Connecting with people is easier than ever thanks to social media platforms like Facebook. Facebook groups make it simple to find and interact with people who share your interests. Once you’ve built a community in a Facebook group, you may want to take those connections to the next level by creating a Messenger group.
A Messenger group allows for more personal and real-time communication between group members. You can easily message the entire group at once, share photos/videos, coordinate events, or just have an ongoing conversation. It’s a great way to strengthen the bonds within an existing Facebook group.
If you manage or participate in a Facebook group that you think would benefit from a Messenger group, it only takes a few steps to set one up. This article will walk you through everything you need to know to create a Messenger group from a Facebook group.
Should I Create a Messenger Group?
Here are some of the key advantages of Messenger groups compared to Facebook groups:
– More personal connections – Messenger facilitates more intimate conversations and stronger relationships between people.
– Improved coordination – Messenger groups make it easy to coordinate real-world events, meetings, carpools, and more.
– Enhanced communication – Messenger allows you to communicate in real-time with all group members simultaneously.
– Greater privacy – Messenger groups provide more privacy than Facebook groups, which are open to all group members.
– Fun features – Messenger has tons of fun features like polls, chat themes, nicknames, hands-free voice messaging, and more.
So if your Facebook group could benefit from any of those enhanced features, creating a Messenger group is likely a great idea. It takes your community engagement to the next level.
Some examples of Facebook groups that work well with Messenger groups include:
– Local community groups (neighbors, parents, hobbyists)
– Professional networking groups
– Project teams
– Event or conference attendees
– Classmates
– Sports teams
– Nonprofit volunteers
– And many more!
The more active your Facebook group is, the more a Messenger group can help strengthen those relationships.
Step 1 – Get Approval from Group Members
The first step is making sure there is interest within your Facebook group for creating a Messenger group. Since Messenger groups are more private, you’ll need members to opt-in.
There are a few ways you can gauge interest:
– Create a poll post asking who would join a Messenger group. This gives you a rough estimate of interest.
– Make an announcement post explaining your idea for a Messenger group and ask members to comment or react if they would join it.
– Send individual messages to active group members asking if they would participate in a Messenger group.
Ideally, you want at least 5-10 engaged people to help get a Messenger group started. If your Facebook group is very large, the Messenger group will realistically only attract a smaller subset of members. And that’s okay!
Once you have confirmed interest from enough group members, it’s time to move forward with creating the Messenger group.
Step 2 – Create the Messenger Group
To create a Messenger group directly from your Facebook group:
1. Go to your Facebook group page
2. Click on the Members tab to view group members
3. Select the checkbox next to each member you want to add to the Messenger group
4. Click on the pulldown icon above the member list and select “Message”
5. This will open a new Messenger group with those members
6. Give the Messenger group a name and optional photo
7. Type a first message explaining the purpose of the group
8. Click send and your Messenger group is ready to go!
You can immediately start adding more members to the group by selecting “Add People” at the top. This will let you choose anyone else from your Facebook friends or group members to add.
Messenger Group Name & Photo
When creating your new Messenger group, take a minute to think of a good name and add a photo. This gives your group a unique identity and makes it more recognizable.
The name should capture the purpose or members of the group. For example, a Messenger group from a Facebook book club could be named “Our Book Club Chat Group”.
Using the same profile photo from your Facebook group helps visually connect the two. But you can also upload any new photo that represents the Messenger group.
A customized name and photo may seem minor, but it goes a long way in helping members identify with the group!
Step 3 – Invite More Members
Once your Messenger group is created, you can invite additional members by:
– Tapping “Add People” at the top of the Messenger group
– Selecting contacts to add
– Tapping “Send Invite” after selecting desired members
New members will receive a notification inviting them to join the group. They can simply click “Join Group” to be added.
Here are some tips for building up your Messenger group membership:
– Announce the group in a post to your Facebook group and share the join link. Include instructions for how to accept the invite.
– Individually message engaged Facebook group members inviting them to join.
– Ask existing Messenger group members to add relevant contacts.
– Slowly build membership – start with your most active Facebook members first.
– Set a goal for your first month (e.g. 25 members) and celebrate hitting milestones.
Be strategic and patient in adding members. Having too many people join at once can overwhelm a new Messenger group. Build a solid foundation first.
Step 4 – Engage Members in the Messenger Group
Once your Messenger group is up and running, focus on driving great engagement and conversations within the group. Here are some tips:
– Start discussions frequently by posting open-ended questions members can weigh in on.
– Share interesting articles, images, or videos relevant to the group.
– Ask members to post updates like accomplishments, events, requests for advice, etc.
– Organize real world meetups through the group then follow up with photos.
– Poll members for opinions on group-related decisions.
– Create a weekly “highlight” where different members are featured.
– Wish members a happy birthday or congratulate big life events.
– Maintain a warm, casual tone to encourage participation.
– Thank people for their contributions and react to their posts.
Fostering personal connections and high-quality discussions is key to a thriving Messenger community! An active, engaging admin can set the tone.
Messenger Group Rules & Admins
As your Messenger group grows, establish some basic rules to maintain a friendly environment. For example:
– No bullying, hate speech, or discrimination.
– Keep topics relevant to the group’s purpose.
– Respect differing opinions.
– No spamming the group.
You can also assign 1-2 other co-admins to help manage the group. Admin privileges allow members to add people, change settings, and remove members if necessary.
Clear rules and active admins will create a welcoming, well-run Messenger community.
Step 5 – Bridge the Facebook & Messenger Experiences
Don’t forget about your original Facebook group just because you now have an affiliated Messenger group. Find ways to build synergies between the two platforms.
Here are some ideas for continuing to bridge the groups:
– Cross-post important Messenger group updates to the Facebook group when relevant to all members.
– Let your Facebook group know about meetups organized through Messenger so anyone can join.
– Share Messenger group photos/recaps in the Facebook group after in-person events.
– Ask people to join the Messenger group in relevant Facebook group discussions.
– Run polls in both places to compare results from the different member bases.
– Find Facebook content (news articles, videos, etc) to share and discuss in more depth in Messenger.
Taking advantage of the unique benefits of both groups creates more value for members and builds your overall community.
Make it easy for people to transition between the platforms while highlighting why joining the Messenger group takes connections to the next level.
Conclusion
Messenger groups are a great way to foster closer connections and more personalized interactions within an existing Facebook group community.
The process of creating one is straightforward – gauge interest, create the group with core members, build up your membership, drive engaging discussions, and integrate with your Facebook group.
Focus on adding value for members through exclusive coordination opportunities, enhanced communication tools, and relationship-building activities.
A Messenger group breathes new energy into your Facebook group relationships. Use the tips in this article to create one successfully from any active Facebook community.