When you create a social media account for your business, you often think about creating a company page on each platform. But have you thought of launching your own Facebook Group? You probably know what it’s like to be in a group – you’re part of one, right?
But, why not create your own group to supplement your marketing efforts in social media? Facebook Groups is a great and personal way to communicate with your customers.
How Facebook groups boost your marketing strategy
Whether you’re starting to make your own Facebook groups or join one, here are ways where Facebook groups add value to your brand.
Connects you with real, meaningful audience
When you’re looking for groups, don’t be disheartened to join a Closed Group. The moderators simply want to keep spammers from trolling your community. Be happy, actually – it means, that you’re joining a group that shares important and well-to-do discussions. Show off your professionalism and join in the discussion.
Likewise, if you want to create a group of your own, don’t be scared to lose potential customers because you decided to “close” the group. One advantage of this feature is that it invites interested customers who want to be in your circle and who would be willing to form a meaningful brand-customer relationship.
Build networks and contacts
If you want to know what’s going on in the industry or authority figures in the scene, the best place to go is Facebook group. It has usually multiple posts going on every day. Don’t be afraid to open or share your thoughts in the conversation. You might able to connect with a persona geared to help your brand.
Similarly, encourage your members to start a discussion. See their world through their posts and learn more about what other people know. You might find something interesting to tackle about or a problem where you can plug in your services to answer their needs.
Use to sell your products and services
There are selling groups on Facebook where you can advertise your business. Be wary though – selling groups are open to the public and spammers can troll members around.
Meanwhile, there are groups where professional discussion is only needed because it’d be unfair to the admins who are also selling their services. Tread carefully and soft-sell your brand without upstaging the group’s moderators. For example, you can opt to share a blog post with an insight into the industry which leads back to your website. In other cases, you can always ask the moderator if you can share something about your brand and how it can benefit the members. Remember, soft-selling often wins.
Offer features to grow members
Facebook groups have built-in features to help members or followers go through. For example, you can raise questions by making a poll about a certain topic. You can ask them anything regarding the industry you’re in “Can parking spots be detrimental to your business?” “Do you think women should lead more?” Ask any questions that can help solicit answers from the members.
What’s more, you can also drop or upload files you want to share with group members. It can be photos, documents, or PDF files. For a better marketing strategy, you can insert your logo on the file and see your followers sharing your files on social media. For example, you can share a fun-fact infographic, quote, or e-book. This tactic will help get your brand out there!
If you’re hosting an activity, Facebook will create a group page where you can invite friends and post updates. Additionally, you can create an ad campaign of your page to gather more interested followers.
How to start your own Facebook Group
It can be daunting to create a group on social media for fear of rejection or having little to no followers. If you want to conquer Facebook groups, you need to do the following.
Know your objectives
What do you wish to happen in the group? You need to focus on one marketing aspect to gain followers. Here are examples:
Monetizing your business
Establish a community of like-minded individuals (writers, graphic designers, etc)
Establish yourself as an expert
Support an organization
And more!
Know your audience
Who can participate in your group? Be clear on who do you want to be a member of your social community. Being general on people won’t get you much noticed. Perhaps it’s a group for medical students only or small business owners in Perth? Limit your members to who’s willing to be a part of the social circle.
Choose if you want a public, private, or closed group. Each type has its own pros and cons.
Choose an easy group name
Better yet – insert a keyword necessary for your brand to have customers find you on social media. Keywords can consist of topics or industries like Winemakers, Paleo, Gym, or Automobiles.
Create an attention-seeking banner
If you want to entice people on joining your group, the first thing you need to do is create an attractive banner to lure them in. This will really pay off well if you choose a closed group. The first thing people see is really your banner. Make it beautiful enough that they can’t resist joining in!
