Networking and How to be Seen When Interacting in Facebook Groups

Try to answer this! How many Facebook groups are you a member of? Come up with a rough number. Got it? Okay, now how many of these Facebook groups are you active in?

The answer could be either that you are consistently engaging with people or you are only a member of the group with almost zero activity. I would say most of the answers would lean towards the second option, and that’s okay. Although, so many of us are not taking full advantage of the networking possibilities that are right there waiting for us, and that’s such a shame! Facebook groups are amazing for creating connections with people, being part of a community where you can meet like-minded, but also for promoting your services. Let’s break it down to 5 tips on how to become more visible and active in the Facebook groups.

Give value to those who ask questions 

Value is always super important! You won’t help anyone if you just comment emoji or one-word answer. Try to keep it relevant, but also valuable. There are tens of people asking questions every day, seeking help or opinions from others. If you want to be more active, offer your point of view or your opinion on the question asked. Being active is usually not about giving details on your services or what you do, but about creating a genuine connection and using your expertise to help others. People will appreciate your input and will acknowledge you as an expert on certain topics.

Post regularly in the groups with questions/fun topics and with a good CTA

Stay consistent. Put into your calendar a specific time that is blocked for your Facebook engagement. Even if it’s only 20 minutes a day, go into the group and comment on others’ posts or post something yourself. It could be asking questions that you want other people’s opinions on or just bring up a topic that can start a discussion. Let it be fun and creative, don’t limit yourself, and you’ll see that even random topics can start interesting conversations. Also in each of your posts, challenge people to do something, for example, prompt them to start a new habit with you and keep each other accountable. CTA is helping to direct people somewhere or to give them the next step for the topic you brought up. 

Along with those posts – add branded photos of you to grab attention from other posts

Have you ever wondered why is everyone in the groups posting mainly images with captions instead of just regular posts? Attention! If you put two posts next to each other, one with a picture and one with only a text which one will catch your eye first? Of course the one with a picture. Visuals can always help our imagination, grab our attention and therefore, many people like to use the images even though they are unrelated to the post. What you could and should do is to add branded photos of you to grab attention from other posts and stand out. No random picture, but a professional picture of you will catch everyone’s eye and stand out from all the other ones. People are more likely to read and engage with posts like this because they can see who they are talking with and engaging with. 

Share your story and your WHY for becoming a VA or Freelancer

The Facebook groups that are related to what you do and that are full of like-minded people, are a very inspiring place even if you’re only starting to set up your business. It’s a community of people who shares all their ups and downs, wins, and losses together. You can read about all the stories behind their businesses, but also about the things and situations that they’ve experienced. If you achieve something, they are celebrating with you and if something doesn’t work out, they will cheer you up and support you. It’s truly special how the Facebook group can become a part of your daily routine. 

Don’t just read stories of other people, contribute with your story. Tell them why you started your business and how you got to the decision of working remotely. By sharing your story, you might encourage others to pursue their dream career or to inspire them to not be afraid to keep on going and never giving up. There are always people who can relate to your story and see that they are not alone. Working remotely can get lonely sometimes, and that’s why it’s important to be part of the community that you feel comfortable sharing your story with. Find yours and it will definitely make a big difference in your business.

As ALWAYS – be sure to follow the community guidelines

No negotiation here! If you join the group, you are most likely asked to fill up a few questions first and agree to group rules. These group rules and community guidelines are there for a reason, and if you ignore them, you can be thrown out of the group. Make sure your posts are aligned with the rules and you don’t just self-promote yourself if it’s not allowed. The community is about sharing the same values and being on the same page. If you feel like you are looking for a platform where you want to ONLY promote yourself, you should choose a different place to do it.

Conclusion

Facebook group communities are one of the best things that can happen to you and your business. Staying connected with like-minded people who are there for you in good and bad times sounds serious, but it’s so true in the best possible way!

I encourage you to go to one of the FB groups that you are a member of and add a post with your branded picture. You can ask for a piece of advice, opinion, or ask fun questions to start a conversation going. It doesn’t cost you anything and you can only gain some positives like connecting with new people and getting a second pair of eyes to look at whatever you need help with. Be consistent in your interaction and I can guarantee you that you will gain some new friends and maybe even find some new clients!