What are Facebook Groups? (Beginner’s Introduction)
When most people think of Facebook, the first thing that comes to mind is your profile page. And maybe Mark Zuckerberg.
However, did you know that Facebook also has groups? I’m sure you did! But do you know how they actually work? And do you know how to make them work for you?
If not, then read on!
What do people get out of Facebook Groups?
Facebook Groups are communities of Facebook users who share a common interest. It could be wild food foraging, sewing, book genres, anything. Group members can post updates, which are visible to other group members unless the group is private.
Community is the relevant word here. People who have similar interests can now find each other through the power of the internet, and particularly the power of Facebook Group. Fans of any topic you care to name will have groups set up for them. This is a lifesaver for people who live in, say, rural communities, those who struggle to travel, or people who just prefer to stay home rather than go out to in person group meetings.
How do I find a Facebook Group?
Groups can be found by searching for topics on Facebook. You will then see a list of groups related to your chosen topic.
There is also an option to browse what’s trending in the community. There is also a list of popular groups related to what you might be interested in joining available on the top menu bar of any group page.
How do you join a Facebook group?
When you find a group that you’re interested in, click on the name of the group to view its main page. Then click on the “Join Group” button and follow the instructions. You’ll need to have a Facebook account in order to join a group.
How do you create a Facebook Group?
You might be completely fired up right now, and feverish with the excitement of starting your own specialist group! In that case, you can create a group for it.
First, you need to have a personal Facebook account. In the upper right-hand corner of any page on Facebook, click on your username and select “Start a Group” from the dropdown menu that appears. By default, it will tap into what’s trending in groups related to what you’re interested in, but you can also search for what you want, or browse what’s trending on Facebook.
From there, enter a name and description for your group and click “Create Group”. You will be able to toggle between public and private under “Group Settings”–Private by default–then select the privacy level that best fits what you’d like to do with your group.
You’ll also have to enter a list of email addresses in order to add people, which is what enables the group creator to add all kinds of people from different settings and make them members. You can add one or more emails in any order, but you need at least one person added before you can make the group public (or private).
Once you’ve done this, click “Create Group” at the bottom of the page to complete your group’s creation. There is no limit on what you can name your new Facebook Group.
What are the privacy settings for groups?
There are two privacy options for Facebook groups: public and private.
With Public groups, anyone on or off Facebook can see the content within the group. People on Facebook can see who the members are and the admins. With private groups, only group members can see the content and members, while anyone on Facebook can see who is an admin or moderator.
You can also search for yourself to see whether your group is public. If you’re a member of a club, you may find out how to check the privacy level and whether your club is visible in search engines and other sites on Facebook.
Bear in mind that:
- Invited members are those who may view a group in preview mode.
- When a Page joins a group, there might be several administrators of that Page. They can all see and interact with group postings and members.
- If an administrator of the group has installed a third-party application, it has access to group postings and comments. Unless the app has been granted permission by the author, third-party apps can’t see who wrote posts and comments.
- To prevent the unauthorized use of intellectual property on Facebook, rights owners may be able to search sale group postings, including those published in private groups.
How do you change the privacy level of a Facebook Group?
In order to change the privacy settings for a Facebook Group, go back to its main page after it’s been created. Hover over the “Group Name” at the top of the page, then select “Privacy” at the bottom of the menu that appears. You’ll be able to toggle between what you can change for your group.
You can change a public group to a private one but you can’t make a private group into a public one.
What can you share in a Facebook Group?
Once members start joining Facebook Groups, they can share what’s going on with their lives and have discussions about what they’re interested in. This allows people to connect because it builds a community aspect—it’s not just members posting what they want but others who are interested in what the group is talking about.
Group members can use any of Facebook’s sharing features to post what they want, and other group members can comment on what’s been shared.
Group admins can also have a schedule of posts that prompt conversation, sharing, or other purposes of the group. These can be posted from within the group and scheduled ahead of time.
Can posts be deleted or members removed from groups?
Yes. Group admins have the power to remove posts, and what members have shared by removing them from the page. Members who continually break community rules or group etiquette can also be removed, blocked and banned from rejoining if necessary.
Making the most of Facebook groups
Facebook Groups allow you to create communities of people who share similar interests or goals. If you’re thinking about creating a group on Facebook but aren’t sure what it’s all about or how privacy settings work, this blog post should help shed some light on the subject!
