Let’s start from the beginning. Facebook groups were started in 2010 and were created with the idea to connect users with similar interests. Over time, everyone recognized the huge potential and possible influence of Facebook groups on a Facebook community. They were also recognized by business communities as the best way to connect the brand with the target audience in the most significant and authentic way. According to studies, around 1,8 billion Facebook users are active in Facebook groups, on a monthly basis. If you would like to discover what’s behind this hype, continue to read this blog post.
Facebook pages VS Facebook groups
It is impossible to start the story about Facebook groups without providing an answer to this dilemma. If you’ve been asking about the difference between Facebook groups and pages, here comes the explanation. The main question our clients have is: what is better, building a strong page or a strong community within the group? The answer, of course, is not so simple, and it would be – it depends on many factors!
Pages are a well-known tool for promotion and building a unique appearance for small businesses. Paid ads and well-shaped content on Facebook pages can bring huge success to small businesses. On the other hand, Facebook groups offer a different approach, more focused on the community and built organically.
Facebook groups became more popular than ever before in 2018 when Facebook announced algorithm changes. They emphasized the focus will be on a community, i.e., connecting family and friends, in addition, that business and brands will be in the background, not in the focus. With new tools and strategies, the time came to put Facebook groups in the very focus.
What makes Facebook groups a good choice in terms of advantages, and what makes them a better choice than pages will be explained in the text that follows.
Interactions
There are many different target audiences on Facebook pages. Those can be users interested in your business, but also users that randomly came across your products and scrolled your content. Both (those who love you and those who have never heard about you) exist on your page. That could have good sides too, becaus each like and share counts and could bring a new customer.
However, one thing is sure – interaction on Facebook pages is much less that in groups. Facebook groups are a great place for the customers that truly appreciate your work and they share the same passion with you.
Your customers can share opinions and experiences with other users of similar interests. In other words, Facebook groups are the place for your customers to share thoughts and experiences, learn about you, get all the needed info, and read impressions of other customers. If you’ve been considering the organic strategy for growing your business, Facebook groups are the best place for it.
Content
We usually post content dedicated to targeting audiences on our Facebook pages without considering any deeper targeting, so the content is quite simplified. Such content covers posts about new models of products, campaigns, promotions, news, and special offers. Of course, posts are not always about sales, you can come across quality content as well.
Groups are meant for expressing creativity and promoting a personal communication tone. Storytelling, personal posts, and advice for group members about business secrets or products are just some of the options. On the other hand, for group members, this is a place where they can express their opinion without restrictions. They discuss familiar topics which make the group a safe place. Involving group members in creating posts in the group gives them a sense of participating in something important and makes them feel like a part of the community.
Approach
As far as Facebook pages are concerned, most of them are public, i.e. they are visible in the search (that is probably the meaning of the promotion). But when it comes to Facebook groups, they can be both public and private. Before someone becomes a member of a closed group, they may be asked to answer a few questions. After that, if the answers satisfy the administrators, that user can participate in the work of the group.
Recently, Facebook also enabled groups to monetize, i.e. charge for membership. We do not know if it works in our market, but so far we have not come across such groups.
If you want to ensure exclusivity and build something special from your personal brand then opening such a closed group is a necessary move. Also, building community and a sense of belonging to the brand is most easily created through interaction in such groups.
Reach
The organic reach of posts on Facebook pages is significantly lower than in the case with groups. Facebook groups are used to connect users and create strong connections. Notifications and posts from groups become part of our feed, and therefore the traffic to these posts becomes higher when users see a discussion in which they want to participate.
Unfortunately, the reach of Facebook pages depends on the algorithm, so it is not possible to control it significantly. The only way to reach (on the pages) is to pay for Facebook ads. If you want to learn something new about Facebook metrics and what the numbers tell us, be sure to read our blog on this topic.
Take a look at a great example of a Facebook group
You must have watched some Tasty videos on Facebook at least once, with delicious and simple recipes. We all know how food lovers like to share photos of their meals on social media, and this is another place that offers that opportunity. In addition to great video recipes, for all gourmets on this network, there is also the Tasty Facebook group, in which food lovers share pictures of their specialties with other members. What makes the group special is the feeling of connection, but also the educational component, where those who do not know much about cooking, can easily learn a few simple recipes.
Titans vote FOR Facebook groups
And finally, if you are wondering if groups are worth it and if they should be used as a very valuable tool in the Facebook community, our answer would definitely be – YES! You should definitely dedicate time to building a community on Facebook or any other social network because that is the most important component for success. Without a strong community, there is no success, so be sure to include Facebook groups in your calendar of posts on social networks.
But don’t forget to remind yourself what the great outage of popular social networks has taught us. Never and never keep all the eggs in one basket, build successful communities on several networks, and turn to other channels of communication.
If you need help creating and running a Facebook group, we are at your disposal. Are you ready for the next step? Contact us and our team will create the most effective online performance strategy for your brand.
