5 Ways Facebook Groups will Boost Your Business {and get free access to ours!}
Ok, it’s time.
Time to get on board with the Facebook Group craze, that is!
Oh, don’t get me wrong, we have been in the craze for a while now. In fact, we have been on a Facebook Group (and social media) rampage for the past few months. I talked about how I fell in love with blogging, which had to do with a Facebook Group in this post. If you have any doubt about the power of Facebook Groups, that post (and this one) should squash it for you.
But now, it’s time for US to start one {keep reading for the scoop and an invite to join!}.
If you’re on the edge of your seat and just can’t wait, we totally understand. Click here to join!
One of the first free Facebook Groups Janet and I joined and became active in was Leah Kalamakis’ Freelance to Freedom Project Community. It may have even been the first…after our amazing web design group, which is part sisterhood, part tech support!
Leah really set the tone with the Freelance to Freedom Project Community by implementing a clear structure from the get-go. Our favorite “designated threads” were (and still are) Tweet Tuesday and Blog Post Thursday. Those days really pushed us to publish blog posts more often and get more active on social media (Thank you, Leah!).
Facebook Groups quickly became one of the #1 benefits when you sign up for an online course. Once again, Leah hit this one out of the park with her Stress Less & Impress course and very supportive Facebook Group.
Since joining our web design group and Leah’s groups, we have strategically joined over 60 Facebook Groups. Yes – you read that right!
Thank goodness Janet and I have each other, because we are able to split the list up and tackle our own set of groups daily. If you decide to join a large number of groups, we highly recommend keeping the details of the group organized on a spreadsheet or table. If you can divide up the tasks with a business partner or Virtual Assistant, bonus!
Want a list of our favorite Facebook Groups to share, support, and connect with other like-minded entrepreneurs and bloggers?
GRAB IT HERE!
Did you notice that I said “strategically” above?
Here’s the thing with Facebook Groups:
You don’t want to join them if you aren’t going to be active, if the topics don’t interest you or mesh with your business or if you’re joining just for self-promotion. All of these reasons will not only NOT benefit your business in any way, but that last one might just get you kicked out. And who wants to say they were kicked out of a Facebook Group for not following the rules? Uhm, not me!
Don't join a Facebook Group just for self-promotion. Be active, share and support. Click To TweetThere’s no question that participating in Facebook Groups will benefit you and your business. But, they have to be the right groups that are in line with your goals and interests.
And guess what? So many people don’t even know Facebook Groups exist or at least don’t realize the benefits. Seriously – go ask 5 people if they know they exist and how beneficial they can be. I bet they don’t realize these 5 ways Facebook Groups will boost your business:
1. Stop getting lost in the madness
You can’t control who shows up in the Facebook news feed, but you can [better] control what’s seen in a Facebook Group.
2. Organization = results
Designated thread days (i.e. Share Your Stuff Wednesday, Friday Freebies, Social Media Tuesday, etc.) help get you and your business out there/noticed. You can share your blog posts, courses, webinars, products, and more. You can also connect with those who interest you on various social media sharing days.
3. Make friends and build trust
You can build wonderful, meaning relationships (Hello! That’s how Janet and I met!).
4. Get help
You can ask questions and get support (depending on the group, this could be general business support, tech support, emotional support, etc.).
5. Find and get found
You can find people to hire or get hired.
I’d say those are some pretty good benefits, wouldn’t you?
Since becoming more active and consistent in Facebook Groups, we have definitely seen an increase in our website traffic, client leads, email subscribers, and social media followers. We have also found people we can learn from and share our knowledge with; people who live in our own city that we wouldn’t have met otherwise; and people we can build an entire business with (like this one!).
Given that Janet and I suffer from FOMO, and one of the online entrepreneurs we admire and learn so much from said, “One of the best things you can do for YOUR business is to create your own Facebook group” ~Katherine Sullivan of Marketing Solved, we decided it’s time to go for it.
We have been putting it off for too long.
We’ve spent too much time wondering:
- Are there too many groups already out there?
- Will people want to be in our group? Will they be active?
- Will it be too much to manage?
But guess, what?
The best thing about the online world is that there is ALWAYS room for more! More skills to learn and teach, more people to connect with, more ways to do things. So why would we NOT start a Facebook Group?
The best thing about the online world is that there is ALWAYS room for more! Click To TweetBeing that Janet and I refer to ourselves as “online magic makers”, we felt that was quite the appropriate name for our group. Our business is all about making magic online through web design and development, graphic design, website maintenance (ok, that one might not be so magical, but it’s important), social media, and more! So, if you, too, are making magic online through web development, web design, graphic design, social media management, virtual assistance, SEO services, business coaching, copywriting, or any other related field, we invite you to join the group! We want to connect with and support you in this wild and crazy online world!
Want a list of our favorite Facebook Groups to share, support, and connect with other like-minded entrepreneurs and bloggers?
GRAB IT HERE!
We aren’t big on fluff, so we don’t have designated thread days for sharing motivational quotes or what you’re doing over the weekend. However, we’ll occasionally throw in some fun prompts to share a fun fact about yourself or pics of your pets (‘cuz who doesn’t want to see cute doggies every so often!).
Plus, there are a couple of designated days that are unique to our group. You’ll have to come on over to see what they are (see what we did there…wink wink)! 🙂
To conclude, we shall leave you with two powerful quotes that speak to our hesitation of starting [yet another] Facebook Group:
The secret to happiness is freedom. The secret to freedom is courage. ~Thucydides
The best way to predict the future is to create it! ~Peter Drucker
And on that note…come join us! And, don’t forget to grab our list of our favorite Facebook groups !
