Can a group join a group on Facebook?

Yes, it is possible for one Facebook group to join another Facebook group on the platform. Facebook’s Groups feature allows for a high degree of flexibility when it comes to how groups can interact with each other.

What are Facebook groups?

Facebook groups are user-created communities centered around a common interest or goal. They allow members to come together and connect through posts, comments, photos, videos and more. Some key things to know about Facebook groups:

Groups can be public, closed or secret:

Public – anyone can see the group and its content
Closed – anyone can find the group but only members can see posts
Secret – only members can find and access the group

Groups can have multiple admins and moderators
Group admins can customize settings like post approvals and member requests
Members can receive notifications for new posts and interact through comments and reactions

The flexible privacy settings and admin tools allow groups to be tailored to specific interests and member interactions. There are over 1.8 billion people using groups every month, with many highly active communities forming around hobbies, professions, support systems and more.

Can a Facebook group join another Facebook group?

Yes, Facebook enables groups to become members of other groups. Just like individual users, a Facebook group can search for and request to join another public or closed group on the platform. Here is how it works:

The admin of Group A navigates to the page for Group B and selects the “Join Group” button

If Group B is public, Group A will automatically become a member
If Group B is closed, the admin for Group B will have to approve Group A’s request
Once approved, Group A will appear in Group B’s member list

Group A members can then post in Group B as representatives of their group

This allows groups to follow and engage with other relevant or interesting groups on Facebook. For example, a group for dog owners in Seattle could join national groups for dog lovers or pet rescues. A music band fan group could join a larger fan community for that genre of music. Group-to-group memberships enable connecting related communities together.

Why would a Facebook group join another group?

There are several potential motivations for a Facebook group joining another group, including:

Sharing relevant content – Group A can easily cross-post content to a broader audience in Group B. This allows spreading information between compatible groups.
Tapping into new members – Group A can recruit new members from Group B who may share similar interests but weren’t aware of Group A.
Coordinating efforts – Groups with related missions can join forces and coordinate their efforts and events.

Resource sharing – One group can utilize another group’s content for reference, learning and best practices.
Growth – Smaller or new groups can join established communities to quickly gain members and momentum.

The ability for one group to become a member of another opens up strategic opportunities for advertising your group, engaging new audiences, exchanging knowledge and more.

What can a group do as a member of another group?

When a Facebook group joins another group, it takes on member privileges within that group. This enables the joining group to:

View posts and content from the group it has joined
Comment on posts and interact with group members

Share the group’s posts to the joining group’s timeline
Post original content as the representative of the joining group
Invite the group’s members to join the new group it has joined

The joining group acts the same as an individual member, just under its group identity. The group profile picture, cover photo and name will be used when interacting in the new group.

Limitations for a group joining another group

While Facebook allows groups to join other groups, there are some limitations in place:

A group cannot join a secret group, only public or closed groups

The joining group does not gain admin privileges or moderation abilities
A group member needs to accept any invitations to the new group, joining is not automatic
Post approvals and restrictions in the new group will still apply

There may be limits on cross-posting between groups to prevent spam

So while the joining group can participate, it still must follow the destination group’s rules and does not obtain special posting or access privileges.

Are there risks of a group joining another group?

There are some risks group admins should keep in mind when joining another group, including:

Content and comments made by the joining group will reflect back on the original group. Problematic posts could negatively impact a brand or community.
The joining group opens itself up to any negative influences or conflicts from the new group. Toxicity from one group can spillover to the other.
Passionate members of the original group may be upset if the group starts promoting or moving activity to another group.

There is potential for poaching if members prefer the new group over the original, causing a drop in engagement.

Admins must assess if the benefits of joining another group will outweigh these risks based on the nature of each community.

