Let’s face it, Facebook is the social networking hub for online business these days. Everyone – potential clients, customers, and colleagues likely have some kind of presence on Facebook.
A great way to tap into your audience is by using Facebook groups. These groups are designed to bring like-minded people together based on interests, location, or industry.
When done correctly, Facebook group marketing can be very beneficial to your brand. Building your authority in these groups can help create a stable foundation for your online business that helps you thrive and grow.
Let’s take a look at the best ways to use Facebook groups to build authority for your brand!
- Always be active. It’s not enough to join the groups. You must interact and engage with the members of the groups you are in, in order to build your status. Take the time to visit each group, like statuses, offer advice when asked, and share your own struggles.
- Limit the number of groups you join. It’s easy to get overwhelmed with all of the group options out there. You may want to join them all, but then how can you ever devote any time to the best ones?
Be selective of the groups you interact with on Facebook. No more than 5 groups for a given niche or interest. If you find yourself in a group that’s not very active or not receptive to your advice or thoughts, feel free to leave that group for a replacement.
- Be helpful – not spammy. It’s not enough to be present in your Facebook groups if you really want to build your brand. You need to offer knowledgeable answers to questions that pop up in the group.
Base the advice on your personal experience, and don’t be afraid to share the details of how you learned the information you are sharing. Never simply join a group, then post garbage replies to up your post count and to keep your name popping up throughout the threads.
No one loves a spammer!
- Give more than you take.
For each personal link you share, whether it be to a product or your own blog, you should do 2-3 actions for others. This may be tweeting a blog post someone else shared, answering a question, or providing someone with additional content to support an answer you gave. Giving back more than you are taking not only builds your authority, it also boosts your “know, like, trust” factor – three vital actions you want people to take when they start conversing with you.
- Start a Facebook group for your own community. It’s not enough to piggyback on groups that others have created. Build your own from the ground up. If you already have an email list or regular blog readers, encourage them to join you in the group.
This gives them a direct line of communication with you – assuming you stay active in your own group. Sometimes, being in someone’s Facebook timeline can be more useful than being in his email inbox!
Facebook groups offer a wealth of opportunity to grow your authority. It’s all about employing the RIGHT methods for engagement and helpfulness inside these groups, to truly become a likable, trustworthy character in your niche!
