Facebook groups are a great way to connect with people who share similar interests and build community. One key part of managing a Facebook group is inviting new members to join. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to invite people to your Facebook group.
Pre-requisites for Inviting Members to a Facebook Group
Before you can start inviting people to your Facebook group, there are a few pre-requisites:
- You must be an admin or moderator of the Facebook group. Only admins and moderators can invite members.
- Your Facebook group privacy setting must be set to public or private. You cannot invite members to a closed group that requires admin approval.
- People you want to invite must have a Facebook account.
Find People to Invite
Here are some ways you can find and select people to invite to your Facebook group:
Invite Facebook Friends
One easy way is to invite your existing Facebook friends. To do this:
- Go to your Facebook group.
- Click on Members in the left sidebar.
- Click Invite Members at the top.
- In the Invite box that pops up, type the names of friends you want to invite.
- Select names from the drop-down list that appears.
- Click Send Invites.
Invite Friends to Like Your Facebook Page
If your group has an associated Facebook page, you can invite friends to like the page. On the page, click on the Invite button and select friends to invite.
Invite People Who Have Shown Interest
Check the list of people who have liked, commented on or shared your Facebook page or group posts. These people have already shown interest so are good to invite.
Invite Members of Related Groups
Find and join related groups. Engage with members by liking and commenting. Once you build a connection, invite engaged members to your own group.
Invite Contacts and Upload List
Under Invite Members, select Contacts to invite your phone and email contacts who are on Facebook. Or, upload a list of contacts by selecting CSV file.
Customize Invite Message
When inviting members, you can customize the invite message they receive. Here’s how:
- Go to your Facebook group.
- Click Members > Invite Members.
- Type a name to select the member to invite.
- Before hitting enter to send the invite, click Customize invite under the name field.
- Edit the invite message how you want.
- Click Send Invite when ready.
Some things to include in your customized message:
- A warm, friendly greeting with the person’s name.
- 1-2 sentences on what the group is about and why you think they would benefit from joining.
- Instructions to accept invite and how to find the group.
- Thank them and say you hope to see them in the group.
Invite Button on Facebook Page
If your Facebook group has an associated page, add an Invite button to the page to drive invites. Here’s how to add the button:
- Go to your Facebook page.
- Click on the Add Button dropdown.
- Click Invite.
- Select Invite to Group.
- Choose which group people get invited to.
- Click Save.
The Invite button will now be on your Facebook page. When people click it, a pop-up will allow them to invite friends to like the page and join the group.
Invite People to Events
Hold events tied to your Facebook group either online or in person. On the event page or registration form, include options for people to join the associated group.
Share Link to Have People Ask to Join
You can share a direct link for people to ask to join your public or private Facebook group:
- Go to your group’s About section.
- Click on the 3 dots next to the group name.
- Select Share Group Link.
- Copy link or click Share Link to share on your page or profile.
When people click the link, they can ask to join the group. As an admin, you will still have to approve their request before they can become members.
Run Ads Targeting Potential Members
You can create Facebook ads and target them towards people who may be interested in joining your group based on demographic and interest factors. Send traffic from ads to your group or page Invite button.
Make Existing Members Admins
Tap into your current members to help grow your group. Give trusted members admin access so they can also invite their contacts. Expand your reach.
Invite New Members Frequently
Don’t just invite people once. Have a consistent recruiting process in place. Set a reminder to check your member list, Invite button analytics, and find new outreach opportunities on a regular basis.
Follow Up with Members
Don’t stop once you have invited someone. Follow up to see if they received the invite and need any help accepting it. Send reminders to inactive members to re-engage with the group.
Send Quick Group Updates
As an admin, you can send email updates to members who have allowed it. Use this to share quick group announcements, reminders, links, and prompts to boost engagement.
Make it Easy to Share and Invite
Add “Invite a Friend” buttons and prompts throughout your Facebook group. The easier you make it to invite, the more shares you will get.
Offer Incentives to Invite
Run contests and offers an incentive like a special role, badge, or discount code when members invite friends to the group. Sweeten the deal.
Stay on Top of Group Invite Notifications
As invites and requests roll in, stay on top of managing notifications and accepting requests in a timely manner. Don’t leave people hanging.
Say Thank You
Let new members know how excited you are to have them part of the group. Personally welcome new members and thank existing members who invite their friends.
Review Group Analytics
Check your Facebook group analytics to see how you are doing inviting new members. Track growth over time. See where members are coming from. Optimize based on insights.
Don’t Spam or Harass
While you want to be persistent in inviting, don’t spam people’s feeds or direct messages. Make sure you have permission and invite only those likely to be interested.
Make Joining Easy
On your group landing page, share a clear overview of the group, benefits of joining, and easy call-to-action buttons to request joining. Reduce friction.
Promote Your Group
Spread the word outside Facebook too. Share your group on your website, email lists, other social networks, and offline. Expand reach through cross promotion.
Conclusion
Inviting members is critical to building a thriving Facebook group. Use a multi-channel approach to reach interested people where they are already active online. Customize outreach and follow up to drive higher acceptance rates. Analyze results and double down on what works best. With a steady invite strategy, your Facebook group will continue to grow and engage members.
| Invitation Method | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Invite Facebook Friends | Easy way to tap existing network, higher acceptance rate since they know you | Limited to your direct friend network |
| Invite contacts and upload lists | Quickly scale reach, invite existing connections | Lower acceptance if contacts don’t know or trust you |
| Invite people who have shown interest | They are already engaged so likely to join | Smaller pool of people |
| Share group link | Easy for you, lets other ask to join | Lower acceptance since you are passive, still need admin approval |
| Run Facebook ads | Targets interested people, scales reach | Costs money to run ads |