Facebook Groups can have a substantial impact on Facebook users and your business. Businesses and brands can all benefit from creating and moderating groups for their customers and their target audiences.

So Why Create a Facebook Group?

The value of groups is undeniable, as they can have a positive impact on your marketing strategy. Any business that wants to cultivate a brand can then build a community around that brand. Groups give the chance to express dedication to your customers. They also give your brand an outlet to engage with customers in a meaningful way, while these customers also engage with one another. They can also be a valuable way for brands to seek feedback and gain customer insights.

Facebook Groups can be highly active, and users can post and share content that relates to the brand, truly creating a community under the umbrella of that brand. Users in the group can also feel like special members of the brand which drives loyalty and advocacy.

Facebook Page vs. Group: What is the Difference?

As a business, having both a page and a group is important. However, it’s critical to not treat both outlets the same way and to understand the difference between the two. Having a Facebook Page allows your business to run advertising campaigns, obtain reviews from customers, and give updates through articles, blogs, commentary, etc… Pages will show up more in search engines, and will contain valuable information, such as who to contact for inquiries.

The key difference between a Facebook Page and a Facebook Group is a group has a focus centered around community. When a user posts on your Page, the content gets pushed into the community tab, which is mainly hidden. However, when a user posts in a group, the content comes right to the top of the feed, allowing other users to easily find it and engage with it. The core aspect of a Facebook Group is to encourage interaction and discussion, which is a huge value for a brand.

What are Some Lesser Known Features of a Facebook Group?

• Group rules feature – This allows admins to set guidelines for what users can share on the Facebook Group. The feature will easily notify members if the rules are broken and you can give insight into how to recraft the post to suit the rules you have set for the group.

• Watch Parties – This feature lets you share public videos on a group and watch them together in real-time with other members. Members can react to the video at the same time.

• Pre-Approval of posts for certain selected members – As an admin, you may adjust the settings of the group so you can approve all posts before being posted. This can take time in a larger group, but you can pre-approve posts from certain well-trusted members. This saves time for the admin and lets you focus on other goals for the group.

• Badges – This is a new feature that recognizes certain members of the group. A badge will appear by the name of the group member who has earned this title. It can be given to new members, a founding member, a storyteller (someone who posts frequently in the group), or anyone who is continually active within the group. This badge can make the member feel valued and can lead to increased brand loyalty.

The bottom line is Facebook Groups can drive up engagement for your business and create a loyal, educated, and interactive core group of customers.