5 essential Facebook group rules
If you want to run a successful Facebook group, you’ll need to have a set of well thought out rules and and you’ll need to enforce them. Here are five essential Facebook group rules to consider for your social media group:
1. The Golden Rule
A suggested first rule might be your version of The Golden Rule – be nice, be kind, be empathetic, treat others as you’d like to be treated. If you only start with one rule, this one’s great because it can encompass many things – and you can delete posts or comments based on this rule alone.
2. No hate speech/bullying/shaming
I like to keep my group kind and clean. Facebook also likes groups that are kind and clean. If you permit hate speech and bullying in your group, you risk the group being shut down. I have a no tolerance policy for any hate speech or bullying. If a person engages in this in my group, they are removed and banned.
3. Do not block the admin
When a group member blocks you, they will not see any of your posts (even as an admin) and you cannot tag them. It’s really not too much to ask for a group member, who benefits from your group, to not block you.
How to see blocked members:
Facebook lets you see unavailable members. Unfortunately, currently there is no way to decipher between a member who has blocked you and a member who has simply deactivated their Facebook account.
In your group, click on members:
Scroll down to see unavailable members. Click on the kebab menu to the right of each member and select “Remove Member.”
I go through unavailable members 2-3 times per month and remove them. It is right in my group description that if a person has deactivated their account, they will need to reapply to join the group.
4. No free advertising or promotion
If your group will be monetized (either right away or in the future), you should also have a rule prohibiting self promotion or free advertising. Even if you aren’t ready to monetize your group yet, it is easier to have this rule in place right away than it is to allow advertising initially – and take it away down the road. It’s a battle you just don’t need!
5. Some posts are best kept on personal pages
This is another good all-encompassing rule, particularly when you want to keep the group discussion relevant and consistent.
Example rule text: This group is not for posting random thoughts, posts, news stories, or self-promotion. You can do that on your own page.
What’s your most essential rule?
Let us know in the comments?
