Should my Church have a Facebook Group?
Your church probably has a Facebook Page... but does it have a Group?
We're going to talk about why Facebook Groups are such a powerful tool for churches and how you can use them for increasing engagement with your people. But... before we dive into them, let's first talk about what Facebook Groups are and how they compare to Pages.
Facebook Pages VS Facebook Groups
According to Facebook, "Facebook Pages enable public figures, businesses, organizations and other entities to create an authentic and public presence on Facebook". In many ways, a Facebook Page for ministries is like a church webpage. It's where people can learn about your ministry and see announcements.
A Facebook Group is a place designed for small group communication. It's a forum where people can talk about a common interest, ask questions, and more! When it comes to getting church members active and engaged... it's really hard to beat Facebook Groups.
Why your church should have a Facebook Group
Most of your people are already on Facebook
The majority of your church people have a Facebook account already. Rather than reinventing the wheel and trying to get your people on some other messaging/social platform, choose the one that they're already on and know how to use.
Facebook prioritizes Groups over Pages in the feed
In 2019, Facebook made a massive shift into placing more focus on supporting and promoting groups. A big part of this shift was changing their algorithms to prioritize group conversations and posts. Your people are more likely to see posts and announcements coming from your church group over your official church page.
Private Groups encourage conversations
Unlike a Page that is open to all, you can create a private Group that's only accessible by individuals of your choosing. This means that conversations among your people can be kept within the group. We strongly recommend making your Group(s) private amongst your church people. This helps encourage more candid conversation while also guarding your group against "Trolls" or outside individuals only there to cause quarrels.
Groups can be linked to your Page
You can link your Group/Groups to your main Facebook Page. This makes it easier for your people to not only find your Groups, but also see that they are the official Groups managed by your church too.
You can have multiple Groups
Your church can create multiple groups for different teams, Bible study/small groups, and ministries. By creating multiple small groups, you'll encourage more engagement as that group will be hyperfocused towards the interest of the group. This is especially true in worship teams, bible study classes, and other small groups.
More features than Group Texts
Though group texts are great for small group communication, they are limited. For starters, you can only have a maximum of 10-20 people in a group text. Facebook groups can have hundreds. Group texts can only have text and pictures. Facebook Groups feature polls, Q&A's, Live Videos, and more. Since Facebook Groups are also cross platform, you don't have the issue of certain features working on iPhones while not on Androids.
Takeaway
Implementing a Facebook Group is a no-brainer for your church. Most of your people are already on Facebook and many are part of other groups already. Facebook Groups are a great tool to communicate with your people and increase overall engagement.
Speaking of Groups...
Did you know that ChurchTrac has a Facebook Group?
The ChurchTrac Users Group is a place where ChurchTrac Users can share software tips, ministry knowledge, and more! Join the ChurchTrac Users Group Today!