Creating a community for your business can help you reach your target audience more consistently than relying on a Facebook page alone. In this article, you’ll discover how to build and promote a community on Facebook to let you engage with your target audience. Your group shouldn’t even be about your business. Think about the interests your audience shares. Next, you need to name your group. With Facebook Live, your audience can ask you questions in real time and you can share a moment together. Also, let your audience know when you’ll be live. During your Facebook Live video, people can ask questions, which appear on your screen as you talk. Although you might just be coming down from the high of your first live video, consistency is important if you want to build a community. You’ll also want to make sure your Facebook ad promotes a page post that will catch your audience’s interest; maybe an invitation to join your Facebook group or an announcement for your next Live broadcast.
Is your Facebook page reach declining?
Looking for other ways to connect with Facebook fans and customers?
Creating a community for your business can help you reach your target audience more consistently than relying on a Facebook page alone.
In this article, you’ll discover how to build and promote a community on Facebook to let you engage with your target audience.
#1: Bring Fans Into a Focused Facebook Group
If you haven’t heard the news, Facebook pages don’t have the same reach they used to.
Instead, there’s a hidden world on Facebook that’s taking over: the Facebook group. Groups are collections of like-minded people who share a common interest or goal and cover all sorts of niches.
The control you have over a group’s visibility is part of the appeal. Many Facebook groups are private communities where people connect outside the prying eyes of their friends and families. However, within a group, Facebook doesn’t limit who can see what. Members of a group see all of the posts in it.
You could join a group owned by someone else, but the best way to tap into this tool for business is to create your own group.
First of all, you need to know that Facebook groups don’t operate like Facebook pages. The Groups feature’s sole purpose isn’t promoting a business. Your group shouldn’t even be about your business. Instead, you want to provide a place where your target audience can feel safe and comfortable.
Think about the interests your audience shares. For instance, if you provide web design services for app developers, you want to create a group that sits on the crux of your product and your audience. So you might create a group called Design for Apps.
Create a Group
To begin creating your Facebook group, look for the Groups section in the left-hand sidebar and click Create Group. When Facebook asks you to choose the purpose of your group, click Connect and Share.
Next, you need to name your group. For best results, choose a name that people will understand right away so your group is easy to find in a Facebook search and your audience will instantly know that your group is for them.
At this stage, you also have to invite some people to join. You can’t create a group without at least one member, so try inviting an employee or friend while you get your group ready to go live.
To give your group a cohesive feel and welcome new members, add a cover image and a description. The cover image appears across the top of your Facebook group. The image should reflect the name of your group and include a tagline that tells people whom the group is for and what they’ll get out of it.
For example, Teachable, a course-creation platform, has a private Facebook community where customers can ask questions, get inspiration, and share stories. The group name clarifies that the group is for Teachable’s users. The cover photo depicts what the users do (create courses with the Teachable service) and includes the company’s tagline.
Next, click Add a Description in the right-hand sidebar. In the description, you can tell members about your business, link to a business landing page or your homepage, and tell members what they can expect from joining your community. The description for The Teachable Tribe Facebook group explicitly states that Teachable wants to create a community.
Finally, you need to promote your Facebook group so members will join. When people sign up for your email newsletter, give them a link to join your group. On social media, you can pin a tweet, boost Facebook posts, and share an Instagram image about your group.
Spark Discussion
Now that you’ve got some people rolling in (people who are your target audience!), it’s time to boost those engagement levels. Here are some easy ways to do that:
Share prompt posts. These posts get the conversation started so members will talk among themselves. Try asking people to share their favorite book or travel destination. Krista Miller, a web developer for small businesses and entrepreneurs, posts a graphic that goes with a daily prompt for her Facebook group.
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