My previous post titled “How to Create a Facebook Page Without Connecting it to a Profile” has turned out to be very popular.
A Linkedin comment about the post stated that some of the Facebook Page functions are lost when they are created without being connected to a profile, but I don’t think that is correct. I’ve looked around and compared features and nothing seems to be missing.
To go a bit further I’ve created a test page (Screenshot below) that is not connected to a profile so that you can see that all of the backend features still seem to be in place. You can still create tabs, use FBML, see insights, promote the page with ads, etc.
By all means, if you’ve discovered a feature that becomes inactive when a Facebook Page is not connected to a profile please let me know.
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{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
You can’t do a FB search, however, and there are certain promotional tools, like a fan box (not just the little promo box, but one that shows who your fans are), that they want you to have a profile for.
Sallie, I just double checked and you can in fact create a fan box. Click the image above and you’ll see “Promote with a fan box” under “Promote your page.” I just tried it and it allows you to create a box that shows your fans.
In my opinion, the search tab is related to a profile and isn’t really a feature I expect from a Page.
Thanks a bunch for weighing in!
If you want to build up your fans, it helps to be able to search in FB. (Especially since I’m sure FB encouraged me to search for possible fans.) Right now I’m getting a blank white screen for page badges, though you’re right that I seem to have the full range of fan box options. It’s been about a month since I originally set up the page, so I can’t remember all the details, but there were a couple of occasions when I followed the suggestions for what to do to maximize the success of the page and came up against “You need a profile for that.”
I still have a decent-looking page into which I was able to import blog posts, and to which I was able to invite some additional administrators, but believe me, FB wants you to have a profile, and they’re going to make sure there are advantages to doing so.
Sallie,
I’m a bit confused as to why you would search for fans. You can search for friends, but I don’t think the profile search function has a feature that allows you to directly promote a page. The thought of doing so seems a little spamish.
I might have to disagree on the FB wanting you to have a profile comment. That could potentially negatively impact their revenue… which is something I don’t think they’d want to do. That’s just my take though.
I think one point you missed out is that facebook pages need a profile in order for pages to have a vanity url.
Sean, thanks for pointing that out. I’ve never actually done the vanity url with the test page. I’ll add some fans and double check it. Thanks for the heads up. One would imagine FB would make that possible.
I’ve found that on other business pages, they have all kinds of options when it comes to the “Information” tab. But, when I created a business page without a profile, it only gives me a limited amount of things to say about my company – founded, website, company overview, mission and products. Other websites have in their “Information” tab the same plus location, phone, etc…