What are the dangers of building community on a Facebook Group?
(a series discussing why not - and maybe when - to choose Discord, #slack, a Facebook Group for your community)
If I would get a dime for every time I got asked:
“But isn’t it just simpler, more convenient to just start a Facebook Group for our community?”
Yes, it is convenient, like
sugar-soda
sms-loans
getting into a relationship while drunk
😮
Ok, you might notice a “slight” negativity here…
Why your beef with Facebook Groups?
Well, first if you ask today’s oracle (Chat GPT), the more polished answer is this (you will find mine underneath, having worked with several communities with + 70k members trying to escape Facebook)
Chat GPT:
“While building a community on a Facebook Group may seem like a convenient option, there are several reasons why it may not be the best choice:
Lack of ownership: When you build a community on a Facebook Group, you are essentially building your community on someone else's platform. This means that you do not have full control over the community, and if Facebook were to shut down or change its policies, your community could be at risk.
Limited customization: Facebook Groups have limited customization options, which can make it difficult to create a unique brand identity for your community. You may not be able to customize the design or functionality of the group to meet your specific needs.
Algorithm changes: Facebook's algorithm changes frequently, which can impact the visibility of your group's content. This can make it difficult to attract and retain members, as they may not be able to see your posts.
Privacy concerns: Facebook has been criticized for its data privacy practices, which can make members of your community hesitant to share personal information on the platform.
Competition for attention: There are millions of Facebook Groups, which means that your community will be competing for attention with countless others. This can make it difficult to attract and retain members.
Overall, while Facebook Groups can be a useful tool for building a community, there are several limitations and potential drawbacks to consider. It may be worth exploring other options, such as creating a dedicated website or using a community platform specifically designed for building communities.
I give Chat GPT 8 out of 10 for that answer
Why only 8? Because a website is never an alternative when building a community. It needs to have all that Facebook has for functionality, be mobile, and preferably an app. And because ChatGPT missed a few crucial points.
My additional thoughts on this
You just cannot get your people out (at least not in any simple way). If you have a blog, a newsletter, or a standalone community solution, #slack - in most cases you just export your people, the email list. This is just fair, right? These are your people, your tribe. But no, Facebook blocks this.
So imagine this - you have 70k hard-earned users in your Facebook Group. Their email addresses alone would be worth somewhere around 350k USD (!), depending on who ask, pricing is not an exact science. It also depends on the audience. But you see the point: Marky Mark has them all locked up inside Facebook…
You cannot commercialize freely. Every community needs to sustain itself. Whether you are a creator, a local kids’ soccer team, or a brand building a community. Community is “a hard 😬 work but high 🙂 reward game”. That is why it needs to sustain itself long-term.
On Facebook, Mark monopolizes almost all commercialization. Here you play on his terms and get a free platform in return for free work and being the product. This (IMHO) is quite an extreme deal. The bottom line is - you need to be free to sustain your community in any way that you see fit. This is not possible on a Facebook Group.
The app download argument. “But everybody has Facebook, it already sits on the phone” Why do I humbly think this is a BS argument?
First, who is “everybody”? There are generations who never got on Facebook. Second, how many social apps are already on your own phone? Linkedin? Twitter? TikTok? Telegram? Signal? Snapchat? YouTube? #slack + all the other apps that have injected chats in them to make them more valuable to their users. Third, when do you download a social app? » When people that you care about start having a conversation on it. Yep. So, the argument that the convenience of one app is enough to build community on it, quite frankly, does not hold.
The pulling monkey (the Facebook Newsfeed).
The second your user gets bored in your Facebook Group, the thumb moves over in the app, and they switch to casual newsfeed scrolling. This is bad for you and good for Facebook. If you choose an app that is more peaceful and focused, you get less of this behaviour.
Hope you found this post useful 🙏.
Next up in this series is probably discord, or it will be #slack 🏄♂️
👉 BTW
I am starting a haaartland soon called ‘Community Growth Secrets’ (how start-ups/product owners can use Community to kickstart growth). Subscribe to my substack in the meantime, I will invite all subscribers.
I haven't tried or checked if it's possible, but I wonder if an email can be requested upon signing up to a group.
Depending on your niche, a FB page or group can be great for growth/reaching people, mostly in the consumer space.
Great point! And very good to find out *before* you build a massive Facebook Group. We are working with quite a few that want to exodus, and Facebook has them in a tight grip 😬