Best practices for a group joining another Facebook group

If a Facebook group has decided it would be beneficial to join another group, here are some best practices:

Have clear reasons for joining and expectations for member interactions
Establish guidelines for how posts will be shared between the groups
Designate specific group admins to manage interactions in the new group

Monitor comments and engagement to watch for any negative impacts
Provide members with optional instructions if they wish to join the new group too
Coordinate with the admin of the group you are joining to resolve any issues

Avoid aggressive cross-posting and only share relevant, quality content

Following group-to-group etiquette will lead to the most productive relationship between the communities.

Example of a group joining another group on Facebook

Here is a hypothetical example of successful group joining:

Group A is for new parents in a specific city
Group B is for parents of young children nationwide
Group A joins Group B to connect with broader discussions

Group A admins monitor Group B posts about local events relevant to members
Group A makes standalone posts introducing its community to Group B
Group A shares Group B content on parenting safety, health, etc. that would benefit its niche group

Group B gains localized perspectives from Group A members

This allows both groups to grow and exchange helpful information while respecting each other’s community rules. Members from both groups can optionally join the other group for direct interactions.

Can individuals join groups that are members of other groups?

Yes, when a group joins another group on Facebook, individual users can also request to join the new group, they are not automatically added as members. Here is how it works:

Group A joins Group B
Members of Group A see the group posting about joining Group B
Interested individual members of Group A can separately request to join Group B

These member requests would be handled the same as any user requesting to join Group B
If approved to join Group B, the individual can participate directly in both groups

So Facebook group members can choose to follow the groups their own groups have joined, expanding their communities further.

Can a group join multiple other groups on Facebook?

Yes, there is no limit on the number of other groups a particular Facebook group can join. A group can submit requests to join as many public and closed groups as its admins choose to.

This allows a group to create a large network of group memberships depending on its goals. For example:

A national industry group joins multiple regional/local groups

A general hobby group joins niche special interest groups
A singles group joins similar groups in nearby cities

Expanding group memberships allows broader audience engagement, more post visibility, and pursuing shared interests with a wide array of communities.

Is there a limit to the number of groups that can join another group?

Facebook does not disclose if there are any limits on how many groups can join a particular group. However, for larger groups it is unlikely they would restrict the number of group join requests.

As long as the group has public or closed membership, it appears any number of other groups can submit requests to join. The admins would then be responsible for vetting and approving incoming requests as they choose.

Groups often thrive when there is more member activity. While too many members can be chaos, most groups aim to continue growing. Therefore accepting requests from multiple joining groups would align with this goal.

Can groups disallow or restrict other groups joining?

Yes, group admins have full control over what type of joining requests they accept. Here are some ways they can restrict group memberships:

Set the group to “Secret” so only individuals can request access
Disable the ability for members to add new members (would prevent a joining group from inviting its members)

Ask screening questions on the join request form to vet groups
Require admin approval for every join request to selectively allow groups
Proactively ban any groups they do not want participating

The group admins can customize these settings based on their comfort level engaging with other groups on the platform.

Should your Facebook group join other groups?

Joining complementary Facebook groups can provide growth opportunities and engagement with wider audiences relevant to your community. But group admins should carefully consider if the benefits outweigh any risks based on:

Your group’s purpose – does expansion align or distract?

Member expectations and preferences
Interest level in the other communities
Available admin resources to facilitate interactions

Likelihood of positive collaborations between the member bases

Continuously monitor the impact after joining another group and leave if it becomes detrimental. Leveraged strategically, group memberships can enhance your Facebook community. But they require oversight to avoid potential pitfalls.

Conclusion

Facebook provides great flexibility for groups to join other groups on the platform. This enables group admins to tap into new audiences and connections that can enrich their communities. While group-to-group memberships should be managed thoughtfully, they present opportunities for advertising your group, coordinating efforts, exchanging resources and more. Groups can develop large networks of joined groups based on their interests. And individual members can further extend their communities by joining the groups their own groups have accessed. Facebook’s group joining capabilities facilitate interaction between related communities when utilized effectively.