Facebook Groups: Facts, Gripes And Tips, Oh My!
Facebook Groups: Facts, Gripes And Tips, Oh My!
Are you on Facebook? If so, am I safe to assume you’ve been asked to join a Facebook Group, or (yikes!) have been added to a Facebook Group without your permission?
If you are unfamiliar with Facebook Groups, or their function and value, (yes, there is a GREAT value in using Facebook Groups), here is a good read to get you started. This article touches on the functionality of Facebook Groups as well as the value they can give you. Also included in the post are quotes by Facebook users about Facebook Groups and what they like or dislike the most.
More In Media’s Facebook Page has been talking ‘Facebook Groups’ all week. We dug up several facts, some gripes and some great tips and thought a blog post sure would be in order! The discussion has been lively and interesting; feel free to go check out the wall here and join my Facebook community.
Facts
The inspiration for diving into this subject came from a Facebook Alert:
Say WHAT?
Yes, my friend Eunice Nyandat had requested to join a group I started, yet as admin to the group I could not add her due to her membership in many other groups. When posed the question: ‘Well, how many groups DO you belong to?’ (I was curious!) Eunice answered that she was part of ‘well over 100 groups’.
I immediately had the following thought: Is there a limit as to how many Facebook Groups you can belong to?
You betcha! I dug around a bit (about a minute) and came up with this answer, straight from Facebook:
So there you have it! How many of you are at that limit? I venture to guess ‘very few’.
We were all surprised, to say the least!
I then asked the question ‘How many Facebook Groups do you belong to?’
My More In Media fans answered:
Moving on.
Gripe(s)
The #1 Gripe is…
‘Being added to a Facebook Group without being asked!’
Got it?
Do not add people to your Facebook Group without their permission! You can send them a message, an invititation, an email, make a Facebook Post, a tweet…but they do not want to be added without their permission!
For the most part, people are very happy with Facebook Groups. I am going to assume that if you are unhappy in a group, you know how to get out! I did hear a grumbling about participation, or lack there off, but that’s to be expected. Standard group participation rules seem to apply on Facebook: 20% of the people do 80% of the work!
Tips
Bonnie Welch of CVP Marketing mentioned a Facebook Group function I haven’t mentioned on my Facebook Page this week:
Bonnie uses Facebook groups for schools, kids activities and sports teams.
Sarah Sunshine Garrison of Garrison Marketing Solutions adds these tips:
Sarah likes the B2B aspect, and one of her groups is an accountability Facebook Group. She also likes the option to make the group totally private.
YOUR TURN!
- If you are ready to join MORE groups, try the Facebook Search Function, or ask your friends to recommend a new group to you. A personal referral and introduction into a group is a great way to meet new online connections, fast.
- If you want to create and start your own Facebook Group, it’s as easy as 1-2-3.
Questions:
How MANY groups do you belong to?
How many groups have you CREATED?
What VALUE do you get out of Facebook Groups?
Please join the conversation! Feel free to use the Facebook Comment box below, or leave a comment on the blog; I have CommentLuv enabled! Looking forward to hearing from you.
Dorien
About Dorien Morin-van Dam
Dorien is owner and social media marketer at More In Media. Dorien enjoys social media training, educating and consulting and is passionate about teaching social media to small business owners. In her spare time, Dorien manages five kids, two dogs and a husband. She runs marathons and loves to bake, travel and read.
June 7, 2012 Engagement, Facebook, Groups, Tips
That is sooo awesome. Getting better informed definetly helps you make better decisions and I have to say again that I don’t know why anyone would be in 300 but more power to the people!
Thank you again Dorien for giving us more social media knowledge!!
Wendy Cassera recently posted..I filed an extension, I owe the IRS, what should I do?
Thanks for ‘playing’ along this week with all the questions and posts on Facebook.
Glad you were part of it!
fondly, Dorien
Excellent post, I loved it!
Sally K Witt, Social Media and Ministry recently posted..Nominate my friend Anita Fiander’s website as one of the Forbes Top 100 Sites for Women!
I don’t like being added to groups without my consent first. Actually now that I have read this I am going to go unjoin the groups people have added me to without asking me first.
Thanks for the kick in the pants.
Joe Cheray recently posted..Shift to a More Positive Attitude – Guest Post by Nicole Bandes
Joe,
don’t we all need a kick in the pants sometimes?
Go do it, girl!
I did too! I left 8 groups the other day! It felt sooo good!
~Dorien
Thanks for this post Dorien. Like many, I had no idea about the 300 group limit although I doubt I’ll be hitting the limit anytime soon. Not adding someone to a group without their permission – another one to add to the etiquette list!
