I joined my first Facebook group a little over a year ago. Let me tell you, it has been amazing. You get to interact with some really amazing people who are just like you or want to help you find success. During my first month in Facebook Groups my traffic on my blog had gone up 1000x, I had increased my Instagram followers from 12 to 367 and I had increased my Twitter followers from 20 to 269.
That may not seem like a lot to those who have thousands of followers and page views, but as someone was just starting out, it was amazing to me. Now keep in mind, this was all purely promoting in my first few Facebook Groups, nowhere else. Since then I have joined a lot more groups. I love these groups!
However, I did have to learn the ropes, and I was booted from 1 or 2 groups because I hadn’t read the rules or I had gotten in over my head and was remiss on something.
So I’m here to share with you 5 tips for excelling in Facebook groups. I am by no means an expert, but I have learned quite a bit, and for this, I’ve seen progress, so I’m happy.
1. Read the group rules:
I can’t stress how important this is! Each group has their set of rules and are typically on the right side of the screen under “description.” Please read over them, if possible, read over them before you request to join the group so that you know what the group entails and can know if you have the time to devote to it. You don’t want to sign up for a group, only to realize that it is a lot more involved than you have time for. Facebook groups can be extremely helpful, but if you don’t take the time to understand how their group works, it can backfire.
2. Don’t post anything without planning on reciprocating:
You will see what each groups reciprocation policy is in the rules. Some groups are like for like, which means that when you post your share, you have to like every share that is posted and everyone will like yours. This takes time to complete. There have been some nights that I have spent a couple of hours just reciprocating likes, comments, and shares. If you don’t have the time to do this, then don’t post anything yourself. A. its rude and B. it will get you kicked out of that group.
Some groups only require that you check out a few others after you post your share, this is just common courtesy. Don’t just drop your link and run. Some groups frown on this and will kick you out of the group if they see this happen enough times. Also, the other bloggers are taking the time to look at your post and share or comment, the least you can do is the same for them. We are all part of this crazy blogging community and we need to support one another.
3. Make a list of your posts:
I am a part of a lot of groups, and it can be hard to remember where I’ve posted and what I’ve posted. So I’ve also included a Facebook Group Post Tracker. This nifty little spreadsheet will help you keep track of where you’ve posted and when. You should also write down what the reciprocation rules are so you can complete those too, in case you can’t do it all in one sitting.
4. Post several different promos:
Since I am in so many groups, I can bet that there are a lot of the same people in the same groups that I am in, so when I have 10 blog post promo threads that I can share to, I have recently started to share several posts split up over those threads. This way, I am not missing out on traffic because someone already visited my site from another promo thread.
For instance, I will do my “5 Times I Learned To Be a Kid With My Kid” post in 3 or 4 groups, then I do “5 Reason Why Your Child Should Set Goals” post in another 3 or 4 groups. I also do the same with my Instagram, Twitter, Pins, and Facebook posts promo threads. This way I can still get the traffic I want without having people skip over because the same post is in all the threads across the board.
5. Take time to thank all those who support you:
There are those group threads where they are like for like, but there are also threads that just require you check out promos that interest you. If someone likes your post or replies that they have shared or commented on it, take the time to reply to their comment and like it. This is common courtesy. It shows that you’ve acknowledged that they took the time to view your post, shared it and that you appreciate it.
Facebook Groups can be extremely beneficial when utilized correctly. You can’t just expect to promote your post and be done. There is reciprocation, there is interaction and being able to answer each others’ questions. It is a group; you are part of a team. Just remember that. They are there to support you and help you out, the least you can do is fully participate.
Click Here to Subscribe and get your Free Ultimate Facebook Group Checklist!
What are some Facebook Groups that you would recommend?
This was very helpful! Can you do a post on running a FB group?
I’ve never run one personally, so I may not be the best person for that, but Caitlin Bacher has the facebook group For Love + Money and she is the facebook group guru. You should check her out she has some really great advice!
The tracker is such a great idea!!
This is very helpful, as I am just starting out. I’ve definitely found some great, very helpful groups!
These are great tips! I am learning to split up posts too and it gets me more hits and comments! Thanks for sharing.
I like your tips and for sure it does help your stats but it’s also easy to get lost in spending your entire day on Facebook. Iused to be involved in tons of groups until I started planning. I only do a few threads a day and to be honest you get way more traction from the threads you engage with others in. Dumping posts is something we all do but it rarely helps.
These are great tips! The one I forget to do is to thank my supporters. So, thank you for the reminder!
