Over the last few years, Facebook has made Groups the centerpiece of its growth strategy. The company updated its algorithm to ensure that posts in groups show up frequently in users' News Feeds.
As a result, niche communities—like the dog-focused group Dogspotting or the pro-public transit New Urbanist Memes for Transit-Oriented Teens—have sprung out of the platform, amassing hundreds of thousands of active members composed of like-minded people.
As part of its push into e-commerce, Facebook is integrating virtual storefronts into Groups. In November 2021, Facebook debuted Shops in Groups, which lets Facebook Groups create storefronts and sell products directly to members.
Whether it's private or public Facebook groups, each has untapped potential in terms of e-commerce.
Here’s why Facebook's new feature for Group Shops matters:
Even groups that don't necessarily center around a specific product can now become CPG companies
The octopus fan group Octonation, for instance, launched a Facebook store with octopus-themed stickers and mugs.
Big Facebook groups can roll out virtual storefronts, from which Facebook users can buy, say, shirts or tote bags emblazoned with the logos or inside jokes from each group.
Social Media Marketing Tip: Brands can further encourage community members to purchase their products by bundling them with exclusive content.
Brands that can create a loyal community on Facebook now have more ways to monetize those groups.
Brands can use this Facebook marketing strategy to offer merch that only members can purchase.
Plenty of established brands already have thriving communities on Facebook:
Allow people to post group content that's interesting to their fellow members. User-generated content can be the most valuable to your brand—however, it's essential to set guidelines to avoid posts becoming too spammy.
Personally engaging with your community can make people more invested in your brand as a business owner. For example, you can do this via a weekly or monthly Facebook Live video.
Before you can utilize Shops, you need to set up your own Facebook Group, here's a quick guide to help you get started:
It's on the far left of your newsfeed. Just click on Groups, then it's on the next step.
Note:
On the right side of your screen, you'll see options to continue setting up your group. Here are your options:
Once you're done with the above, all that's left is to tweak some final settings.
Finally, navigate to the left side of your screen. Under Admin Tools, look for Settings. Just click on that and, as the group owner, you should take care of the following:
Commerce is increasingly moving onto social media platforms including TikTok and Instagram, and Shops in Groups is just one example among many.
As more people rely on social media to discover—and purchase—their next round of products, brands have to make sure they are equipped with a robust customer service strategy.
Chatdesk Teams can help brands talk to potential customers, whether in the comments section of a Facebook Group post or a private exchange on Facebook Messenger.
Here are some other things that Chatdesk Teams can offer brands:
Schedule a demo here to see how Chatdesk can help entrepreneurs, small businesses, and even large companies keep up with the evolution of commerce on social platforms.
