Facebook now lets you join groups using your business’s page.
It seems like a small change, but the implications are huge — you can now join a local group using your business’s page.
Here is Facebook’s statement on the change:
We’ve heard from people that engaging with public figures, non-profits, publishers, and businesses in a more intimate setting can be meaningful. We previously launched the ability for Pages to start Facebook Groups so that they can engage with their communities. We are now testing the ability for Pages to join existing Facebook Groups as well.
That means you might have the chance to talk to people about wealth management (advisors) and retirement income strategies (agents) in an intimate forum. You won’t have to rely on paid or organic posts all the time. You can generate exposure and build your brand in a new way. You’ll be able to take your message directly to your local Rotary Club or PTA. That’s just the beginning, too. You’ll be able to use your page in many ways that you could only previously use your personal page—that is, you can speak through your professional persona when you’re talking to groups about wealth management and insurance-related topics. That is, as long as you’re welcome in a particular Facebook Group. Which brings us to our next point…
Use good online etiquette and good sense.
Remember, when you’re posting in a Facebook group, you need to adhere to many of the same rules you’d adhere to in a professional setting. Everything is the same from a compliance standpoint. You need to make sure, when you’re posting something, that you’re using the correct account — don’t post personal updates to a group under your business page’s byline. If you use common sense, I’m sure you’ll do fine, but don’t be afraid to ask questions if you need to. That’s what we’re here for!
Advisors and producers joining Facebook Groups is huge for our advisors who have local groups in their community where they may find valuable and/or desirable prospects that they want to get in front of. This would allow them to request to join a group and then join in discussions if accepted and subtly promote their business as their business. We have had several conversations recently with advisors asking the best way to post messages and reach people in these groups and until now, joining with their personal profile was the only way to do this. Obviously if they join a group as their business page, they are going to want to make sure they have a very strong social and online presence to support their credibility.