Creating a Facebook Page? Nonprofits face new choices

Facebook now has a new way for nonprofits and businesses to select a category when creating a new Page. This is important because once you make a choice, you can’t go back.

You’ll now see a visual guide showing you how your Page will be identified on Facebook. However, the new process also includes a new layer of complexity. Nonprofits now have a confusing fork in the road.

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Part of this new process includes more detailed categories, which can be confusing.

Under “Local Business or Place of Interest,” you can choose:

• Church / Religious Organization
• Hospital / Clinic
• Landmark
• Museum / Art Gallery

Under “Company, Organization, or Institution,” you can choose:

• Church / Religious Organization
• Education
• Community Organization
• Non-governmental Organization
• Non-profit Organization
• Political Organization

What category should you select?

Two things to consider when selecting one of these categories.

1. How important is location? “Local Business or Place of Interest” prompts users to enter their businesses physical address. This information is not available under “Company, Organization, or Institution.”

If the location is a critical part of your organization, then select “Local Business or Place of Interest.” Obviously this would apply if your organization is a museum or landmark.

2. How do your constituents categorize you in their mind? You might be thinking to yourself, “I’m a nonprofit. Why not just make it easy and pick that one?”

When I go to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, I don’t think, “I’m going to visit a nonprofit that has great art exhibits!”

It’s now how you categorize your organization, but how your supporters categorize your org. They’ll be the ones looking for you!

Does this make sense?

Cross-posted from JohnHaydon.com.John Haydon delivers social web strategy solutions for “the quick, the smart, and the slightly manic.” Curious? Then visit the John Haydon blog, follow him on Twitter or leave a comment.