how to start a facebook group for your business

So you want to know how to start a Facebook group eh? Strong move my friend. I firmly believe that a Facebook group can be a powerful asset for your business and that it can be a great way to build your brand visibility, so without further ado, let's get you started with yours.

(PS. If you're still undecided about the whole Facebook Groups thing then maybe check out this post first - Is a Facebook Group Right for Your Business?)

How to Start a Facebook Group - a Step by Step Guide

1) Go to your Facebook homepage and 'Create Group'

There are a number of places on the homepage from where you can add a Facebook group:

I'm going for the 'Create' option on the top menu.

2) Name your Facebook Group

Once you click on 'Create Group' a pop-up box will appear...

You now need to fill out a few details, starting with your group name. You can call your group anything you like, but try to think of a name that people will be able to find. So for example, if your group is for diabetic women, then a name like The Diabetic Women Support Group would work well. On the other hand, Sarah's Support Group for Superhero Women may sound cooler, but it's not likely to something that diabetic women are searching while looking for a Facebook support group...

3) Add someone to your Facebook Group

At this stage, Facebook rather cheekily asks you to add at least one friend to your group. You won't be able to progress further until you do, so if needs be, just add your best mate and then delete them later!

4) Choose your Facebook Group privacy setting

You will now have the opportunity to select the privacy level of your group. The most common setting (and the one I recommend) for a business Facebook Group, is 'Closed'. This means that anyone can find the group but the posts inside it can only be seen by members.

If you're creating a group for a paid course or membership then you may decide to make it 'Secret' to avoid unwanted member requests.

TOP TIP: Don't forget to pin the group to your Shortcuts before clicking 'Create'. This will help you to access it quickly and easily. You're welcome... 😉

5) Choose your group icon

Once you've clicked 'Create' you'll have the chance to pick an icon to represent your group. This won't impact anything so choose whatever takes your fancy and feels like a good fit...

6) Add a group header image

You'll now be taken to your new group - woop! Congrats!

This is where the fun stuff starts. Time to make it feel like home...

First things, first, you'll want to add a gorgeous header image to welcome your members and let them know they've come to the right place. Headers are a prime location so you might also think about using the header to communicate a key message or call to action.

I suggest using Canva to create your image. It has social media templates that are set to the optimal size and you can choose from a huge number of designs for inspiration. Oh, and there's a free version that is absolutely all that's needed for this.

Join my Facebook group!

7) Add a group description

Your group description is important. It's about the only part of your group that non-members can see, so it's your chance to sell it. You'll find the description down the right sidebar of your main group page.

This is also where you get to set some expectations. How do you want people to behave in your group? What will be the consequences of not sticking to the rules? If you want people to be respectful of others - tell them. If you want your group to be a promotion free zone - tell people ... you get the idea...

8) Add tags

To help people find your Facebook group (assuming it's not a secret group) you can add tags. These are basically key words or descriptive terms that are relevant to your group. So if we use the example of our group for diabetic women, some examples of appropriate tags might be 'diabetes', 'diet' or 'type 2'.

9) Decide whether to add a location

You have the option to add a location to your group. If your group is for people from a particular locality (eg. diabetic women from York) then this is a great idea because it will help those people to find you.

If your group isn't location specific, then you can leave this part.

10) Link your business page

In your group settings, there's an option to link one or more of your pages. It's a great idea to do this because it helps your group (and page!) to be found more easily. It also means that you can invite people who like your page to join your group.

11) Update your group web address

You don't have to do this, but I like to because I can change the address from some random code that Facebook has generated to the actual name of my group. I think it just helps to make it a bit easier to find.

12) Add sections

As you work your way through your group settings, you'll see that there are tons of great options. One of them is 'sections'. Have a browse to see what's available and customise your group accordingly!

I love the 'Units' section as this allows you to create and organise trainings and content for your group members.

13) Add joining questions

This is one of my favourite settings and I definitely recommend making use of it! Here, you're able to add up to 3 questions to ask anyone requesting to join your group. Here's what I ask:

1) What's your biggest challenge with <niche related> right now?

2) Where did you hear about this group?

3) Would you like a free <your lead magnet>? If so, add your email address below. You'll also be signing up for my weekly email newsletter.

14) Add your first post!

That's it. You're ready to get started and to begin engaging with and helping your members. For ideas on what kind of posts you can add to get the conversation started, then you should definitely check out my free 31 Engagement Boosting Facebook Group Posts. Schedule one each day for a month and watch your group transform!