Facebook is changing it’s algorithm again — prioritising people’s Friends, rather than Facebook Pages from content publishers. While this is slated to impact outlets like Buzzfeed, everyone is bracing themselves for reduced reach, irrespective of whether they’re a content publisher or not.
Facebook Pages already post to less than 10% of your fans, so it can feel disheartening when another change like this comes along. But there might just be another way to take advantage of Facebook’s huge audience for your business: by using Facebook groups.
Facebook Groups have, for a long time, been a bit of a hidden gem of Facebook. While some might say that Groups are a bit dorky, I’m finding more and more of my time is spent in Groups. In fact, there’s a lot that can be said for the business potential of creating your own Facebook Group for your business.
What do I mean by creating a Group for your business? It’s not about creating a Group and running it in the same way you would run a Page, where you post all of your own content. Instead, its’s about building a community around a topic in your industry.
Let’s say you’re an accountant, why not create a group which is either to help small businesses people with financial tips, or a group for accountants to connect. Make it something relevant to your industry, ensuring there are enough talking points and common culture to hold the group together.
Facebook groups are, of course, a different beast to Facebook Pages. Facebook Pages allow businesses to post their updates for people to subscribe, while a Group is a small community where anyone can post what they want. But I think there’s a lot to be said for giving it a go. Here’s why.
The algorithm
When we post from business pages on Facebook, less than 10% of fans who like our page see it. However, in Groups, this rule does not apply. We see all of the posts that are posted in the community.
It’s worth considering a Group simply based on this increased exposure: but the flipside is that the message sent out isn’t always something you would post yourself. But that is the nature of a group — you are creating a community space with all the vivacity that comes with that.
Community consultant
Creating a Group not only creates a community of connected individuals who can share knowledge and experience, but you have the opportunity to show you’re a leader in your field by being the administrator in the group.
If you’re posting discussion topics daily and responding to tricky questions in a clear and detailed manner, people will get to know your name and recognise your expertise. If you’re lucky, this can result in business referrals inside and outside of the community.
Privacy
One of the great things about Facebook Groups, especially closed Groups, is that they’re private. This means that discussions can be a lot more in-depth, and lot more personal in a Group. This intimacy can be a great way to build a strong community.
Creating a safe space and a community of trust is a great way to encourage potential customers, because when they are looking for an expert they can confide in, they already know your name.
On top of this, we can assume that if people join a group — as opposed to simply Liking a page — they’re more likely to be committed to your industry.
Value it
The flip side of privacy is exclusivity. I’ve seen several businesses, especially online-based businesses, offer access to their Groups as ‘add on’ feature for their product.
They frame it as exclusive access to the community, with on-going peer support and mentoring. It’s not a bad way to keep the relationship going by creating a space for clients to continue their experience with your brand.
Schedule it
If you’re worried about how long it takes to create conversations in your group, take advantage of the fact that Facebook Groups can also have content scheduled using third party tools like Hootsuite or Meet Edgar. You can also plan content and conversations for your Facebook Group in advance.
Of course, groups are communities: so the time you’re committing to the space might be less about posting content and more about starting conversations and spending time to build relationships with those people in your group. (But don’t jump on every post! Here’s a great piece on why.)
Does size matter?
There is a lot to be said for the idea that the number of Likes on a Facebook Page is a vanity metric. Consumers have shown that they don’t necessarily trust a business based on their number of fans. So if your group is small compared to the numbers on Facebook pages — does that matter?
On top of that, if we’re inspired by the 1000 true fans business model, maybe you don’t actually need masses of people in your group to make it work for your business.
Social trends
For several years, we’ve been seeing shifts in the digital space, where people are moving to smaller, private groups, with the popularity of apps like Whatsapp.
But Facebook Groups aren’t the only way to take advantage of this private groups trend. Google Spaces has just launched, and Google Plus still exists — even if just for SEO purposes! ;)
Being a Groupie?
While running a group can be a very different thing to running a page — you need to focus on creating guidelines, culture, content and building community — there are rewards for businesses in terms of increased brand exposure, thought leadership, and the opportunity to use it as an “additional bonus” for customers. It’s a different approach, but it might be an approach that works for your business.
What do you think? It is worth trying to build a Facebook Group for your business? Let me know if it’s something you’re considering in the future!