This is amazing. I always love tips for Facebook!
I have a special folder that gets reorganized daily for all the threads I’m participating in. When ones completed I delete it. It’s handy, having a spreadsheet though is a great idea!! I definitely need to get better at putting different posts in the groups I’m participating in so that more posts get exposure, not sure why I hadn’t thought of that. Especially because allot of the same people are in the groups, so thanks for the idea!! And thanking people is HUGE!!
These are great tips and I try to follow the same when participating!
Great tips! I love the Facebook group post tracker idea!! Genius.
Thank you for these helpful tips! the last thing is very important though seriously. I am also in a lot of those groups, and check other people blogs and comment- like, that’s how these groups work. I also came here through some facebook group.
This is a great post! You are so right, some groups can be difficult to keep up with. So many strict rules. I’ve just recently been getting more involved with FB groups.
I love the group tracker idea!! Will definitely be using for when I launch my blog!
You are awesome!!! I just started blogging recently and had the same problems keeping up in groups!! I am using the list! thank you!
THANK YOU SO much for this! I am going to use your FB group tracker. I am always stressing going back and remembering where I need to go back to and THIS will be SO helpful as well as the other tips!
I love the idea about writing down and planning posts. I’m so challenged with that. I also need to spread my promo posts a little to help with my traffic. Great ideas, and I will put them to use, now 🙂
Love the google doc idea! It is way to easy to get in over your head if you aren’t careful joining FB groups. Join to many you are spending all your time reciprocating, don’t join any and then you wonder why you aren’t getting traffic. It’s the proverbial “Catch” 22.
The tracker is very smart. I’ve been part of several groups the past several years and it can be a lot to keep up with!
Love these! Such great tips- so many times I find that people are in and out of groups- SO frustrating!
Facebook groups are such a great way to build community and achieve growth. These tips are super helpful for managing the expectations and making authentic connections!
Really great tips! Thanks for sharing!
Awesome tips! Reading the rules is so essential.
Love the tracker idea; I ALWAYS lose track of where I completed threads! I’m learning to focus more on the groups with the best engagement – including the one I found you on (Blog Passion Project!). Some others are a total mess or have rules I can’t feasibly follow (you have to comment on EVERY post? who has that kind of time?). I also really agree about being fair and reciprocating – otherwise you shouldn’t be participating!
These are great tips! I’m also part of many groups so the idea of a Facebook Post Tracker is genius!
Alix | http://www.apintsizedlife.com
These are great tips. Especially for a new blogger. Its so easy to get overwhelmed and possibly miss something. These tips really break it down. I found that keeping track of my posts for each group helped me so much, that was after I had lost track of what I had shared, lol
This was well written. I especially liked your spread-sheet tracker. It does get overwhelming, but you are right in stating that it’s worth the investment of your time.
Facebook groups are one of the reasons I visit Facebook on a daily basis. A good group can be such a great resource!
These are great tips. I started out by joining a couple of FB groups, and I’ve started to branch out by joining others. It really does help to expand your network.
Facebook groups are a great way to make friends but they are time consuming. That is for sure!
Totally going to start using a tracker! Thank you!
These are such great tip! Facebook groups are extremely helpful in so mnay ways. They do get overwhelming sometimes but with the right planning, things are much easier 🙂
Monika | http://www.palateforstyle.com
This is great advice for bloggers! Facebook Groups have helped me immensely! I was blogging a whole year before I found out about them. I wish I had known about them when I first started out.
I never thought about putting different articles in different posts. That’s so smart! Thanks for sharing!!
Thanks for posting this. I’m going to use the fb group tracker. It will help me out a lot since I’m a “jot it down” type person.
Shatteka
ChicStylez360.com
Great tips for Facebook Groups! I’m in a few and am constantly trying make sure I don’t break any rules. I love the spreadsheet!
FB groups are lots of work but these are great tips. Thanks!
Great reminders! I’m seeing a huge benefits from groups as I’m just getting launched, and you are right it takes time!
I’ve just started participating in more FB groups in the last couple months. I’ve also had a lot of luck with them, but they can get overwhelming. Writing down a list of the posts and comments you leave in your groups is a great idea! I have to do that for Pinterest group boards, but I’ll have to start for FB too. Thanks for sharing!
I have learned so much by being a part of FB groups!
I love Facebook groups and am learning so much from other bloggers, but it is so much to keep track of because I always want to make sure I’m doing my part. I love your tracker! Thank you so much!
Wow, great tips! Thanks so much!