Coach Mi recently posted..Staff management – Are you walking on eggshells?
It seems more and more people are just adding people to groups.
Facebook , in a way, sets you up: In order for you to create a group, you HAVE to add at least one person!
I always use my husband
But you only need to add one person and you can start your group!
Then you should really ask!
Thanks for stopping by!
Wow 300 as the upper limit. There is no way you could keep up with all of those. I quite agree with Genevieve on that one.
I didn’t like the Facebook policy of allowing people to include you in groups without your consent. It doesn’t bother me now though. I just go through and weed out the ones I don’t want to be in occasionally.
Kittie Walker recently posted..How to Increase Employee Morale and Improve Productivity
Hi Dorien,
Well it just so happens I was just added to a group without my consent – I was actually thinking to myself the other day that everybody talks about being added to so many groups and I hadn’t been added to any!
Anyway, too bad it was a foreign language group otherwise I might have stayed!
I’m active in 4 groups. I think the most valuable thing about them is the connections!
Thanks Dorien!
~Christine
Christine Brady recently posted..Wondering Where to Start? Start Building a List
This is such a helpful post as to the ‘do’s and ‘don’ts’ on Facebook. It seems that sometimes people forget their manners online. Being added to a group without your consent is like being out for a meal with friends and having them put some of their food on your plate because they assume you want to try it – but you might not!
Carolyn Hughes recently posted..Wonderful world! Here I come!
Thanks Dorien for the great info here; I am only getting busy with all these grous since a few weeks now and I even started my own group plus added some people without even asking them first, becasue I thought that was the thing to do because of experiencing this. I will change my ways from now on; thanks for the wonderful information.
Olga Hermans recently posted..You Can Do It
While I don’t like being added without being asked, I do know that many don’t understand simple common courtesies and manners. They are under the opinion that because FB operates without asking folks, that it’s somehow A-OK. It’s not. I’m still out there teaching this fact
I don’t leave the group before finding out if the owner just didn’t “get” social media manners. It’s a good time for me to say, “Hey, did you know people don’t like to be added without asking?” Usually, they just didn’t know . . .
I believe in giving people the benefit of the doubt on the first offense.
Martha Giffen recently posted..The Secret Power Of Your Network
The best part of limiting the number of groups to something reasonable and being able to really participate in those groups is that they’ve been the source of really nice relationships. They expand my universe!
Sharon O’Day recently posted..Retirement, or the Dance between Longevity and Your Money
Great tips, I read both articles and now I understand the benefits of belonging
Elaine Shannon recently posted..Organizing and Celebrating the last Week of School
Great article you have. I saw this from facebook that there is a limit. I have a tendency to stay in the groups that people put me him but only active in a few of them. This is in my to do list, clean the groups I don,t need to be in.
Carele Belanger recently posted..Facebook: You can now program your status updates.
Interesting post – I use pages primarily but am starting a private group for a Mastermind/Coaching group. Good to know about the limit.
Kay Aubrey-Chimene recently posted..Beyond the Dominance Paradigm
Wow thanks for telling me these things.. I didn’t really know how it all worked! You have helped me out sweetie, Thanks !
Barbara Peters recently posted..Viva la` difference! What a Woman Wants . . What a Man Wants
Well wasn’t THIS an educational post?! I can barely handle the 3 or 4 I’m in, so I can’t imagine who would WANT to be in 300 groups? I have been considering starting my own group in my genre, or even a paid group. So much to consider! Thanks for this superb post! Love your writing style…
There are so many things that are irritating in a large site like Facebook! LOL
Sally K Witt recently posted..Finding the People who Want to Read YOUR blog~
ohhhhhhhh I want to be asked first.. Facebook should send you a notice and let you know that you are invited and then you can join yes or no just like a friend invite. As for groups.. I love them! Ask me first.. a few I was not so happy about.. ! great post hun !
elizabeth Maness recently posted..Email Marketing Is Dead? Not So Fast..
This was a great post Dorien! I enjoyed following the group discussion on your FB page. I hate being added without permission, but if I don’t want to be in it, I just take myself out. There are benefits – groups are a great place to meet up with peers and learn!
Mandy Edwards recently posted..Happy Birthday to ME! A Reflection…
Thanks for this post, Dorien! It’s great information about the number of groups you can be in but wow-300? I am deleting groups weekly but get added daily, 99% without my permission. Crazy stuff!
Love this post Dorien! Informative, entertaining, inclusive of your fans, love it!
Sherry Nouraini recently posted..Everything you wanted to know about what it takes to succeed in social media you can get on Fridays