When it comes to promoting your business, Facebook groups can be a great way to connect with potential customers and clients. But there’s a big decision you need to make before you start promoting: should your group be private or public? In this blog post, we’ll look at the pros and cons of each type of group, so you can make the right decision for your business.
Public Vs Private Facebook Group
On October 1, 2020, Facebook hosted its Communities Summit and revealed a slew of new features for group pages. Well, the popular social network couldn’t emphasize enough on public groups and how they would be given greater exposure and enabled to generate money in the future.
One study following this looked at group owners and what privacy settings they had chosen.
And, here’s what they found:
- Around 70% of the admins own a private Facebook group
- Around 20% of the admins own a public Facebook group
- Around 10% of the admins own both public and private Facebook groups
Finally, the fact that this poll is a confirmation of a long-standing debate over whether to create a public or private Facebook group.
Not only that, but Facebook has also made things worse! With that in mind, I believe it is now more essential than ever to discuss whether or not to join a public or private Facebook group and put the issue to rest once and for all.
What is the difference between a Public and Private Facebook group?
A Public Facebook group, by its name, is a public group where anyone on Facebook who isn’t a member of the group can easily discover and view:
- The material that members submit, as well as the comments on it,
- The list of group members
- The admin and moderator list is a long one.
- Anyone may engage with and share the material, which adds to its popularity.
However, according to Facebook’s most recent statement, the admin will be able to restrict who can join public groups going forward.
On the other hand, a Private Facebook group does not provide this degree of customization. The site is well-hidden on Google, and non-members may only discover it by searching.
And there’s even more, from the group description and regulations. To view the group’s list of members, the material they’re posting, and sharing, you must first join it.
Furthermore, private groups may be hidden. They are not apparent when searching for them, and the only way to join is via invitation. As a result, you may choose what to communicate and who can see it.
To summarize:
One distinction between a public and a private Facebook group is that the administrator has complete control over members and postings. Simply said, the admin may delete anybody from the group or post at any time.
What are the benefits of a Public and Private Facebook Group?
Let’s take a look at the benefits of starting a public Facebook group.
1. Ease of sharing
Other people outside the group (i.e. non-members) have the option to spread the content they enjoy.
They’re not only connecting with their friends about a particular subject or an amusing meme but also announcing your new Facebook group to the rest of their circle.
2. Wide content reach and impact
Because individuals outside the group can see the material, a post shared on Facebook in a public community has an enormous reach. And as I previously said, sharing directly has a role to play here.
A Quick Reminder: Use hashtags that are relevant to the material you’re sharing in your public group, as this increases the likelihood of people finding your group.
3. Higher chances of growth
When anybody can access the material posted in a public Facebook group and share it, the group’s expansion is more probable.
It all comes down to the material and your group’s goal. If the subject matter fits what a person is searching for, they will undoubtedly join the group, allowing it to develop.
Aside from these advantages, there’s one more thing you should know about a public Facebook group.
Because it is simple to share and guarantees broad exposure, it needs relatively tight moderation. Because you can join in simply by being on your toes, you must be on high alert and make sure that the people joining are not potential spammers.
Why you may want to join a private group
1. Less probability of fake profiles joining in
Unlike a public Facebook group, individuals seeking to join a private Facebook group must first submit an application and complete several questions.
When you’ve completed the assignment, post it to your MyGM Reddit account. The administrator or moderator then scans their profiles and evaluates their responses.
Acceptance is only likely if they believe the profile to be genuine. As a result, spammers will no longer be able to use your services.
2. Exclusivity helps the group grow
After they’ve been granted access, people will be able to discover postings, look at other member profiles, and take part in discussions in a private Facebook group.
It’s this exclusivity that not only piques people’s interests but also draws them in. As a result, they are likely to join your group.
3. Easy to share personal feelings
People are hesitant to openly express their real sentiments and other personal queries.
That’s when a private Facebook group makes things easier.
Conversations that take place in a secret group are only seen and engaged by the group’s members, so no one else can see or participate. As a result, members are more at ease and willing to open up as they feel secure and comfortable.
In reality, private parenting groups provide for non-identifying posting, allowing members to ask and discuss anything without revealing their identity.
Public or Private Facebook Group: Which one should you choose?
It’s actually easy… If you’re going to start a new Facebook group soon, or have already done so and want to get the most exposure and make a big impact in a little amount of time, then you should create a PUBLIC Facebook group.
To not forget, be aware of the talks that are taking place. They should not be personal or confidential.
If you want to share links and discuss specific subjects with other parents, a public group is your best bet.
However, if you’ve established a parenting or pediatricians’ group where a lot of personal information is shared, you should most definitely utilize a PRIVATE Facebook group.
Sure, your group’s reach will be significantly less than that of a public Facebook group, but it will increase over time. All you need are the appropriate methods.
The responsibility for community management is on all the community administrators, who must identify the sort of discussions that occur in the community and then pick a group type. Of course, keep in mind the goal and category.
A group of friends can gather together to share ideas and interests without the stigma or pressures associated with a public group. A private group, on the other hand, is a close-knit community where members may discuss their personal concerns.
Let me now address the most common questions that community leaders have since you’ve already learned a lot about private and public groups.
The most common scenario you’ll encounter is users who are attempting to access a Facebook group that they’re not in, or they’re wanting to join but discover that the privacy settings prohibit them from doing so. They have various options for resolving this issue because there’s no clear explanation as to why the restrictions exist.
Can you change a Public Facebook Group to Private?
If you ever want to change from a public group to a private one, you can simply do so in the settings.
After selecting the desired users, click on “Apply” at the bottom of the page. Select Settings from the drop-down list and then click Change Privacy in the left column of options.
You may make a public group private by clicking the button after you’ve completed your post.
Can you change a Private Facebook Group to Public?
No. I’m not anymore.
However, before May 2020, it was possible for private groups with fewer than 5,000 members.
However, as Facebook (in the first half of this year) announced, the option to convert a group from private to the public has been canceled. This was an attempt to safeguard group members from unwanted exposure.
Previously, administrators had the ability to make their private groups public, which made members uneasy and it was viewed as a privacy violation. For basic reasons that all of their conversations were visible to everyone and they were able to see them all.
To guarantee consistency across all Facebook group types, the social network modified its group settings.
