lives separate, and I don’t see why you shouldn’t do that for your blog too.
Not all of your existing Facebook friends would appreciate makeup updates or shopping hauls (I’ve had family of old church mates comment that all I do in Melbourne is lunch with high society ladies just because I’ve had status updates of places I’ve eaten and things I’ve purchased. Pfft). If they are interested in your blog, chances are they will subscribe to your blog’s Facebook page. If not, well, at least it gives them the flexibility to opt out.
Using HootSuite to check Twitter and Facebook simultaneously
Now you might think that it’s going to be bloody hard work maintaining both accounts. It’s not as difficult as you think. You do not have to post status updates twice, on Twitter and on your Facebook page.
Assuming you are active on Twitter, once you have a Facebook page for your blog, you can setup status updates (to your blog’s Facebook page, not your personal one) to automatically show on your Twitter timeline. You can also do it vice versa, although I wouldn’t automatically update my Facebook status to my Twitter. I’m more candid on Twitter (read: hello F-bombs), and I’ve learned my lesson the hard way (see story of family of old church mates above).
You will now be able to generate conversations on your blog or anything else on both Twitter and your Facebook page. It’s a great way in getting to know your readers better and you’ll be able to reach more people. Easy peasy lemon squeezy 🙂
Do you have a Facebook page for your blog? Do you find it useful?
Useful link: Link your Facebook Page status updates to Twitter
I don’t have a Facebook page and I’m still wondering if I should get one. Of course I have personal FB accounts, one to keep in touch with family and friends, and the other for my blog. But not a page because I reckon it takes a bit more work to maintain. I’ll probably remain page-less for now.
lyn recently posted..An Overview of Topshop Kohl Eyeliner Pencils
Lyn: It’s not necessary to have a FB page for your blog. Only do it if you don’t mind maintaining both accounts 🙂
Yay, I was wondering this exact same thing a few nights ago!!
I always wondered whether it was a necessity or not.
Thanks for posting this 🙂
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Beauty Snippets: My pleasure, Teacup 🙂
I have a facebook page but I don’t do much with it except use it for blog updates (those who are very active on FB will read from there instead of a rss reader) and perhaps sale, promos or short term info. Otherwise I don’t use it very much. I link FB to Twitter but not the other way around.
Personally I don’t think its absolutely necessary for a blogger to have a FB page because it really makes things more complicated than it already is 🙂 But I do advocate the use of at least 1 social media profile – which one is one’s personal choice.
Paris B recently posted..If I’m going to sport a New Look let it be pink eyeshadow with the Dior Rose Porcelaine palette
Paris B: Yeah I don’t think it’s absolutely necessary either. In fact, I only started a Facebook page for my blog a year ago 😛 I use my FB page exactly like yours, for status updates, occasional promos, etc. I did notice some interaction on FB with people who are not on Twitter, so at least that’s an extra.
I am never linking my Twitter account to FB again. Too many issues with unwanted people. Reckon I should just un-friend the irrelevant ones on FB eh? 😛
I hv both FB and twitter. My FB page is mainly for post updates tho. My thoughts are just as what Paris said.
Personally, I prefer twitter. Seems more fun and so much easier!
Lily recently posted..FOTD: Dior Rose Porcelaine (834)
Lily: I prefer Twitter too, although posting of images are better on FB because you can see all of them in albums 😛
I do have a facebook page for my blog for blog updates and quick announcements/infos or things like these that I want to share, but not wanting (or sometimes not having the time) to do a separate entry on my blog.
Also, I feel facebook is sometimes a little clearer compared to twitter when it comes to sharing pictures. But that is my personal opinion that might be based on the fact that I’m more of a visual person.
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Jess: My sentiments exactly on the sharing of pictures on Facebook. I like that you can see it on one page, or in an album when people come to the page. For Twitter, all you see are links, or tiny thumbnails on the side (if you’re on the Twitter website). I’m a visual person too! 🙂
You can’t run from FB these days… It’s a great complimentary to Google and a great resource for finding friend that are like minded – like it or not 🙂
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Tammy: Haha that’s true. Can’t run away from Facebook, that’s for sure. Just keeping my fingers crossed my mum doesn’t get on it too 😛
I got a Facebook page for my blog and link it to my RSS feed with Networked blogs so I don’t really do anything with it besides check it every now and again. It’s useful for people to keep updated with my blog posts in particular people who don’t use the internet much beyond FB.
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Megs: That’s what I thought. A lot of people I know aren’t on Twitter, but they’re on Facebook. At least it’s another channel to reach out to them 🙂
Yup I have both Facebook and Twitter and I think it’s important to have both, to keep different channels of reaching out to your audience.
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Bun Bun: My sentiments exactly! 🙂
I have both too and agree with you that it’s useful for maximum reach. And it’s not too hard so why not? btw love your page profile pic!
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Harshleen: It just takes a bit of getting used to, is all. Once you’ve setup Facebook to be linked to Twitter, then everytime you updated FB with something, it shows on Twitter. No double work 🙂
Aww thanks! It was taken last year, I think, at a blogger’s event. Any method of getting a “professional” shot taken of me, whether it’s on the street or a hair salon (mine was the latter), I’ll take it! 🙂
I have a FB page, but it’s mainly publishing rss feed of my blog updates. I don’t use it much. Not having enough ‘fans’ is one thing. I just don’t really prefer FB. For interactions, I prefer twitter. Now that google is removing GFC, I’m turning to FB page (instead using G+, not going to repeat how I’m not happy with G+) since that’s where people will know i have new posts, since twitter timeline can scroll so fast any tweets about new posts can be easily missed.
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Coco: Same goes for my Facebook page. There isn’t much interaction there too; for me, that’s mostly on Twitter. I set it up to announce feed updates and any other promos, etc through Facebook so that Twitter gets updated as well. This way, two channels are updated instead of one 🙂
I can’t do Google+. Perhaps it’s still early days, but for now, it still doesn’t appeal to me.
thanks for the great article!
i made a FB page for my blog not too long ago. it is too soon to tell if this is working out for me since i wasn’t a FB user before and there are lots of things to figure out.
however, i totally agree with you on that it is an important channel to reach out as much as possible! 🙂
Lena: Glad you liked it Lena. I don’t use my Facebook page much, but if I’m to post an update of my blog on Twitter, I might as well link Facebook to Twitter, and do it on Facebook instead. This way, you reach more people 🙂