Recent Changes to Facebook Groups

Recent changes to Facebook Groups are happening and Admins and Members need to know what to expect.  In early 2019, Facebook announced the most dramatic updates to its platform since 2014.  These changes affect Facebook Groups, as well as the newsfeed.  Group admins and members need to be aware of these changes in order to comply with the new rules and algorithms.

Group Admins are now held responsible for moderating content.

Most Facebook Group Admins have always practiced a personal responsibility of moderating content, but now it’s official.  Facebook is now holding the Admins accountable for moderating the content the groups’ members post, as well as the comments on those posts.   

The recent changes to Facebook groups announced that consistent violations of Facebook’s community standards will result in closure of the group.  Admins will not be able to recover the group or its content if closure occurs.

To temporarily mute a group member:

1. From your News Feed click Groups in the left menu and select your group.
2. Click Members on the left.
3. Find the person you want to mute and click  then select Mute Member.
4. Select the amount of time you want to prevent the person from posting or commenting in the group.
5. Click Mute.

You can also mute someone from a post or comment they made in the group:

1. From your News Feed click Groups in the left menu and select your group.
2. Go to the group member’s post or comment and click .
3. Click Mute Member.
4. Select the amount of time you want to prevent the person from posting or commenting in the group.
5. Click Mute.

Consistent violations and group closures can also limit or disable your ability create groups in the future.  Also, higher scrutiny will placed on any other groups that an Admin moderates.  There is also a risk of having your Facebook Profile and/or Page disabled or removed because of consistent Group violations.

Take Violation Warnings Seriously

If you receive a violation warning from Facebook, take it seriously.  Facebook will notify the Admin when a post or comment is flagged for a violation.  There may also be instances where Facebook removes content from a group.

What Admins can do about the recent changes to Facebook Groups: 

• Review Facebook’s Group Management for Admins.
• Clearly state the group rules and be sure each member is aware of the rules.
• Consider changing the settings in the group where posts must be pre-approved before showing the in the group feed.
• Add additional Admins to help moderate the group feed.
• Remove offending posts and/or comments immediately.
• Send violation warnings to group members who violate the community standards.
• Block or ban members who violate community standards.

Group members can also be helpful in keeping the group functioning in accordance with Facebook’s Community Standards.  Members can report offensive posts and comments to the Admins.  This is especially helpful in large, active groups where it is more difficult for Admins to police every post and comment in a timely manner.

Recent Changes to Facebook Groups – Group Members

Several changes are happening for Facebook group members, as well.

In the past, someone could automatically add you to a group.  This was changed in early 2019.

Accept or Decline

Now, Facebook users can be invited to join a group.  The user now has the option to accept or decline a group invitation before being added to the group.

If a Facebook user has been invited to your group, but has not accepted to join, that user will no longer be counted as a group member.  Therefore, Admins may see a decline in the group members number.

Re-Invite/Reminder Notification

Admins now have the option to send a reminder notification to anyone who has been invited to the group, but hasn’t yet accepted.

Perhaps the Facebook user forgot they had been invited or they just haven’t gotten the time to check out your group.  It’s a good idea to send the reminder notification before removing the user.

Welcome New Members Feature

A new feature in Facebook Groups is the ability for an Admin to more easily Welcome New Members.

When Users Leave a Group

Another Facebook Group change that was announced, has to do with when a user leaves a group.

Prior to leaving a group, users will have the ability to select the removal of all their prior posts and comments within the group.

Using Facebook Groups to Market Your Vacation Rental

Facebook Groups are an effective way to provide additional services to your guests and potential guests.  Groups that are created as a spin-off from your Facebook Business Page provide a means to engage in a more personal way with other Facebook users who are interested in your vacation destination.

Learn More About Facebook Groups for Your Vacation Rental Business

In my course, Facebook & Instagram for Vacation Rental Owners, I go into detail about this topic in the module “How to use Facebook Groups for Vacation Rental Marketing”.

Groups create an atmosphere of community.  Members are more apt to post reviews and share suggestions about local attractions, restaurants and local venues.  

Being the Group Admin allows you the opportunity to advertise your vacation rental.  As you know, many group pages restrict advertisements within their group feed.  However, as the Admin, you can choose what gets posted.

Destination content provides the group members with ideas for what’s available in your area when they visit.  It gets them excited to visit the area and you become their “go-to” source for area information.

To create a group:

1. Click  in the top right of Facebook and select Create Group.
2. Enter your group name, add group members and then choose the privacy setting for your group.
3. Click Create.