Is it less creepy to message someone on fb or to talk to them on online chat?

So there's this girl who I've never talked to or met before but were facebook friends. Would it be less creepy to get to know her by sending her a private message, or to chat with her using online chat? Please Help. I'm afraid to seem like a creepy stalker weirdo. How should I start? She lives in the same town as I do so maybe that would be a good ice breaker. But how to be as less creepy as possible?