Are you looking for the best way you can connect in real time with your audience? The ability to use one of the most popular social platforms to find out what they want and need, and how you can use this information to build your own online business?
Let’s look at how you can accelerate your business growth and create a Facebook group today.
In the grand scheme of Digital Marketing, I am a fledgling, a speck of sand on a long winding coastline. I am only just getting started in this world.
20+ years of IT support in my corporate career, I jumped into blogging and YouTube in order to build my own online business. As I create content and learn new skills, there is one piece of this jigsaw missing.
One thing that can propel me from introverted wannabe, to running my own business – and in turn, help others build theirs.
A Facebook group.
Which is why I am now creating my own, a group dedicated to helping fellow introverts use Digital marketing to build their own online business – getting started with Blogging, YouTube, Facebook Groups 🙂
Why Create a Facebook Group Today?
Will it be a challenge?
Yes!
Will I learn, improve and be able to reach a wider audience?
Yes, yes, yes!
So why haven’t I created a Facebook group before now? Why did I start with a blog and YouTube first?
It’s simple really. My comfort zone.
As mentioned above – I am a blogger and YouTuber.
Blogs are a great way of introverts getting started online. I am alone with my thoughts and creativity, pouring words out onto the screen without having to engage with REAL people.
I am content, at peace – working away in silence.
YouTube is different. YouTube was a huge step forward and a real confidence boost. It took a leap of faith and a definite push outside of my comfort zone, but I would recommend it to anyone.
YouTube is the long game.
It has a low barrier to entry.
Anyone with a smartphone can start creating YouTube videos at zero cost. Sure there are things you can invest in later (Mic, Camera, Lighting), but the reality is – NOTHING is stopping you.
Only fear of the unknown or your own limiting beliefs.
The longevity with YouTube is amazing. You can create a video and years later YouTube will still actively push it to viewers (if it offers value and entertainment). What other platform does this?
If you want to get started with YouTube then read my Guide here.
This post is about Facebook Groups though. A platform feature that Facebook have been really pushing in 2019 onwards. A number of marketers I know have EXPLODED their reach by using the groups feature.
So let’s dive right into 9 reasons to create a Facebook group today
Conquer Your Fear
Whilst Facebook is a platform that we are all familiar with, and consistently been up there as one of the most popular social channels. It is also quite an intimidating one for me.
Most marketers will tell you that Facebook LIVES are a great way to grow your group – live !? Arghhhh. I have only just got comfortable with YouTube but i can edit and delete my ramblings if required. Facebook live is, well, errr…live!
Terrifying!
Being quiet and an inward thinker doesn’t mean I am not capable of pushing through these fears. Often it’s the moments that make my heart race and hairs stand on end that turn out to be major breakthroughs in my progress.
I try and balance these acts of pseudo extroversion with restorative niches – part of the Free Trait Theory that you can read more on here.
Grow Your Facebook Audience
Whilst Facebook doesn’t have the same longevity as YouTube – where you can create videos that get views many years down the line – it does still have huge potential to grow your audience and brand, due to the real time nature of a Facebook Group.
Facebook is still a POWERHOUSE and has 1 billion active users
If you model the group correctly and you’re clear on who you are trying to help and how then you can create a community of engaged and like minded people.
The ability to capture their email when they join and ask them questions allows you to build your email list and also refine your content and message. These are the people who will define what you need to create and the problems you need to challenge.
Facebook is Backing you
Mark Zuckerberg is placing a lot of emphasis on groups at the moment. Its perhaps the area they are actively encouraging the most.
Where Facebook may dip as the most popular social media channel (thanks to Tik Tok, IG, Snapchat etc), they can make amends by enticing group leaders, who in turn bring with them their army of loyal fans.
Their TRIBE.
Facebook is the de facto choice for building a COMMUNITY.
I know my Facebook feed is now extremely tailored to the topics I look at, I see more relevant group posts than what my ex colleague had for his supper that night.
Use the features that Facebook give you – Yep, Facebook lives. Test them all out and grow your own community too.
Zero Cost
Whilst Facebook announced advertising revenue of $16.6 BILLION (Jan 19) they are helping us beginners out for FREE, by pushing and promoting groups – suggesting a well configured group – to their users. At no cost.
Business Pages on the other hand are a Pay to Play service. If you want to drive traffic to your business page then you’re likely to get very little organic growth in comparison to a group.
