8/7/11 Update: You can no longer link community pages to your official page. Instead, you can now merge them.
Over the last month Facebook has created millions of Community Pages. As I understand it, Community Pages are created based on what Facebook users have mentioned on their personal Facebook profiles. For example, someone mentioned the Scleroderma Research Foundation on Facebook, and now the Scleroderma Research Foundation has a Community Page:
Now… a couple of things:
1) Community Pages seem to trump Official Pages in Facebook Searches. Also, when Facebook users opt-in to “Connect” their profiles to pages, the connection is often to the Community Page and not the Official Page. That’s the feedback I am getting from folks on LinkedIn.
2) Search for your organization on Facebook to see if there is a Community Page for your organization. If you can’t find one, try searching from someone else’s Facebook account who is not an Admin or does not “Like” your organization’s Official Page.
3) Once you find it, click the “sign up” link. All you have to do is click it once to complete the sign up process.
4) “Suggest” your Official Facebook Page. This capability is a new development. It wasn’t there a few days ago. I did it for one nonprofit. You get a message that says “Thanks for improving the Page!”, but no obvious changes seem to occur. This is a new feature and shows that Facebook is listening.
For now, that’s all I know. Many are wondering if there is way to request that the Community Page be deleted. I don’t think so. Facebook is changing almost daily. Just make sure you do 1-4 above and then we wait to see happens next.
Related Links:
Official Page for the Scleroderma Research Foundation
Webinar: How Nonprofits Can Successfully Use Facebook and Facebook Apps :: Advanced
