Facebook is one of the most widely used social media platforms as of 2021. For a small business, social media is an amazing way to promote your brand and reach your potential customers. Facebook has a “Groups” feature that allows you to reach a wide audience. It is important to research and identify if you want your Facebook Group to be “visible” or “hidden,” as this can affect how easily your group can be found.
Here are a few ways Facebook Groups work to help small businesses…
Public Groups
A group that can be viewed by anyone is considered a Public Group. This means anyone that views the group can see who is in it. When a Public Group is shared, every one that opens it can see discussions taking place in the group. Public Groups can be a great way to spread the word about your business because content can also appear from groups when being searched on Google or another search engine. This can help you become discovered quickly by even a mutual search.
With Public Groups, you have the option to approve posts so you can review them first, or allow anyone to post and comment. You can let outsiders of the group participate without being a member, or you can require membership. Choosing to admit members and approve posts can be time-consuming. So, if you do not have the time to take over the operation of Facebook Groups for your business, you may want to consider hiring a Social Media Manager & Content Creator to run it for you!
Private Groups
Only members of the group are able to see content in a Private Group. In this type of group, members have to request submission in order to post, comment on, and share content. In a Private Group, you can make your group status “visible” or “hidden,” as we discussed earlier. If visible, anyone can see your group title/name and description of your group. This allows people to access your group easier when searching for a specific topic, and it allows any Facebook user to request to join. If you choose to hide your group, this allows inside access for your current or past customers. If your goal is to have more private discussions, the hidden group may be the best for you and your small business. Either way, you hold the power to choose who is approved and who is not.
The Admin of the group (which may be either you or someone you assign to approve members and operate the group) is able to provide a set of questions. These questions must be answered by the user entering the group in order to be considered for admission. The questionnaire is a good way to identify who users are before they can see within the group. You can use these questions as a way to get more information about users as well. Ask them how they found your group, what they are interested in, or any question that relates to marketing your business. This allows you to identify why people search for your group and what they expect from you! Keeping the questions short and sweet will bring you more potential members than multiple lengthy questions. If your questionnaire takes a while to answer, users may be steered away from completing it.
Rules & Content
With Facebook Groups, you are able to enforce a set of rules that all members are to follow. These rules can include no scams, no posts about politics, no profanity, and no selling products. Including guidelines that all members of the group must follow can ensure that all users have a good outlook on the group and what it stands for. In other words, a way to keep the peace amongst members. If a member is violating the rules, it is okay to remove them at any time. This can affect the experience that other members have in your group, and you want to keep it a positive space for all.
Posting frequently can help divide different topics you discuss within the group. This way, when users visit your group, they don’t feel like you just want a sale. Allowing them to see other content, such as relevant quotes, fun questions, or promoting other local businesses, shows that you care about them, and not just about selling your brand and making money. This can help you gain the trust of your followers and develop credibility. Keep your members engaged and wanting to come back for more!
You can also let your members post and share things about themselves. They can share their experiences with your company, and they can share photos of themselves in your product (if wearable) or the result of what your business has completed for them! There are so many ways to integrate your members into the group personally, without just trying to sell them something.
These are just a few of the various ways that you are able to run your Facebook Groups! Using groups and encouraging members is a great way to promote your small business and reach a wide audience on Facebook. Show users your personality and engage with them frequently! They may even become your future trusted customers.
Don Creative Group is a boutique creative agency located in Lutz, Florida. We love helping small businesses showcase their brand across all social media platforms.
Are you interested in social media services? Contact us today to see how we can help you connect with your audience!
