Facebook Network versus Groups: What's the Difference?

"What's the difference between a network and a group on Facebook?" This is a question that I have been asked often at introductory training workshops. The confusion is understandable because both allow you to connect to people.

Groups were once utilized as a place to create a business, brand or product page. Once Facebook launched the Pages product; an advertising strategy that is experiencing some decent success, groups have taken a back seat in the business category.

A network is a group of people that could currently work together attends school together or live near each other or could have done any of these in the past. When you join a network you get access to the Facebook profiles of the network's members and access to the groups, events and listings within that network. All this, of course, depends on the level of privacy of the members, but for the most part you have all access.

A group may be within that network to connect people that may have common interests. If you participate in a group you can comment on the discussion board, write on the group's wall or invite friend to join the group.

Groups can by closed requiring the administrator's approval to join or can even be an invite only group. You could think of it as a private club within the network. For example, if you were part of your College alumni network and within that network was a fraternity group which you were a brother of that group could allow only members of the fraternity to be part of the group.

The network is the whole apple while the group could be just a seed inside the apple. How have you used networks or groups? Have you created your own group?