Promo Days: Keys to Maximizing Facebook Groups (as shared by Top Facebook Group Admins) – Part One

A few weeks ago I shared my favorite Facebook Groups for Bloggers. I was blown away by the response (my most popular post yet!) and so wanted to explore that topic a bit more and dig deeper into how we can maximize our Facebook Group time, especially on Promo Days.

I asked the wonderful owners/moderators of the groups I’d mentioned to share their tips about Facebook Groups, and everyone was so generous — I was floored by the wealth of information shared! So while I’d intended to just publish a single post, I’m going to make this a three-part series so we can fully digest all the great info! So if you’d like to know how to increase your traffic via Facebook Groups (below), how to start your own Facebook Group, and how to monetize a Facebook Group, you’ve come to the right place!

First, let me re-introduce you to these seven awesome ladies. Becky Burgess (Blogging Newbs | blog), Jen Snyder (Women Winning Online | blog), Krista Dickson (Girl Boss Bloggers | blog), Lena Gott (Adventures in Blogging | blog), Marianne Manthey (Blog Beautiful | blog), McKinzie Bean (Blogging Newbs | blog), and Nicole Floss (Blogging 101 | blog). I encourage you to follow their blogs, join their groups and learn from these amazing women!

This is a question I’ll bet all of you are asking: “How can I use Facebook Groups to increase the traffic to my blog? I post on Promo Days but only get a couple extra views, if that.” Here’s what the experts have to say!

McKinzie: I think the biggest thing about leveraging promo days is to not just drop a link and run. You need to sell them right there on why they should click through on your post. Also, when you reciprocate in threads make sure to reply to that person’s comment and say where you shared or what you like about their post.

Jen: The best way to get traffic from Facebook group promo days is do anything but drop a link. I like to add 1-2 sentences telling people why it is worth their time to click on my link. I also like to share my most popular posts, not necessarily the ones I have written most recently. Don’t lurk in Facebook groups! Get in there and talk to people. Help your readers, talk to them, and show your expertise. As an admin I love this and will often showcase those people more in my group.

Krista: I think the key is finding the right kind of Facebook groups to join. A lot of bloggers join groups where their peers – other bloggers – hang out. While this is great for building connections with your peers, unless your “ideal audience” is bloggers, these aren’t the best groups for you to promote yourself in. Instead, you should join groups where your readers hang out. Do some research, chat with your readers one-on-one if necessary, and locate a few Facebook groups where the members are your target audience. These are the right kinds of groups to promote yourself in! Share your content on the promo days, answer questions to showcase your expertise in your niche, and always be willing to help out the members of these groups. It will go a long way!

Lena: Whether or not you should use promo days depends on your blog. As a general rule I only participate in promo days if I’m writing a post geared toward bloggers OR if the promo day will result in amplification to another platform like Pinterest. If your goal is to get a few bloggers to look at your post, Facebook Groups are probably not a good use of your time. You want your intended audience to see your post.

Becky: I recommend having a schedule and being active on about 4-7 groups. This means when it’s promo time, drop your link with a breakdown that gets people excited and interested to click through. Then, set your timer (I use my phone) and go through as many posts as you can, that are relevant to your niche, and support that person. Then, go back to the group thread and tag them in the comments under their link what you did and thank them for sharing. Try to hit as many posts as you can in 15 minutes. Then, move on to the next group and so on.

Marianne: I recommend joining strategic Facebook groups as they are a great way to meet other bloggers and make new friends, especially if you’re an introvert! Join groups where you can not only learn from others, but where you can show your own expertise. A key point is to read the rules first. Many groups don’t allow self-promotion. You don’t want to get kicked out for not following the rules, plus it’s just icky to only promote yourself and not contribute anything really valuable. Be helpful to others by answering questions and showing them your expertise. People will flock to you once they see that you know what you’re talking about.

Nicole: Engage with group members — being active within the group is very important. I definitely can see the members that are participating and answering questions on a regular basis and I’m sure others see that as well. Being viewed as an ‘expert’ in a specific topic is an important part to getting traffic back to your own blog. Another option is to create a poll. What a perfect way to engage with the group. Polls have become very popular in my group and definitely have helped gain perspective but also gets you seen as someone that is active and engaged within the community. Of course, you’ll want to share wins/struggles with the group. Sharing these moments with members will spark up friendship and community. You might not see results to your blog immediately – but trust me it’ll pay off in the long run. Be real. Be genuine. The most important of all: just be yourself! 🙂

My takeaway: Interact with posts besides the Promo Day post. Showcase your expertise by being genuinely helpful in other areas. Build relationships. And find your tribe!

I’d love to hear what tips you may have for people wanting to get more out of Facebook groups. Drop a note in the comments!

~R