There is still a reason to have a business page, especially when you have a cohesive branding strategy and you want to drive paid traffic to your site, but you can successfully promote your services in other ways and by utilizing groups.
Happy Engaged Customers
Facebook groups give you the unique ability to collect customers into one place. If you use that community in the right way, you can listen to their problems, discover what they love, and use that invaluable information to strengthen your products and brand.
That applies to multinational companies and solopreneurs alike.
I am trying to help others get started with digital marketing, at the same time my main monetization method is affiliate marketing (promoting products I love and getting a referral commission). What better place to shape my content and hone my skills.
Once you start building that group – engage the community:
- Ask them what they WANT
- Ask them what they NEED
- Ask them what stops them sleeping at night and how can YOU help?
Remember – it is a COMMUNITY. Treat it as such.
Bonus Time
If you are an affiliate marketer or trying to sell your own products then you may like to use BONUS STACKS, additional products that you stack to create irresistible offers.
Offers that your customers cannot say “No” too.
Look at using a Facebook Group as one of your products and part of your bonus stack.
“If you buy this course from me, I will also include you in my VIP Group where you will get priority support and feedback”.
Make your buyers feel exclusive and special, and foster that relationship within the community. These People have bought from you once and are likely to be the best people to buy again in the future.
Strength In Numbers
Ultimately these groups are niched down. They are targeted to a unique set of people – Affiliate Marketing beginners, Ed Sheeran fans, Yoga Instructors, Labrador Owners.
Their thoughts and opinions are aligned to your own. You and the rest of the community are in a safe space. Away from prying family who think your hobbies are odd.
A good community allows the members to speak openly and express themselves over that particular subject. Some people cannot wait to get the 9-5 over and home so they can connect with their peers who share that mutual interest.
Give them a place to hang out and be themselves.
Teaching Your Community
Social Learning Units are a section of the Facebook Group where you can add lessons, documents, videos. It’s an area that can be utilized to deliver an online learning experience and invite questions and feedback.
It can also be a great way of organizing your group and adds a little structure to what is a “news feed” style platform, where we generally focus on what is at the top of that feed rather than delving into the depths.
Use the Units section to share your teachings, even if it’s just a whiff off the bigger offering you have as part of your products.
Feature Rich
This post is just an introduction as to why you should create a Facebook group today so I won’t go into ever feature and tool at your disposal as the group owner, but there are plenty.
Some of which include:
✅ Privacy & Control – Set the access and user controls in the group, do you want anyone to be able to find it and see the content, or do you want to hide it away out of sight. Would you prefer to control spam by authorising user posts or encourage a free flowing group and trust your group comrades?
✅ Post Scheduling – I get it. As a parent and full time worker I sometimes don’t have time to jump into the group whenever I like,, however you can still create engagement by lining up your posts in a schedule.
Choose the key engagement times for your audience and some content that gets them talking. Line it up and walk away until you are available to then follow up on the conversations.
✅ Capture Email – When you create a group you get to ask 3 questions. Kinda like Aladdin but questions instead of wishes. Ok, nothing like Alladin.
Use these questions wisely – make sure they are aware of your group rules, maybe ask what they need help with (creates your future content), and also capture that email address.
✅ Moderate – This doesn’t have to be an adventure for one. Delegate moderator rights to the key people in the community, or partners and friends. As your group grows so will the management.
You may have to create less content as the increased group members will naturally do this but you will have to manage the group more. Get yourself some moderators who are also passionate about the community your building.
✅ Insights – Group Insights is excellent however it doesn’t start immediately. It requires your group to establish first and then you will get tonnes of cool stats and information on how your group is growing and who the top contributors are. Use this data to shape your content and strategy
I hope this post was of use to you and helps convince you to create your own Facebook Group today.
Facebook Groups are a valuable asset that can be used to grow and nurture your audience and following. It is one of the most effective tools for engaging with like minded people and customers – discovering their needs and improving your offering to make them happy.
Do you have to be an outgoing, full of confidence, “look at me” personality to run a Facebook group?
Absolutely not.
You just need to have a desire to find and serve your tribe.
If you are an introvert looking to start or scale your own online business then consider joining my group which you can find here – we would love to see you on the inside.
If you would like further information and training on growing a Facebook Group then I would highly recommend the One Group Away Challenge by Alex Elliot who has packaged anything and everything you need to know about creating a successful Facebook Group into her course.