How to promote a startup? Try Facebook groups

For quite a while, Facebook’s algorithm has favored the content that sparked heated debates and enabled valuable exchange of ideas. That’s why Facebook groups are one of the answers when asking: how to promote a startup? Posts with extended discussion threads stand out and not surprisingly, catch marketers’ attention. There is an unexpected gain connected with genuine and positive feelings resulting from interpersonal relationships in groups that often translate into positive relationships toward your brand.

You can leverage this in two ways – by running your own Facebook group or by contributing to other people’s groups. Here is how.

We already mentioned that social media are one of the most effective ways to promote a startup in the previous post of this series. Now we will focus on just one of the channels – Facebook, and more specifically, the groups available on it.

How to promote a startup? Create your own Facebook group

Group types

Before you take on yet another channel of communication, think about its scope and how it will stand out from your other channels. There are several conventions that your group can adopt. Some ideas include:

• Customer service hub – if you see this as a potential, a group on FB can become your FAQ database. Anyone looking for help will be able to get it from you or another group member here.
• A tool for startup development and improvement – in a group you can describe new features, invite to beta tests, collect information about bugs and explain new features. There’s nothing better than a well- crowd and involved in the final shape of the product.
• A platform for discussion on industry topics – the feeling of belonging to a given industry, the opportunity to ask questions and have informal discussions are the most common reasons why people join Facebook groups. That is why this form is one of the most popular on Facebook. It will allow you to establish a dialogue with your audience, as well as shape your desired image.

Remember to greet

If all is well, genuine viewers will regularly appear in your group. Make sure you have welcoming posts that will introduce you and familiarize the viewer with the theme of the group. Use your posts to reiterate expectations, remind rules and regulations and acknowledge new users with basic code of conduct. This will show your commitment and increase the chances of group members to show initiative on their own in the future. A useful tip: in your welcome post, tag individuals with their @name so they will receive a dedicated notification.

Find the golden mean

A Facebook group is a place for your fans. If your audience is naturally active and engaged, don’t overly dictate the direction for discussion. If not – assume the role of a benevolent leader who provides support when needed, passes on needed knowledge or asks an inspiring question.

Give away something extra

Your fans are in your group for a reason. They may be interested in your product, your industry, or maybe they don’t want to fall out of the information loop. By providing them with exclusive content, you multiply these reasons. E-books, networking sessions, invitations to events, giveaways, or Q&A with a special guest are all benefits that will convince them to visit your group regularly.

Don’t forget to promote the group

Promotion will help you reach a larger number of interested people. Add links to the group on various platforms – maybe you can convince someone in your industry to share information about the group with them? Don’t forget to link your group to your website and invite your fans to join. Run a Facebook ad promoting your group and invite your mailing list.

How to promote a startup? Become active on other Facebook groups

Post as an individual

Did you know that people are 16 times more likely to read a post made by another person than by a brand? That’s why it’s good to find groups where you will be contributing privately. Important: don’t forget to include information about your connection to the startup on your Facebook profile. You can do this in many ways, as a public timeline post, a workplace update, or a background photo. We give our word that if you participate in interesting discussions, people will look at your profile and learn about your business that way.

Learn to read between the lines

How to promote a startup without being a spammer? There are many ways to inform people about your startup without using advertising language. For example, many people would be much more likely to respond to a question asking for feedback than to a sales-type post. The side effect will be interested in your product.

Enrich other people’s discussions

Don’t limit your activity to writing posts. Participate in discussions conducted by other members of the group. Share your knowledge and experience – talk about interesting blogs, events, books. Not only will you get noticed, but you will also build an image of an expert that others will remember in due time. Participating in discussions is also a way to build interesting, future-oriented relationships – including business ones.

How to promote a startup – summary

Facebook groups are dynamic and that just knowing the rules and good practices is not enough. Use the trial-and-error method to check what works. Be creative and consistent, and with time you will notice what brings the best results.

Read also: How to promote a startup? Our ideas.

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