Facebook is a social networking site that helps in connecting people. Facebook groups help in binding people into packs. Facebook groups are a new thing on facebook. They help in effective communication as one can create his communication network. It reaches a group of people at one time rather than reaching everyone individually. It works like an e-mail send list but with more social functionality. Facebook groups are widely used for the promotion of business. It supports online business to a great extent. Facebook groups help in building a community. Groups help in creating a fan club revolving around the fan base. Fans of the same brand can interact with each other hence creating a powerful ecosystem among them. Brand loyal people communicate in the group, which helps in building good relations with the company or the brand.

Difference between Facebook groups and Facebook page

Most of the times people confuse between facebook group and page, but there is a difference between the two.

‘Facebook page’: A Facebook page is merely a Facebook profile just like for public figures, big organizations or brands. The Facebook page can be created only by official representatives.

‘Facebook group’: A Facebook group is just a group of people coming together for a common cause or issue. They share some similar content in the group. Anyone can create a group. It does not need any official representative. For example, you can create a group for fans of a specific brand instead whereas if there is a page of a brand, it can be produced by its official representative only. You can create your facebook group for your business, and you can see what people respond to your product and what their opinions are. You can also create an official group to keep a group of your official clients and other.

Types of Facebook groups

Facebook groups are mainly of three kinds that are:

• Closed group: In this kind of group only those users can join who have been invited by the group admin. No random person can join the group. There is a need for a request to join the group. Closed groups are very confusing and more alike open groups except that three differences are:

1. They need a request approval or an invitation from the group admin. They cannot join without the will of admin.
2. The posts are visible only to members, and no outsider can see the posts of the group.
3. The group is visible on news feed only to the members.

• Secret group: In this kind of group only those people can see the group posts which are its members. Non-members cannot see group posts. If anyone wants to know the group post, he needs to join the group. This kind of group provides most of the secrecy. Anything related to the public group is not at all visible to any Facebook user until he is a member of the group. To join a secret group, one
• Open/public group: This kind of group is open for everyone. Anyone can join the group and post in this group. Even the non-members can view the group posts. Public groups can be easily seen in search results. Public groups are exactly like their name that is public; open for everyone and the general public, or you can say Facebook users. There is no need for any invitation or request approval to join this kind of group.

Features of Facebook groups

Some of the standard features of the three groups are:

• Admin customer supports the admin of facebook group can directly ask facebook any queries or report issues if any.
• Educational training for admins- facebook has another feature called Facebook blueprint courses which help admins to learn how to manage their groups in a better way.
• Pre-approval of posts some groups need approval from the admin before posting anything. Members who want to post anything need to get the post approved before posting it.

About the privacy settings

The type of group is indicated by the sign shown next to the name of the group. The icon for the open group is a ‘globe.’ The icon for the closed group is a ‘padlock’ icon. The icon for a secret group is ‘padlock inside a circle.’ The icon is shown next to the name of the group. The group settings can be changed by going to the ‘privacy’ options. It depends upon the admin that what kind of group settings he wants. If a group has more than 5000 members, it can only change to a more private option. Just, for instance, it can only go from ‘open’ to ‘closed’ or ‘closed’ to ‘secret.’ It cannot go from ‘secret’ to ‘open’ or ‘closed.’ If the admin changes the group settings, then he gets 24 hours to change it back.

Adding or removing the group members

The power of removing or adding group members depend upon the admin. It also depends upon the group settings that whether the new members need approval or not. Current members can also add new people by sending invites but for that, they need ‘membership approval’. It is the admin’s choice of whether he wants to give authority in the hands of other members or not.

Finding and Joining a Relevant group

One can use Facebook groups to learn about local competition or getting expertise in their field. Also, the groups provide a safe platform to share information as it can be enclosed only for the group members. There are a lot of groups available on Facebook, but to decide which group would provide the user the required information, he should follow these steps:

Step 1: Login into your Facebook account by putting your id and password.

Step 2: On the left side of your timeline page, there would be an option ‘Groups’. Click on that option. After clicking it, you will see the groups that you have already joined.

Step 3: To find new groups click on the ‘Discover’ option that will be coming on the top of the page. It will suggest you some groups according to your presently joined groups, liked pages, current location or other linked activities of facebook. You can select any group according to your choice.

Step 4: Click on the group’s name whichever you want to join. It depends on the privacy settings of the group that whether you will be able to enter automatically or you have to wait for the approval request.

Government requests and other considerations

There is a limit for every group though it is admin’s choice every group has a hard limit somehow related to their privacy. Government can intervene in between and ask the admin to take down the material or shut down the page if it finds something inappropriate. If the insider users even of the secret group report the group’s content and it is found violating according to ‘Community Standards’, the page is taken down. So in short it is only meant for useful purposes and not any violation or another bad purpose.

How to create a group

Step 1: Login to your facebook account using your ID and password. If one does not have a facebook account, then he can easily make a new one by entering into the minor details.

Step 2: On the left side of the timeline page of your account there would be an option ‘Groups’. Click on that option. It will direct you to a new page.

Step 3: On the top of the page there would be an option ‘Create group.’ Click on that option. A new dialogue box will appear.

Step 4: Enter a group name for your group. Add e-mail address of some people whom you want to be a member of the group. Select the type of privacy for your group. It can be any ‘open,’ ‘closed’ or ‘secret.’

Step 5: Your Facebook group is created. You can manage the group as an admin from the left-hand side panel.

Tips to be considered while using facebook groups

• Be respectful

One should take care that it is the member’s choice to join the group or leave it. No pressure should be made on them. Also, the admin should post good content which should not affect society in any way. You should consider the person’s choice to be in the group and also that what kind of group do they want. It might be possible that they want an ‘open’ group or ‘secret’ so that no one knows they exist.

• Check your settings

You should make sure that what kind of notifications you want. Whether you want to know when any one of the group member posts or you only wish to post notifications from a specific person. You can immediately change the settings of notifications from ‘Notification’ > ‘Settings’. It is up to admin that whether he wants to get flushed with notifications or just want notifications from your friends. The choice is yours.

• Be in contact regularly

You always get what you give. Especially, in the world of social media, the more you give the more you get. The admin should check groups regularly. If it is a business group then you should on the notifications for everyone and also check it regularly to see time to time responses. By this, you would be able to reply in time. You should regularly engage in the group.

• Share documents

There is a document function in the groups. To safeguard what is sent in the group, the members can save it in the document and put it on facebook. Anything in the group news feed can be easily lost so members can put into a folder for future use.

• Write a great description

Whenever you are creating a group make sure that you write a good one. The description should be so that it clearly defines the group’s intentions and purpose. It should not affect society in any way. It would be beneficial to attract new members especially in the case of ‘open’ or ‘public’ group. The present members can refer to it later as well so the admin should write a good and meaningful description.

• Set some group rules

Set some group rules to be followed; otherwise, it becomes chaos. For instance, in case there should be two admins so that if one is not available, the second one can take charge. Other rules can be like no message except business posts in a ‘business’ group. These rules are to be set by admin for smooth flow of the group.

This was all about types of Facebook groups. In short, we will conclude by saying that there are three kinds of facebook groups. What type of group it would depend upon the choice of admin. There are many advantages of Facebook groups as discussed above. It is straightforward to create a new group and manage it as an admin. It is not like that there are no regulations; the government can intervene if it finds something inappropriate. So this was all about Facebook groups.