How to thrive within Facebook groups

Do you belong to a lot of Facebook groups?

Facebook groups have become the go-to platform for business owners within Facebook, and they are adding new features to it gradually (you can now link pages to groups).

Business pages used to dominate the space years ago, but that’s not the case anymore. The reason for this is because Facebook is on a mission to ensure businesses spend money on the platform… “boost this post” anyone?

Why are Facebook groups taking over?

A few reasons…

• They are usually very organised (if the admins are actively monitoring what’s happening within them)
• There’s less noise if well managed, unlike the newsfeeds
• Easy to stand out if you’re someone who’s always sharing something of value
• Good for networking purposes
• Good for content distribution (depending on the rules of the group)
• Good for organic traffic to websites, unlike pages today

Now, here’s how you can thrive within the Facebook groups you belong to:

#1. Read the rules

This is the first thing any business owner should do before joining new Facebook groups. The reason I say this is because it’ll help you and the admins function well within the group.

It’s understandable if one does not like the rules outlined within most Facebook groups, and if that’s the case, it’s best not to join those Facebook groups (that way you’ll avoid issues in future).

When you familiarise yourself with the rules, you’ll be able to know what to post, and when to post it (it triggers creativity and strategy). Rules exist to keep the group clean and more professional. It’s not because the admins are too controlling and/or restrictive.

If you put yourself in their shoes, you’ll realise that it’s not easy to run a group with 1,000s of members who possess different mindsets, opinions, and approach to business.

#2. Stay professional

I’ve seen cases within Facebook groups where members lash out on each other, swearing, and using all kinds of abusive language, which often puts a smear on their reputation down the line (no one wants to do business with such individuals).

There’s nothing wrong in debating or giving your opinion on a matter, but when one’s prone to abusing other people just because they disagree with him/her, then that’s towing the wrong path.

The Facebook groups we belong to comprise of people who will agree with us, those who will disagree, and those who’ll be indifferent about any issue we raise. With this in mind, it’s best for one to know how to deal with issues, avoid them, or keep the debate on a very professional level. That’s what sets mature minds apart!

#3. Give value

What’s considered valuable within Facebook groups is not necessarily what the sharer thinks is valuable, but what other members gain from it. This will be based on the feedback/comments (see example below):

You don’t necessarily have to write long posts… one line of text can go a long way, if it carries information that can inspire the reader. The time you spend to answer questions, give advise, or make referrals can go a long way to help someone else.

Sharing your best information can position you as an authority or expert within your niche. To do this, you have to first of all find out the core problems people are facing that you can solve, then create content that will point them in the right direction. You don’t have to give away everything, but just enough to give people a boost at the initial stage of solving their problems.

#4. Join active and value driven Facebook groups

There’s nothing as discouraging as being part of a Facebook group that is dormant or ones that are ridden with spam and salesy posts from top to bottom. The worst aspect is when the admin is not really doing anything to encourage the engagement within the group. On some, the admin(s) is/are active, but the members are not engaging.

If you belong to these types of Facebook groups, then it’s best to leave them, and pay more attention to the ones where there’s a lot of active members. These active groups are the ones that’ll help you thrive!

Running a Facebook group is not a walk in the park, so it’s important for group admins to have a plan, and also know how to reactivate the engagement within their groups if it dies down at some point. If you have members who are always building up engagement within your group(s), then encourage them as much as you can, so that way they’ll keep the group active.

A group that is more focused on promotions as opposed to community building often ends up becoming spammy or inactive. Of course there are groups which can be setup as marketplaces for people to sell/buy stuff within Facebook, but that’s often clearly stated, unlike groups which are meant for networking and business that end up becoming a dead zone, ridden with valueless content and spam.

Conclusion

As I said earlier, following the rules of any given group will help you contribute more effectively to that group. I particularly don’t join groups that do not have rules (it’s just my thing, I’m not saying you should do the same).

When you’re able to adjust to the rules, you’ll be able to stay professional and add as much value as possible. For this to work, it has to be a very active group. Groups with only the admin and a couple of members posting the most is likely to die off eventually.

Sometimes the decline in engagements are caused by the group admins, because they’re overly controlling and only want things to go their way. Yes, one might say – “it’s their group, so they can do what they please!” – that’s true, but that’s usually to their own detriment. People who are always bringing value to groups know the importance of having the ability to contribute, without breaking the rules.

Your turn… what other ways do you think business owners can use to thrive within Facebook groups, and what are your thoughts on the ones I’ve shared here? Leave a comment below and also use to social media buttons to share to your networks.

To your success!