Loved this advice! Thank you
Totally agree with all your points! I love participating in FB groups <3
Great list. I’ve just started blogging last month and I’m trying to network through Facebook. Love your suggestions!
I love Facebook blogging groups! Great tips and congrats on your success! I love using the “save” the post feature – I would be lost without it!
Fb groups can be great! Such a great way to support & u r right- even if a promo or share post doesn’t require me to like or comment on other, I always do at least one!!!
Great Tips. Facebook Groups can be a lot of work, but my traffic has really gone up when I participate in groups.
These are so helpful! It’s so easy to get behind in some of the larger groups! But I agree, my followers/engagement has definitely gone up since joining them!
Great post! All your tips are spot on. .Thanks for sharing!
Pinning – also sharing on a small group I’m in! This is valuable. Wish more people followed these steps.
Awesome advice! I LOOOOOVE the Facebook Group Post Tracker – fantastic resource! Promoting in Facebook groups can quickly get overwhelming. I quickly learned that I needed to write down every group I post in, what I need to do to reciprocate, and a tally of what I’ve completed. Otherwise it is just impossible to keep track of it all if you belong to multiple groups. That is wonderful that you’re using your experience to help other bloggers – we appreciate it! 🙂
Great advice! I love the tracker idea. thanks!!
Great tips! It can be so tough to keep track of what you have done and need to do!
Can you bold #2?!?!!?
I’m doing the same thing right now too. Just started marketing my blog in Facebook groups 3 days ago and I’m getting so much traffic it is amazing! 😀
I’m so glad that you posted this! I am part of quite a few facebook groups, and although some of the things people do isn’t illegal, it certainly isn’t very good etiquette! I love the tip to make a list for your posts as well. Being a part of 10+ groups, I forget where I’ve posted too lol. I need to start writing that info down!
I’m only in a handful of groups. Ive applied to several that have not responded, even though my blog is in my FB work history. Any tips? Can you send me any links to FB groups?
Thank you for this very informative post. I started blogging quite recently and I have only just discovered facebook groups but I wasn’t too sure about them. I have pinned this post for future reference.
This is great advice. I would pin it to the Facebook groups.
Great tips! I’m just starting to get my feet wet with Facebook groups, definitely a complete greenie. I joined a few groups a couple months ago but it’s only this week that I’ve started actually participating and posting. It can be intimidating to put yourself out there when it seems like everyone else is so much more of an expert 😛
Thanks again for the tips! Cheers
-Alyssa
I recently discovered the power of Facebook groups and I love them! Like you, I have also seen a boost in my traffic and followers on Pinterest and Instagram. I made a spreadsheet on Google where I keep track of my post title, url, and pinterest url for easy reference to make promo days a lot easier! I like how you said to acknowledge when someone likes/shares/comments your post. I agree that is common courtesy!
I found this post from a Facebook group, haha! No, but seriously. Facebook groups are one of the best ways to promote your blog. If someone is in a Facebook group for bloggers, they’re probably a blogger themselves. And no one is more sensitive to the blogger struggle than, well… other bloggers. I really like the tracker you included here, too! 🙂
Great post. They say great minds think alike! I already put all your tips into practice. 😀 Good luck with building your following.
Awesome tips. Very timely for me. I’ve just begun to participate actively in groups. Loved your point on reciprocation 🙂
I have just started joining a lot of facebook groups to promote my blog and have found that it’s a lot of work but worth it. My numbers have increased especially on facebook, my blog numbers are higher than ever. I agree that you have to read all the rules and make sure you have time to complete a thread if you decide to participate. I was travelling last week and trying to play drinking games while completing threads, was crazy!! Keep up the hard work, will be worth it in the end 🙂
Love this! I recently joined a few blogging groups on Facebook too, and it’s been really helpful in boosting traffic and getting more people to see what I’m writing. I’ve even found people to collaborate with on some other projects in blog groups on FB. Thanks for sharing!
Your last one is very valuable! We often don’t give enough appreciation to those who support us on the groups!
FB Groups are so powerful if we know how to build a community with it!
I’ve never run a Facebook group before but this is really good advice
Great tips. Your facebook tracker/planner is a gem! I had to save it for myself. Thanks so much.
great tips! FB is a good traffic source for me and using groups the right way definitely helps. Just as important is that I get real and genuine support when I feel overwhelmed from those groups.
thanks for sharing
As I’m very new to participating in FB group I am finding that a chart is definitely necessary. I think I’ve got it together and then I get completely lost and confused with all the comments coming from feeds I don’t even remembering existing.
Great tips. Thanks.