Facebook’s released its new ‘Groups for Pages’ concept, which aligns with Mark Zuckerberg’s new mission statement, which is all about encouraging users to be part of a community. So, Facebook Pages and Facebook Groups used to be separate features but Groups for Pages has combined them, which should make it easier for new online communities to form.
What do brands need to know about this fresh concept? Is it worth getting on board with Facebook’s new gimmick?
Creating Groups
If your brand already has a Facebook page then you can create new groups through your page. Or if you’re an admin, you can associate groups with your pages.
The idea behind Groups for Pages is that ‘super fans’ can get involved with brands they’re interesting in and discuss their inner workings and decisions in more detail with other interested fans.
This could help to create more connectivity between brands and users and deeper engagement.
New Collaborations
Brands can increase their reach and interact with relevant communities by doing some smart deal-making. There’s potential for brands to take over existing groups or partner with groups, so they can improve their pages and bring more audiences into their circle.
This is essentially like buying assets or collaborating with smaller assets to enhance an overall brand.
Custom Audiences
At the moment, there isn’t scope to use the popular Custom Audiences function in conjunction with Groups for Pages, so group members can’t be accessed with the Custom Audiences function. This function usually allows brands to target audiences using a number of different filters. If this is made possible with Groups for Pages then lots more brands will potentially use the feature.
Moderators
One of the main challenges and considerations when using any group feature is being able to responsibly moderate it. This can be really tough and it’s essential that you put proper structures and resources in place to make groups a safe, accommodating space for everyone, so they’re inclusive. You can moderate groups internally or you can outsource moderation to other companies if it’s not something you’re comfortable with.
Brand safety is really important and it’s not worth launching into an ambitious group strategy without having experienced moderators and group guidelines in place. Having codes of conduct can help to educate users about what will be tolerated in the group.
If groups are hijacked and left unmoderated then members can be bullied and offensive content can be posted. Because groups are essentially running 24/7, it’s vital that regardless of the size of your group, you moderate groups and ensure they’re a comfortable place for everyone – otherwise the interaction and engagement you’re aiming for can suffer.
Final Thoughts
It’s worth experimenting with Groups for Pages and it can be a valuable brand building tool and a new way to engage with users. Keep an eye on your groups though and moderate them properly – a happy group will provide you with a better community.