New Facebook Group tools were announced earlier this month to help businesses embrace this side of the social media platform, in order to engage more with their community. Here we discuss these new Facebook group tools and how to use them in the most effective way possible.
Why were new tools announced?
Facebook stated at the Facebook Communities Summit that the new Facebook group tools will “empower community builders to accomplish more together. As communities continue to evolve, we want to make sure it is easier for people to collaborate in new ways and have fun while they’re doing it. We also continue to invest in new ways to keep groups on our platform safe.”
Facebook said they wanted the “new features to help group admins build the community they want, strengthen group culture and manage and sustain their communities”
What are the new tools?
Customisation
Admin members will now be able to easily customise the colours, backgrounds and fonts displayed on the group. They will also be able to choose the emojis members can react to content with. These features are created to help establish and maintain a brand style and to also help the groups feel unique to its members.
A unique greeting message will also be available to share group rules that new members will automatically receive once they join a group. This is to help members feel part of the group quicker.
Awards to promote engagement
Members will soon be able to give community awards to members e.g. uplifting or fun, for people who have posted content that the user has found valuable. This award scheme is to encourage engagement from members and also highlight that the group is providing valuable advice to its members.
Sub Groups
Facebook groups can sometimes be overwhelming as there are often a lot of different discussions going on at any one time. A feature is currently being tested that will allow admin members to create subgroups which will each focus on a specific topic. This will not only make it easier for members to navigate the group, it will allow members to engage more deeply in specific topics that they are interested in.
A paid version of subgroups is also in the testing phase. This will allow members to subscribe for a small fee to gain exclusive access to more content. For example coaching, networking etc
Pinning Important Posts
Just like company pages, admins will be able to pin announcements and choose the order that they show in the featured section. This will help all members of the group to see any important updates first.
Community Chats
A new messenger feature called community chats will allow admins to create a chat solely for the admin and moderator team. This will enable them to communicate and work quickly to make decisions regarding the group.
Community Fundraisers
A feature getting tested is community fundraisers which will enable money to be raised specifically for group projects. Alternatively, it will be a way for members to show appreciation for the admin and moderator team's hard work.
Selling Merchandise
Another feature in testing is the ability to sell merchandise through a Facebook shop that has been created within the group itself. This can help grow the sense of community.
The aim is to bring the best elements of pages and groups into one place which in theory should be easier for group admin members to control, and use an official voice with their community that is on-brand.
Facebook Groups is an amazing tool available for brands however it takes a lot of hard work and time commitment to make a group that runs successfully. Yet, if it is done correctly, you can create a stronger connection with existing or potential customers and can really build on the customer relationship, whilst providing them with amazing content that they find valuable.