Getting Started with Facebook Groups

While Facebook Business Pages are critical for attracting and engaging new potential customers, Groups are a powerful way to serve that warm audience of potential customers.

This warm audience includes people who have already expressed an interest in your products or services buy purchasing, subscribing to your email list or being active on your Business Page.

What is a Facebook Group?
While your Facebook Business Page can be seen by any user (other than those who have been banned), a Group is a more intimate subset of users who are most likely to purchase from your business.

How Can I Set-Up My First Facebook Group
Setting up a Facebook Group is easy and free.

1. From the Facebook home screen, click the down arrow in the top right corner of the page.
2. Select Your Groups.
3. Click the blue + Create Group button in the left side panel.
4. Enter the name of your group.
5. Invite Friends who may be interested in joining your Group. (You can even personalize your invitation with a note.)
6. Select your Privacy option. (Check out all the options available to you as a Group Admin here.) Note that as your Group grows, your ability to change Privacy Options will be limited. After your group grows to over 5,000 members, you can only change an Open Group to Closed or Secret. You can only change a Closed Group to Secret.
7. Click the blue Create button.
8. Add a cover image to your Group Page. The ideal size for your cover image is 1640×856 pixels.
9. Complete the About section to inform potential members about your Group.
10. Click the …More button under the Cover Image.
11. Select Edit Group Settings.
    1. Choose your Group Type.
    2. Enter your Description.
    3. Add Tags to tell members what your Group is about.
    4. Add a location if you have a local business.
    5. Link Your Group to your Business Page.
    6. Choose the Color scheme for your Group Page.
    7. Customize the URL for your Group.
    8. Change your Privacy Settings, if necessary.
    9. Select your Membership Approval Process.
    10. Select your Posting Permissions.
    11. Select your Post Approval Process.
12. Click Save.

How can I Best Serve My Members
It’s important to think of your Group as a service channel for your prospective customers.

1. Post at least once daily.
2. Encourage interaction by creating posts that give members the opportunity to link to their websites or Business Pages, enter contest or giveaways, brag on themselves or their family members, etc.
3. Pin your Group Rules in the Announcements section of your Page. This is important to communicate both what members can expect from the Group and what you expect from your members. You want to keep your community safe and focused. So clearly explain expectations from the beginning.

How Can I Attract Group Members
Your Facebook Group can be a powerful selling tool, if you have the right members.

It’s important to differentiate your Facebook Business Page from your Group. Your Group is a great place for that warm audience of Facebook users who already know about your business and the products or services you offer.

You can incentive-ize your warm audience to join your Group by offering exclusive discounts and information to members only.

Clearly communicate this to your potential members by:

1. Emailing your current subscribers and provide them with the link to join.
2. Creating a Facebook post encouraging your followers to join your Group.
3. Inviting your personal Friends to join the Group and give them an incentive to share with their friends and family members who may also be interested in the products or services you offer.

Action Steps

Groups are a great way to serve your potential customers and increase your sales. To get started:

1. Set-up your Facebook Group using the steps above. If you already have a Group, revisit your settings to make sure everything is set-up properly.
2. Create Group Rules to maintain the focus and integrity of your Group.
3. Create a game plan for differentiating your Facebook Page function from that of your Group.
4. Send an email to your current subscribers, inviting them to join your Group.
5. Post an invitation to your Group on your other social media profiles.

Facebook Groups are growing in popularity, as more and more business owners are leveraging them to grow. In fact, next week we’ll be sharing a number of exciting new features Facebook is rolling out to better serve Group Admins and improve interaction with your members!