You may already be aware of how Facebook can be a beneficial tool for marketing your business. In recent years, searches for local businesses have been on the rise, meaning there is an opportunity to reach new customers using the site. While it’s typical to have a dedicated Facebook page for your business, another option may be to set up a group for your company. Doing so offers new ways to interact with your clients. Here are some things to consider before setting up a Facebook group.
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How Pages and Groups Differ
The first thing to know is how pages and groups are different. A Facebook page is just that, a personal profile of your business that allows users to gain access to whatever you post. A group, however, is kind of like a forum for users with similar interests that can have discussions and trade information. Traditionally a group has a moderator that is able to facilitate what content it has. One of the biggest differences between the two is in privacy. While posts on a page are mostly visible to the public, groups can have privacy settings where content is limited to people that are invited or approved to be a member of that group.
Why Use Facebook Groups?
Once you understand what separates Facebook pages from groups, it helps to understand why having a group can be beneficial. For starters, it provides a direct line to consumers. Given that the people in a group are loyal to your brand, it can be a great way to collect feedback from them and use their opinions to modify what you offer. It also helps you build long-term relationships with group members. Since customers tend to be more loyal to companies that treat them well, by allowing them to be part of a community, you can build loyalty and trust with them.
Types of Groups
When you set up a group on Facebook, there are three distinct types based on the level of privacy you want. The first is a public group, which allows anyone in the group to see what members post or share. They also have the ability to see a full list of members and administrators. While it does mean it is open to everyone, the potential downside is that it can lead to unwanted content if not properly moderated. The next group type is private and visible, which show up in searches but users still need to be manually approved to join. Anyone searching can see who the admins are, but posts and other content are limited to group members only. The final group type is private and hidden, which can’t be searched by the general public. These require an invitation from the group’s moderator to join.
Best Practices to Use
When setting up and maintaining a group on Facebook, there are some key things to consider. To start, you want to create a code of conduct. The “moderate group” option allows you to set up to 10 rules related to behavior or terms of service. This helps set standards on what is expected from your group. You can also post welcome messages on a relatively frequent basis. Doing so gives you a chance to reiterate expectations to group members, as well as remind them of rules. From a content standpoint, work to make it unique without a lot of overlap from what you post on your normal Facebook page, which provides users with a reason to follow your pages. In addition, you can look to invite potential members from other sources, like Twitter or an e-mail database.
Having a Facebook group for your business offers you a new way to interact with your customers. By understanding how to set a group up as well as how to moderate it, you can easily keep your customer base informed of what you have to offer, and keep them wanting to subscribe.