How To Grow Your Facebook Group ⋆ Lana Pummill

Hello, hello, my friends! Recently, I started a new journey on this roller coaster ride of blogging and mompreneur-life. I started a Facebook Group. Let me say it has been a learning experience; honestly, I am still learning. Here are some tips on how to grow your Facebook Group.

How To Grow Your Facebook Group

What Is A Facebook Group?

Let’s start with the basics. A Facebook Group is an exclusive space where the administrators can accept or deny members and create rules for members to follow. A group allows you to have private conversations with your audience.

Is A Facebook Group Different Than A Page?

A Facebook Group is slightly different than a page. Facebook pages are public to anyone and are great for showcasing your content. However, it is less personal because you don’t connect with your followers as closely as you do in a group. Here is some extra information regarding pages and groups from Facebook.

Define Your Target Audience

As always, define your target audience. If you have been blogging or running your business for a while, chances are you already defined your ICA (Ideal Customer Avatar.) However, if you are starting from scratch, do not skip this step. It is crucial. Take a moment and think about the type of people you want to reach. Here are some things to consider:

Age
Education
Location
Goals
Parents
Gender
Income Level

This information will help you decide how to market, your brand voice, and what products, services, or opt-ins you should make available.

What Is Your Purpose?

Before you start setting up your group, decide on your purpose. What do you hope to gain from this group? Ask yourself:

What is your business goal?
Do you want a loyal following?
Is it to generate revenue?
Marketing for your online courses?

Whatever your main goal is for the group, make sure it is clear and understood by your members.

Rules And Expectations

It is imperative to make your rules and expectations for the group clear and concise. I know this doesn’t sound like loads of fun. However, rules are crucial so that your group doesn’t turn into spam or stray too far from your goals.

Your rules should help create a fun, safe place for your members to come to without the fear of being laughed at or bullied.

Stand Out

The key is to stand out, especially if your topic is a popular topic. You can do this by creating exclusive content for your members. You want them to feel like they are a step above everyone else because they are members of your group. Make people feel like you can give them information that they can’t get anywhere else.

Offer An Opt-In

Another great way to grow your Facebook Group is by offering an incentive or opt-in for the people that join your group. Some examples of this include:

Group Challenges
Giveaways
First Hand Knowledge Of Your New Digital Courses

What I do for my new subscribers or group members is to give them access to my FREE resource library. It is password-protected, so they are the only ones that can see the material.

Utilize Your Other Platforms

Use those other social media platforms. Promote and drop your Facebook Group link on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn,etc… For example, I even have my link in my Instagram bio.

Include a call to action (CTA) to join your Facebook group in your blog posts, create a landing page for your group and place the link to the page in your menu. Your FB stories, IG stories, etc…are a great way to promote a group.

Get Your Members Talking

It is crucial to get your members talking. Encourage engagement and discussion between your members. This helps in building trust with your members and if your members love the group they will be more likely to share your group with their friends, family, and colleagues. Earning trust from your members will help your group grow organically by word of mouth.

It is great to have themes for certain days. Here are some popular examples:

Motivation Monday
Tuesday Tips
Inspirational Women Wednesday

Let your group know that you are listening, but don’t talk too much! You want to encourage discussion among your members. However, be sure to keep up with your notifications and answers questions that are directed at you. Also, be active on the posts that you post yourself.

Avoid Too Much Link-Dropping

Ok, let’s be honest. You created your group to drive traffic to your blog or up your sales. I get it. However, try to avoid too much link-dropping. Your members don’t want to be spammed to death! Drop your links at appropriate times and make it beneficial to your members. I also like to give my members a chance to share their links, usually once or twice a week. This way, they feel like their business or websites are getting to benefit as well.

Welcome Your New Members

Please, always remember to welcome new members and give them the chance to introduce themselves. This is a great way to make your members feel noticed and not just another “number.”

Include Your Link In Your Newsletters

If you are sending out a weekly newsletter or email, it is good to add your Facebook Group link at the bottom of each one. I like to place mine right after my sign-off.

Create Pinterest Pins

Creating Pinterest pins is a great idea, especially if you have a lot of traffic driven by Pinterest. Utilize your Pinterest peeps and create some beautiful, eye-catching pins that link to your Facebook Group or landing page.

Scatter Links On Your Website

Be creative with where you put your links for your Facebook Group. Here are some ideas:

In Your Blogs Menu
Share On Your YouTube Channel
Sidebar Of Your Website And Blog
Homepage
Footer
About Me Page
Contact Page
End Of Blog Posts

Consistency Is Key

Consistency is key. You need to be sharing some kind of post, content, tip, video etc…every day. If you can’t physically get on Facebook every day, which life happens, let’s be real, then I recommend using a scheduling tool. This way, you can schedule your week, month, etc…and not have to worry about it. You will only have to keep up the engagement.

A Few Dont’s…

Spam Members
Post Too Many Times A Day (you don’t want them to turn off notifications)
Veer Off Topic and Lose Your Goal
Allow Rulebreakers To Ruin The Group

I know that the idea of a Facebook Group can be a little overwhelming or frightening. However, it really is worth the time and effort. Facebook is constantly changing, and you will forever have to keep up with new tips and tricks. I hope these tips on how to grow your Facebook Group give you a good starting point and ease some of your nerves.

Good luck on your journey. Remember to have fun!

“But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:31