Making a question mandatory for members to answer before posting in a Facebook group can be a useful way to gather specific information or screen potential members. Here are some quick answers about how to make a question mandatory:
– You need to be a group admin or moderator to make a question mandatory. Only admins can edit group settings.
– Go to your group’s settings and select “Membership Approval” > “Questions members must answer to join”
– Type in your desired question and click “Save Changes”
– New members will now have to answer the question before their request to join is approved
– Existing members won’t have to answer the new mandatory question unless they leave and rejoin the group
Step-by-Step Guide
Here is a more detailed step-by-step guide to making a question mandatory in a Facebook group:
1. Navigate to Group Settings
As a group admin or moderator, go to your group’s main page and click on the “Settings” link in the upper right corner next to the Search bar.
2. Click on Membership Approval
In the left sidebar of the Settings page, click on “Membership Approval”. This is where you can configure questions for members to answer when joining.
3. Enable Question Requirement
Under the “Membership Approval” section, toggle the switch on next to “Require members to answer membership questions”. This enables the membership question feature.
4. Add Your Question
In the “Questions members must answer to join” text box, type your desired mandatory question. For example, you could ask “Why do you want to join our group?”.
Aim for questions that will screen members or provide useful info. Keep questions brief and clear.
5. Save the Changes
After typing your mandatory membership question, click “Save Changes” at the bottom of the page to make it active.
6. Have New Members Answer
Once enabled, all new member requests to join your group will have to answer the mandatory question before their request is approved.
Existing members will not have to answer the new question unless they leave your group and attempt to rejoin later.
And that’s it! With these steps, you can require new members in your Facebook group to answer a specific question before their membership is approved.
Tips
Here are some additional tips when making a question mandatory in your Facebook group:
Proofread your question
Make sure the wording and intent of your mandatory question is clear. Proofread your question before enabling it.
Change the question when needed
Don’t be afraid to change or update your membership question in the future if you want to screen members differently.
Automatically approve friends of members
Consider enabling the setting to automatically approve join requests from friends of existing members. This will exempt those connections from needing to answer your mandatory question.
Personalize for useful info
Ask for info you actually want to collect, like member locations, expertise, interests, etc. This provides useful data about members.
Mention the requirement upfront
In your group description, note that members will need to answer a question upon joining so it’s expected.
Enable member reviews
Use member reviews in tandem with a mandatory question to further screen members before accepting them.
Example Mandatory Questions
Here are some example mandatory membership questions to consider for your Facebook group:
For a local group:
– Where are you located?
– How long have you lived in [city]?
– What neighborhood or part of town are you from?
For a profession/industry group:
– What is your current job title and company?
– How long have you worked in [industry]?
– What special skills or experience do you have in [profession]?
For enthusiasts of a topic:
– How did you first get interested in [topic]?
– What’s your favorite aspect of [topic]?
– How long have you been a fan of [topic]?
To screen members:
– Why do you want to join our community?
– How do you plan to contribute to our group?
– Have you been a member of any similar communities before?
Mandatory Question Examples
Here are some full examples of effective mandatory membership questions:
For a local gardening club:
What parts of the city do you usually garden in? This helps identify members by location.
For a software engineers group:
What programming languages and frameworks have you worked with? This screens applicant’s skills.
For a book club:
What are your top 3 favorite books and authors? This provides useful literary context.
For a social club:
Briefly tell us about yourself and what you’re looking to get out of this community. This vets members’ intentions.
Alternatives to Mandatory Questions
While making a question mandatory is a good option, here are a couple alternatives to consider as well:
Optional membership questions
You can still add membership questions without making them required. This allows collecting useful info without mandating it.
Member surveys
Consider posting an optional member survey periodically to learn about your existing members over time after joining.
Interviews upon request to join
Personally interviewing interested members before approving their requests can be time consuming but thorough.
Screen with group rules/description
Clearly outline the group purpose, rules, and requirements in your description to set expectations upfront.
Pros and Cons
Here is an overview of some of the key pros and cons to weigh when considering requiring a membership question:
Pros:
– Vets members and moderates noise
– Collects useful information about members
– Sets clear expectations for joining
– Encourages relevance by making members reflect before joining
Cons:
– Extra friction/steps to join
– Need to manually approve each new member
– Existing members unaffected unless rejoining
– Adds admin workload reviewing answers
Conclusion
Requiring new members to answer a question before joining your Facebook group can be an effective way to screen applicants and set expectations.
Craft your mandatory question carefully, making it brief but informative. Update the question periodically if needed to gather fresh insights into members.
Also consider using optional questions or surveys to complement a single mandatory question. Weigh the pros and cons before enabling the requirement.
With strategic use of mandatory membership questions, you can better curate members while learning about your community.