I Am SO Over Facebook Groups

Are any of you active in Facebook Groups? I definitely am, but it's so hard to find good ones these days.

I'm a member of too many to count, that initially seemed like a really great place to network and connect with like-minded business people. But now, I can really only think of 3 that I actually enjoy and get any value from. The difference in these groups is that they've managed to maintain their initial intention of creating a valuable community that people enjoy being a part of.

Most of them, however, just turn into promotional and spammy vomit. It's hundreds, if not thousands, of people clogging up the feed with daily promotions of their latest deal or super-exclusive offer. People that are asking questions or seeking advice get ignored. This is the worst possible outcome for any group -- people are showing their vulnerabilities and asking for help, and no one cares or even notices. It's just a bunch of people trying to solicit business, rather than be part of the community and bring value.

However, Facebook groups continue to be a major asset for those people who run their groups properly. I can think of a few where the owner of the group generates 100% of their business from their Facebook group, because they make it their top priority. But what makes a good Facebook group go bad? How can you create one from scratch, and actually profit from it, without alienating people and having your members spam everyone? It's not easy but it is possible.

One thing to clarify is that there are major difference between Facebook pages and Facebook groups. Some businesses choose to have both, or just go with one.

The main differences are:

Privacy: groups are the ideal space for discussions. There are 3 different privacy levels, although it's common for most groups to be private. You have to request access, and your profile will be reviewed before acceptance to ensure you meet the group criteria. With Facebook pages, everything is wide open for the public to see, which makes it unlikely anyone will be comfortable having a conversation about anything meaningful.

Content: groups really facilitate content sharing and collaborating. Members can share their own content and freebies directly into the newsfeed, for other members to view, download and use as they please. With business pages, this doesn't happen. Posts from other people are practically unnoticeable and won't get any interaction whatsoever.

Audience: if you're just looking for a massive audience and want likes and views, a page is often your best choice. Groups are designed for smaller aggregates of people who have some sort of need or desire to engage, collaborate and work together. Running a group takes a lot of work and it's only going to be successful if you have a manageable, targeted audience.

Communication: if you want to facilitate communication, a group is the best choice. Groups allow for the private conversations, but group members can typically message one another without issue. Business pages don't even allow you to see who has liked the page, unless they're already on your friends list, so it's not conducive to any form of communication.

So if you're looking for a community that allows for private conversations, content sharing, collaboration, a targeted and engaged audience, plus open communication, a Facebook group is definitely a great option for you.

But how can you create, manage and grow a Facebook group that doesn't become a gong show? How can you maintain a positive, engaged community that actually provides value to it's members?

Here are some things to consider when you're first getting your group started, and some tips to help you along the way.

• Make sure you select the right privacy option. Really think about how this could affect your group's growth, but also people's willingness to communicate and share. Facebook has an easy-to-understand table that demonstrates the implications for each option here.

• Take the time to create a really great introduction. You have 3,000 characters to articulate why the group exists and what benefits people can expect to gain from joining. It's also a great place to say a quick blurb about yourself, why you started the group and when.

• Having group guidelines that are clear and easily accessible is very important. Many group owners will pin these to the top of the page, and ask each new member to read and agree to them before posting. This ensures people are following the rules, which can be challenging at times. If someone refuses to follow the rules, get rid of them.

• When you're creating your guidelines, really put some thought into what you want out of this group. If you don't want people to advertise their services, make that clear. Some groups will allow one promotional post/week. Just figure out what you want and make it clear.

• At first, you will likely be the only moderator. It's your job to stay on top of things and be an active part of everything that goes on. As your group grows, it's crucial that you find some other admins you can trust to be your eyes, when you can't be. You also want to make sure that join requests are processed quickly, as you don't want potential new members to lose interest.

• Choose a descriptive name. This will help people be clear on the point of the group, and also helps others who might be actively seeking out a community just like yours.

• Encourage personal content sharing. You want to make sure people know that their valuable content is welcome and wanted.

• Never add people to your group without their expressed interest or permission. This is a tactic that many people try and it causes nothing but outrage and bad reputations.

• Stick to your guns when it comes to who you let into the group. You started with a vision, and while that may grow and change over time, it's important that you prioritize growing a community of like-minded people who feel comfortable within the group. If your group is specifically for Mothers who run their own businesses, you'll have to respectfully reject join requests that come from entrepreneurs who are not mothers. It's difficult to turn people away, but at some point you'll have to if you want to maintain the integrity of the group.

• Create a schedule for your own posts within the group. If you want to get and keep your members engaged, you definitely need to post multiple times each day. On top of posting, you'll need to spend time engaging and moderating each day. Scheduling your posts ahead of time will allow you adequate time for the real-time requirements.

Do you run your own Facebook group? What else can you recommend?