Facebook groups and Facebook pages serve different purposes on the social media platform. While groups are designed for people to connect around shared interests, pages represent businesses, brands, organizations, and public figures. So can a Facebook page join a Facebook group? The short answer is yes, Facebook pages can join groups under certain circumstances.
Facebook Groups vs. Facebook Pages
First, it’s important to understand the key differences between Facebook groups and pages:
- Groups are for people to share content and discuss topics. They are communities created by individual users.
- Pages represent entities like businesses, brands, celebrities, causes etc. They are managed by admins but are visible to the public.
- Groups are closed spaces that need approval to join. Pages are open to anyone to view or follow.
- Groups allow members to post content. Pages’ posts come from page admins.
- Groups offer a forum for discussion. Pages broadcast information out unidirectionally.
In summary, groups are for connecting people while pages are for interacting with brands/organizations. Members take an active role in groups while pages have passive followers.
Can a Facebook Page Join a Group?
Yes, Facebook pages can join groups. However, group admins must first allow pages to join their group. Here are the steps:
- The group admin goes to Settings > Group Settings > Membership Approval.
- Under “Who can join this group?”, they check the box for “Pages”.
- Now pages can request to join the group like any user profile. The admin then approves or denies the request.
Once allowed to join, a Facebook page functions similarly to a user profile in the group:
- The page name and profile picture appear as the member.
- The page can post content, comment, react, and participate in discussions.
- Other group members can tag or message the page.
However, pages cannot be made group admins or moderators.
Why Would a Page Join a Group?
There are a few reasons why a Facebook page may want to join a group:
- Monitoring discussions – Pages can join groups in their industry or niche to stay on top of relevant conversations.
- Making announcements – Some company pages join customer groups to directly share news about sales, events, new products etc.
- Customer service – Pages can provide real-time support and address concerns in customer groups.
- Market research – Pages can join groups to get feedback from their target audience for improvement.
- Promotion – Pages occasionally join groups to get additional visibility and exposure to potential new followers.
Joining relevant groups allows pages to connect with their audience in a more engaging community setting.
Best Practices for Pages Joining Groups
While pages can technically join groups, doing so effectively requires some strategic thought. Here are some best practices for pages to succeed in groups:
- Join groups highly relevant to the page topic to properly engage the audience.
- Adapt messaging style to the informal nature of groups versus pages.
- Add value to discussions by sharing expertise rather than only promotions.
- Follow group rules and avoid overly self-promotional behavior.
- Participate consistently instead of joining just to post announcements.
- Leverage groups to gather audience insights to improve the Facebook page itself.
- Thank group admins for allowing pages to join and participating in their community.
Limitations for Pages in Groups
While pages can join groups, they do face some restrictions a regular user profile does not:
- Pages cannot be made a group admin or moderator.
- Pages typically need approval from a group admin to join a group.
- Pages have limited analytics on group performance compared to their main page.
- Pages can be banned from groups for overly promotional behavior.
- Pages cannot create groups, only user profiles can.
Due to these limitations, while groups can be a helpful tool pages should view them as a secondary platform to their main page itself.
Groups for Different Page Categories
Certain types of pages can benefit more from joining groups than others:
Business Pages
Local business pages can engage community groups related to their location. Brands and companies can join enthusiast groups aligned with their industry.
Product/Service Pages
These pages can connect directly with users in product support and user groups to share tips and address issues.
Organization Pages
Nonprofit, school, church, and other organization pages can build closer connections in local community groups.
Artist/Entertainer Pages
Celebrity pages can leverage fan groups. Bands, comedians and public figures can join groups for their type of entertainment.
Politician Pages
Political candidate pages engage voters in election-related groups. Elected official pages address constituent concerns in regional groups.
Identifying relevant groups aligned with the page focus is key for effectively utilizing groups as a page admin.
Comparison of Posting from a Profile vs. Page
Posting in a group from a personal profile is different than posting as a page. Here is a quick comparison:
| Profile | Page |
|---|---|
| Posts appear informally from the individual | Posts appear officially on behalf of the brand/entity |
| Can post more organically and casually | Messaging should typically be more professional |
| Often seeks to connect with other members | Seeks to connect members back to the outside page |
| Might share personal experiences related to the group | Shares industry expertise and content |
In general, profiles have more flexibility while pages participate in groups in a more strategic, branded manner on behalf of their organization.
Using a Profile AND Page Together
Some social media managers join groups with their personal profile in addition to their managed pages. This allows them to:
- Monitor group discussions individually before responding officially as the page.
- Join groups the page itself has not been approved to join yet.
- Get a feel for the group culture before introducing the page.
Having both a profile and page in a group can provide useful insight. The profile can function as the eyes and ears while the page is the mouthpiece.
Potential Issues with Pages Joining Groups
While pages joining groups can provide benefits, some potential downsides exist as well:
- Too many pages joining groups can make the environment feel overly promotional.
- Pages may be viewed as interlopers rather than genuine members of the group community.
- Excessive announcements and promotional content from pages may compromise group discussions.
- Pages with a strong branding presence can distract from the personal nature of groups.
- If pages do not follow group rules carefully, they risk being banned.
Page admins should take care to avoid these issues when participating in groups. Contributing value without takeover group conversations is key.
Creating a Group FOR a Page
Rather than a page joining an existing group, another option is for a page to create its own associated group. Benefits of this include:
- The page fully controls the rules, members, and discussions within their own group.
- Customers and fans can congregate in an official community overseen by the page.
- The page drives the narrative and messaging within their branded group space.
For active pages with engaged followings, creating a dedicated group can provide focused connections with core audiences.
Conclusion
Facebook pages can join groups to connect with target audiences in relevant communities. This allows pages to monitor conversations, make announcements, address feedback, and provide an additional channel beyond their main page. However, pages must follow group guidelines, contribute value, and avoid overly promotional behavior. With strategic participation, leveraging groups can provide pages greater insights and engagement with their core fans and customers.