In early 2018, Facebook updated its News Feed algorithm to prioritize posts from friends and family and deemphasize non-paid content from brand pages. The change caused a minor panic among businesses that rely on Facebook traffic and made the already bewildering world of social media marketing even more imposing. Most brands pursued a simple, straightforward solution: dump more budget into paid Facebook Ad campaigns and sponsored posts.
While a budget increase will effectively offset the visibility lost via the algorithm tweak, brands that rely solely on this strategy are missing an opportunity. In recent years, Facebook Groups have emerged as an effective social media marketing tool that, when implemented successfully, can drive organic impressions and generate customer engagement.
Facebook Groups should not be confused with Facebook Pages. The former is a gathering place for people with similar interests and connections to your company or industry; the latter is your brand’s home on Facebook, a place to provide key company information, distribute content, and publicize deals and events. Brands that successfully manage Facebook Groups invite members to initiate conversations and share their opinions. A vibrant, engaged membership can generate important insights into who your customers are, what they want from your products, and how best to reach them. Content shared in Groups is also more likely to be noticed and generate engagement than paid content – Facebook users are increasingly able to recognize and tune out ads and sponsored posts.
As a Google Premier Partner digital and social media marketing agency with access to valuable insights on Google’s preferred practices, GrowthEngine Media takes pride in remaining on the cutting edge of the digital marketing industry. Creating and managing an active Facebook Group isn’t a realistic solution for every business, but may be beneficial for those whose customers are active on social media and who want to foster closer relationships with their clientele.
