Facebook Groups – Why They Work and Why They Don’t

Who isn’t on Facebook these days? Facebook has evolved from a place where we ‘socialize’ with our friends from across the globe to a source of information as well as a marketplace. For some (especially marketers and influencers), Facebook is more than just an online presence, but a necessary tool in growing their business. We now have Facebook pages, Facebook Marketplace, and Facebook groups. I’m sure you are a member of a certain group or two. So what about them? Here’s a deeper look at Facebook groups, why they work and why they don’t.

Facebook Groups – Why They Work and Why They Don’t

Through the years, Facebook group has changed with time and with what people need or what the public demand.

I remember the time I created my first group. First for family and then batch mates from college. But they’re all forgotten and inactive. I have even deleted one I created for a certain group of friends. So what makes Facebook groups work and what doesn’t?

Mainly for building community or small groups within the network; that’s what Facebook groups are for. Facebook pages are too ‘public’ and when you’re not promoting by paying, you get little reach. Only a small percentage of your followers will get to see your posts.

Pros

Build community

Facebook groups are created for people with the same interest. It is where your customers, fans, or followers could interact with each other. They can ask questions, share opinions or experience, promote (if allowed), and start a discussion about the product or topic that the group was created for.

Easy access

You can post photos, documents and important links in Facebook groups which makes it easy for your customers or fans to access.

Easy to network

Group members can add their friends they know would be interested or would benefit from what the group offers.

More than just members

Groups with high engagement and whose members are active become more than just a group. They become family in the long run. This is no surprise because groups become a place for them to hang out, interact, and bond.

Some groups allow members to share stories and give them the opportunity to be open without judgement (a responsibility for moderators or admins to kick out trolls and monitor what’s happening within the group).

Marketplace

If you’re promoting a Facebook page, a website or product, Facebook group is a great place to do it. You see people looking for items to buy, house to rent, or cars to buy and sell in different Facebook groups. Bloggers and writers also post the link to their websites or articles in certain groups.

Some people advertise their services and portfolios in Facebook groups hoping to find potential clients and clients post their job vacancies too to get interested people to apply.

Cons

Close supervision

If you want to keep your groups free from trolls and spammers, you will have to supervise the members closely. You will need to take time reading comments and posts and see if your rules are being followed or not. You can either kick out someone who isn’t following or give warning.

Notifications off

If a member has been added for some reason but chooses to turn off the notification of the group, they won’t be able to see the posts. Hence, they will not see your promotion or ads. You have no control of this except maybe ask some members to stop posting irrelevant topics or post moderately so as not to flood the other members’ timeline and make them turn off the notification button.

Leave group

If the relationship within the group is toxic because the rules are not being followed or that there are no rules or moderators, people will start leaving the group. Worse, they might discourage other people from joining or convince them to leave the group.

Adding members

For closed or secret groups, you will have to make time checking the contacts being added. If for example you created the group only to certain group of friends, co-workers, customers, or people with specific skills or profession only, and people start adding their friends in the group, you will have to find a way to validate if the person should indeed be added.

Now you can add questions for people to answer to qualify them or ask existing members to prove that those they are adding fit the qualifications of the group.

Changing rules

As Facebook is constantly changing, there may be unforeseen changes in the group setting too. Also, if you don’t own the group and is merely a member, you don’t have the freewill to post if admin doesn’t allow. There are groups that do not allow members to post or even comment. There are strict rules you need to follow or you’ll be removed from the group.

Facebook groups like any other Facebook features have pros and cons. You could learn a lot, find what you’re looking for, market or promote your product or services, or increase your followers by creating or joining a Facebook group.

But then you may also get stressed out by internet trolls in the groups where there is no moderator or rules.

Start a Facebook group and see if it helps your business or get the result you are seeking. In the end it depends on how you make it work or how you manage it.

Good luck!