Facebook page - separate one for branch practice?

RE: Facebook page - separate one for branch practice?

Gillian Mostyn — Tue, 13 Dec 2016 07:31:03 GMT

I have 2 pages simply because a client started one long before I did. I am now admin of both but have tried, and failed to get FB to merge them. Please let me know if you manage it....and how!

RE: Facebook page - separate one for branch practice?

Suzanne Kelly — Mon, 12 Dec 2016 18:48:06 GMT

We've decided to merge, we started the process over a week ago and it's not happened yet, fingers crossed it won't delete all our "likes"

RE: Facebook page - separate one for branch practice?

Susie Samuel — Thu, 01 Dec 2016 15:29:24 GMT

Agree Braden, that if it can be done well running two is fantastic and it sounds like you are using yours very effectively. Most businesses that run pages for each location have a brand page too.

Realistically it is difficult for many practices to find the time to run one Facebook page effectively, let alone two, and it's a case of weighing up the extra value two pages will bring against this increased time. Also with two pages each post will have less reach as the number of likes on each page will be lower as your client base is split in two, people liking your first page may well have friends who live 10minutes away that are closer to your branch, so you are missing out on them potentially seeing your posts.

If you do go down the two page route I think it is essential to use completely different content on each page, if you want a post to go out to both pages make sure you share it rather than reposting. Your audiences will almost certainly overlap and it could look spammy having two posts the same, from different accounts on their timelines.

Good luck!

RE: Facebook page - separate one for branch practice?

Braden Collins — Thu, 01 Dec 2016 12:51:49 GMT

If you have time, I would run two. We run two as by having separate pages we can include the address and phone number. I don't think that's critical yet but Facebook is stretching into searches so I reckon will be important in the future.

Two pages also gives you the chance to test and compare posts/ads and see what works best.

If you're short on time, you're better to do one well rather than two badly.

If you start with two pages, you can merge them later to form one page if it doesn't work having the two.

RE: Facebook page - separate one for branch practice?

Suzanne Kelly — Thu, 01 Dec 2016 08:52:23 GMT

Thanks guys. The new branch is 20 mins away. It has the same branding - same name, decor etc.

The audience will be pretty similar and the same vets will be going between both, however some of the services offered will be different.

We currently have 2 pages, we're sharing some info between both, the nurses at the respective branches do the admin on the pages.

We're just wondering would it be more streamlined to have just one, or would the clients prefer separate ones.

Suzanne

RE: Facebook page - separate one for branch practice?

Arlo Guthrie — Thu, 01 Dec 2016 08:05:16 GMT

I think Facebook is primarily a way of engaging with existing clients (rather than, say, attracting new ones). People engage with something they feel part of.

The first step is always to consider your audience. Imagine you are a newspaper editor. What are you going to post that your audience will find interesting, amusing, helpful, sad, remarkable etc. What will they relate to?

If you think the audiences are essentially the same. That you'll be posting announcements, stories, news that is common to both audiences (and which mention things / people that both audiences will relate to), then you can probably have one page and halve the work involved.

If the audiences are distinctly different, and clients of one practice won't recognise / relate to the people/events you post about the other practice, then you might be better off having two pages.

But as Susie says, time and resources important. No point in having two pages you don't have the time to maintain!

RE: Facebook page - separate one for branch practice?

Susie Samuel — Thu, 01 Dec 2016 06:17:52 GMT

Hi Suzanne, This is always a difficult one and the best solution depends on the set up. Does the branch share the same branding? How far is the branch from the existing clinic? Are the demographics/ pet types of the clients similar? How much time/ resources do you have for this?