Do you have a Facebook group you’d like to promote? Share it in the comments below!
Have you been on the fence about starting your own facebook group and/or being active in Facebook groups? Share your hesitations, and hopefully we can help squash them!
Aw thanks for the shout out!!!! So glad we met 🙂 xoxo
Me too!!! And our pleasure for the shout out! We love sharing the love!
HI, ladies! I stopped by from Janice’s party and I’m in the same niche. I am a Technical VA who specializes in WordPress but pretty much does it all. I’m more technical than creative, but I’m getting there. I have a group http://facebook.com/theblogging911 it is relatively new and a work in progress. I’m just starting to get into a better blogging schedule. I also have another blog I run called The Diary of an Alzheimer’s Caregiver. I just do it in my spare time because I love it plus it gives me a little side money to spoil my 2-year-old twin grandchildren! Requested to join your group and definitely subscribing.
Hi Rena,
Yay for Janice’s party! We’re going to check out your group right now, and so glad you posted about it so others can join in as well! Thank you so much for stopping by…and we’re so happy to have you in our group!
Interesting article. I’ve been thinking about starting a FB group, and am wondering about the time commitment as well as still thinking about the concept. This is good information. 😉
We were a little worried about the time commitment, but after the experiences we’ve had in Facebook Groups, we know it’s worth it. Go for it! And be sure to let us know the scoop on your group!
This post was pretty helpful, Thanks! Popping by from Janice’s party 🙂 I’m planning to up my game with my blog, so joining and learning from bloggers will be a must. About groups and how helpful they are, for social media/instagram I’ve joined some facebook groups and they were ‘ extremely’! helpful :-), so yes! FB groups. Looking forward reading more from you.
Greets Kat
YAY! Thanks so much, Kat! Come join our group and we’ll help you grow! 🙂
Love these tips!! Your FB groups sounds awesome! 🙂
Thank you, Alison!!
Great post! I’m looking forward to joining your group 🙂
Thanks so much, Allison! We look forward to having you!
The organization part really fits here. Thanks for this insight on FB groups.
You are very welcome! Glad you enjoyed the post!
Such a great, and helpful, article. Blogging groups is something I joined just this weekend and I’ve found them such a great way to connect with other bloggers, and of course read other blogs!
That’s so awesome, Abbie! Come join ours so you can connect with more! 🙂
I love this! Joining FB groups has helped me so much when it comes to blogging. There are so many people out there who want to help 🙂
– xoxo, Azanique
LotsofSass.com
We agree wholeheartedly! Thank you!! 🙂
LOVED this post. Definitely sharing it with my tribe. Thank you SO Much for the mention! Love the love. <3 <3
Katherine! You are our online and marketing SHEro! Thank you so much for stopping by, reading, commenting, and sharing! We are so grateful for you, your Facebook Group, all of your amazing checklists, guides, and other goodies. We have learned so much from you and appreciate you tremendously! Thank you so much!!
Yes, I’ll have to second that! 🙂
Hi Stefani these are great tips. I find that a lot of people join groups for only their benefits. I have spent countless times reading other people’s blogs and commenting and most don’t even comment back unless the group have a specific “comment for comment thread”. I find too many people are selfish and fail to realize this blogging world is a give and take sometimes especially when just starting off and still building your audience. However, I have definitely seen an increase in visitors since joining groups. Happy Valentine’s Day btw.
http://www.travelbeautyblog.com
Happy Valentine’s Day to you, Shevy, and thank you for your wise words! I always try to comment as much as possible…and in a meaningful way. As you know, a big part of being in groups is giving/sharing as much as you take/ask…if not more. We are big fans of supporting others, which is a huge reason why we started our own group. We hope you come join in on the fun :).
Great post- super informative! I signed up for the newsletter!
Yay, thanks so much, Devina!
Love this! Absolutely insightful and helpful! Thanks for all the tips and info that you shared, I’m saving this article to share with my other blogger friends. 🙂
Thank you so much, Olivia!
This is very true. Although I only joined on few but I think I need to join on more group. Thank you for such a great tips.
So glad you enjoyed the tips! We support joining more groups – whether ours or another one. 🙂
The information you shared is absolutely helpful especially the numbers. I’m only in a couple of groups but I’ve been thinking about joining others.
We are so happy you found it helpful, Bianca! 🙂
Oh my gosh, this is such an excellent list Stefani! I am definitely going to bookmark this and go to each of the groups you have mentioned and join the ones that are most related to what I do. Thank you for putting this together and sharing!
xx, Kusum | http://www.sveeteskapes.com
Hi Kusum! We are so glad you liked it! We love reading your blog, so it’s so nice of you to stop by! 🙂
Aw thanks so much for the mention, ladies! I feel honored to be listed with so many amazing groups. ❤ I love that you mention the importance of being active in groups and not just trying to promote stuff. Being helpful, friendly and supportive is the best way the make genuine connections and find your ideal people.
Love all your tips and I’ll definitely be sharing them. Have a fabulous day. 🙂
It was our pleasure, Kirsten! Thank you for sharing and being so awesome! 🙂
Very interesting article. I have been thinking about starting a group. This gives great tips and things to think about.
So glad you liked it! Thanks for stopping by!