Facebook Ads in Groups

Facebook is expanding how businesses can post paid ads into groups. But before we get into what is new, let’s look at what businesses have been able to do with groups and ads.

Posting Ads in a Facebook Group

Groups on Facebook are meant to bring people who have something in common together and to create a community of support and resources. Groups are created by what is considered an admin, and that person can decide who joins the group and what the rules of the group are. Some of the most basic groups are parenting/mom groups, local community groups, small business groups and networking groups to name a few.

This is free. Your request to become a member of that group, and when an admin approves you, you can post on the group’s wall. These posts will appear on the wall, but also on other members’ feeds.

Things to know before you post an ad in a group

- Demographics of the groups- like any marketing, who are you trying to reach is an important question to ask yourself when posting to a group. Knowing the demographics of who is in a group you intend to post to is important for a few reasons. One reason is you just don’t want to waste your time. Another reason is you don’t want to be considered a nuisance in a group.

- Know the rules. Many groups have rules on when and if businesses can advertise. Breaking the rules can get you removed from the group.

- One rule you will see often in these groups is “Give more than you take.” This can often preface the “no advertisements or self-promotions” rule. It can also just be a reminder not to post too much. But even if it is not listed in the rules, it is a good rule of thumb. These groups are meant for community building. You have asked to be part of that community. What does it mean to give more than you take? Answer people’s questions, comment on their photos, give the advice they are looking for. Not only does this make you a good community member, but it also builds recognition and trust of you, so when you do post an ad, you are trusted and known!

In addition to joining groups for your business, you can also start a group for your business. Creating a group allows you to control what goes on in that group.

You wouldn’t necessarily make a group with your business’s name unless you have a clientele that would want updates on your products. If that is something you’d like to do, a great way to do it is when someone makes a purchase from you, you invite them to the group. It seems exclusive and maybe the get first shot at new products or specials, something like that.

But you can also just start a group that is relevant to complementary to your business. If you are a doctor, maybe you start a group that focuses on healthy choices. If are a mechanic, maybe you start a group for local car enthusiasts.

Paid Ads in Groups?

Facebook has not launched this to everyone yet. As of now, this is only available to public groups with more than 1,000 members who can adhere to the monetization and eligibility standards. This will allow group admins to bring in some money and allow businesses to post paid ads in groups.

Posting an ad in a group places the ad next to community posts. This is possible for ads that are single image and for those that use the Reach, Offsite Conversions or Link Click objectives. These ads will display the sponsored tag and the “why am I seeing this,” allowing them to hide the ad if they so desire.

If you have not joined any groups on behalf of your business, this is a low hanging fruit you can seize today.