Through the years Facebook has become so intertwined in all our lives. In the beginning it was just supposed to be a way to connect with those you knew. With time, it has evolved into so much more. Now it is possible to create new relationships with people of similar interests, connect with businesses to get their help or feedback, and even hear what others have to say about something you’re interested in buying… and that’s only scratching the surface of what Facebook as to offer. 

With the high popularity of Facebook, especially among potential donors, it’s easy to see why any nonprofit would find it beneficial to have a presence on the platform. Most organizations have a Facebook page created for talking about their efforts and offer valuable education for those interested in their work…but is that enough? 

Don’t get me wrong, I believe that Facebook pages are very beneficial to any organization. The thing to consider is that people who are on Facebook are there to interact with people, and organizations… not just be told information. One of the best ways to interact with people is through Facebook groups. There are many benefits being involved in a Facebook group, so let’s look at just a couple of them. 

Connect with People of Similar Interests. Facebook groups are a great opportunity for you to connect with people who are interested in a wide range of topics. With millions of groups on Facebook, you are likely to find several different groups interested in something related to your organization’s mission. In these groups you can talk with and get to know more about the others who are interested in the topic, which in turn can help you know how to talk with them in future marketing. 

Building Trust by Offering Value. Once you have the group(s) focus on something similar to your mission, this is the time to see what people are saying in the group. Are people asking questions these groups? If they are and you have the expertise to answer them, take a moment to help that person out. It may seem like a simple thing that might not make much of a difference on its own but as you keep doing it people will start trusting you and the value you bring to a discussion. That trust in you will help also build the trust in your organization. 

There are many more benefits, but this starts to show how you can use a Facebook group, even if it is not your own, to engage with people interested in topics related to your organization’s mission. With this general understanding of the value of participating in Facebook groups, it is common to wonder whether you should join one that’s already active or creating your own. There are definitely a few things to keep in mind when deciding which direction to take. 

By joining a group that’s already active you have the potential to connect with more people a lot faster than starting a new group. An active group means there is the ability to see what people are saying now, as well as what they have said in the past. The downside to joining someone else’s group is that you do have to follow the rules they have in place. For some groups that means they do not want you promoting your organization, which can make it tricky to talk about your mission. 

Inside your own group, you can do all the customizations you want. From the topic of interest to the rules for posting in the group and more, your options are almost limitless. The downside can be building your group up to a size that encourages regular engagement. Thankfully you can do a few things to start building your group size. One way to start building your group size is by emailing your donors to let them know that you are starting a group where they can talk. Donors like the option of being able to get involved, so this is your chance to tell them how they can get their voice heard more. 

If you do decide to create a group of your own, two commonly asked questions that comes up are “What do I talk about in my group?” and “How do I engage people in my group?” It’s easy to just say you should talk about the topic of the group, but how what does that really look like? Most Facebook users enjoy looking at a variety of different styles of post, instead of the same style over and over. Let’s look at five different post types that will help to engage your group. 

Decision Posts 

This is a great opportunity for your community to get involved with decision making. It can be easy to try and think up It can be easy to try and make all the decisions regarding things like the types of stories donors want to hear, whether people want to hear about other donors, and so much more. Instead of trying to come up with some of the simpler decision on our own, your group is a great place to hear from potential donors directly. People love to get involved and this is a great way to start that involvement. The most effective way to get feedback is provide them three options and ask for them to reply in the comments, rather than using the polling option. By having them use the comments section you have the potential to get more than a one-word answer from the people who are big supporters. Comments instead of poll responses also shows Facebook that you have more engagement and that people are interested in what you have to say. 

Opinion Posts 

Like decision posts, opinion posts give your community a chance to weight in. The thing to keep in mind is that with a decision post you are getting feedback to help decide something within your organization, while an opinion post is asking for their opinion on something. An example of this could be something like, “What podcasts do you listen to?” or What blogs do you read?” These posts can provide massive value for you and your organization and people LOVE to give their opinion on things. 

Can’t Help Themselves Posts 

Great things, big and small, happen in your organization every week. It could be that you had a large donation from a local business or maybe you were able to make a big impact within your mission. This post is a way to celebrate with your community and get them involved in the celebration. It could be a post that says something like, “We just received a wonderful donation from a local business! Help me say thank you do them for help in furthering our mission! Drop a gif in the comments!” It’s the type of post that most people can’t resist joining in on. 

About Posts 

It’s important for you to regularly tell people what your organization does to make a difference and how donations help you accomplish your mission. The idea seems like it should be common sense, but there are a lot of people that don’t take the time to regularly remind people of their work and how important donations really are to their cause. The about post is your chance to remind your community of your hard work for others. 

Authority Posts 

Showing your authority helps build the credibility of your organization, which helps with finding new donors. With an authority post, you are sharing where you have been featured on someone else’s podcast, blog or article. Remember how in our opinion post we were asking what our community listened to and read online? Those answers help tell you were to try and featured. The more people see you and hear your message the more they think about your organization, which helps increase the chances for donations.