Facebook groups are an effective way to promote your blog, products or services.
There is a Facebook group for about everything under the sun.
If you are going to promote in Facebook groups, you need to learn the ropes…
There are many ways to promote in Facebook groups and some are FAR MORE effective than others.
Step 1 for Promoting in Facebook Groups
Find a Targeted Group! ?
A group of diverse bloggers for example is not the place to promote a lifestyle blog or a blog on other topics that aren’t related to bloggers.
For example, putting a link to your recipe blog in a group full of all sorts of different bloggers is going to get you less than stellar results.
Bloggers want blogging help not your recipes.
In a group targeted at bloggers, you would promote things that help other bloggers, things to help them see an increase in earnings, traffic, etc.
It amazes me the number of groups for bloggers (and other topics) that aren’t targeted to start with.
They just open the group to bloggers and let them post their link into Facebook space for no reason with no direction.. talk about a waste of time and effort!
Here’s an example for you..
You have a blog on a specific kind of diet (paleo, vegan, low carb, high fat, whatever) — You want to find a group with people who are following this diet, you don’t want to post your links in a group full of other bloggers.
Why? Because they aren’t your target market – that’s why!
You want to find dieters who are interested in the information you have and a group where you can give relevant feedback that has to do with your blog topic.
No random group of bloggers is going to help you much with that.
When I see these groups full of bloggers just posting their links all over the place in these groups it’s like a bunch of people running around with flags that say,“Look At Me!!”
No one really looks at anyone for the most part.
It’s a selfish act of link dropping with no real target audience watching at all.
You may get a small handful of people interested in what you have to offer, but I doubt it will amount to much of anything.
Step 2 for Promoting in Facebook Groups
So you have found a group targeted to your niche.
Now what?
First of course find the rules and read them and make sure to abide by them.
You can’t do much of anything if you get kicked out.
Some groups allow zero promotion. Others aren’t quite as strict. Find the one that works for you.
Groups with 500 billion rules tend to turn me off, it’s not that I want to spam the place but I don’t want to walk on eggshells all the time either.
Do not go into a new group you just joined and just drop your link. ?
Do not solicit the group members at all. This is just tacky, not to mention it’s not effective. No one knows you yet. There is no trust or relationship built. You may get a few bites, but it’s not going to sustain you.
We have had this happen on occasion in our Pajama Affiliates Mastermind Facebook group.
Some one will come in and drop their link and never engage once.
That’s Spam and it’s annoying. ?
Examples of what not to do to promote in Facebook groups:
- The illusive solicitation: Someone posts something along the lines of “lose 20 pounds in a week, or make $1000 bucks in a day!”
They comment “interested or send me a pm” or something along those lines?
You may get a few bites, but nothing to sustain you.
You will build a lot more trust with people if you are transparent in what you are offering and only offering it in relevant situations.
People who come in and link drop are being disrespectful to the owner of the group especially!
Staying on the good side of the admins and moderators is good practice. Building a relationship with them is even better.
A TIP worth mentioning to be on the lookout for groups where the moderators and admins are actively present and participating, leading by example!
Good Leaders are important, I could preach all day on the leadership that it takes to run a drama-free, targeted group for bloggers.
- Flat out link dropping: Throwing your latest blog post and asking for likes, comments or shares, NOT COOL. If everyone in a group did this, can you image? Not effective.
The Proper Way to Promote In Facebook Groups
- Post helpful comments in areas you know about!
- Build genuine relationships with the other members!
- Add members as friends that you resonate or feel a connection with (not just any Tom, Dick or Harry)
- Post your link if it offers a solution to the topic being discussed (again if allowed)
- Don’t always post your link, there’s a balance – you should be offering more helpful advice than links (when you’re new to a group especially)
*The above will be elaborated on in detail with very effective tips in our new course, The Sales Connection (Coming SOON!)
The bottom line is when you are in a group, show up and stay in the room.
- Participate.
- Offer value.
- Be respectful.
This may seem like a slower road, but unlike the link dropping, what’s in it for me road, trying to get get get, it WILL sustain you.
The high road is one that the creepy, crawling things of the world can’t reach!
Long term satisfaction over instant gratification.
I am not a fan.
Don’t waste your time.
You should be out building great content that gets shared naturally because it’s awesome. (pss.. we teach you how to do that)
Guess what a group known for promo days is predominately filled with?
People who are there for the sole purpose of self promotion.
They don’t care about you, your blog… they just want you to share theirs. ?
Just like you probably don’t care much about theirs?
I can speak from experience here. We had a share thread in our Mastermind group and when we took it away there were quite a few bloggers that we never saw again, they were only there for the shares.
Sad too, because we have a ton of value in that group for those who want to learn, grow and create great content that gets shared without force.
I have just scratched the surface here on Promoting in Facebook groups, whether it be your blog, services, products, (yours or affiliate products) – you have got to be targeted and relevant!
In the Sales Connection Course, we break this down and go into some pretty deep detail of what works to get you more exposure and ultimately money from Facebook Groups without being annoying or spammy.
Nice article. Thanks. I’m curious if we have to add a statement about an affiliate link if we post a blog that has advertising. Do you happen to know?
Yes you do, you have to disclose that its an affiliate link and you will receive compensation if they buy anything through it.