If you are looking to bring a dead Facebook group back to life (no matter your own group or someone else’s), NOW is the right time for it.
In a recent announcement, Facebook said that it will soon be archiving groups that do not have any admin. The purpose is to keep groups safe and prevent the spread of any misinformation and reduce harmful content.
Reason enough to get going already, isn’t it?
In this guide, I will share with you the best strategies that are proven to turn any silent Facebook group into a powerhouse of conversations.
For the same, I recently asked the power admins of our Facebook group, Growth and Monetisation for Facebook Group Admins, if they ever revived a dead Facebook group and the ways that worked best for them.
And the responses were extremely insightful! Have a look at them yourself.
I have collated them all and detailed out each one for you in this blog.🙂
So yeah, you can say that I’ve got all of the desired information right from the horse’s mouth.😋
FYI: A few of these admins have not only revived a dead group but also turned it into a thriving business. (Also a reason why they’re known as power admins!)
Now all you need to do is act upon these strategies and implement them in the best way possible.
But, before I tell you about the ways you can revive a dead Facebook group, let me tell you what exactly a dead Facebook group means and the reasons why a Facebook group can be dead.
So folks, without wasting any moment, let’s get down to business!
What is a DEAD Facebook Group?
A Facebook group where no conversations have happened for a long time (let’s say for over more than 6 months) is considered to be dead. You can also call it a silent group because of its nature.
Why does a Facebook group become dead?
A Facebook group can become silent and eventually turn dead when both the admins, moderators and the members stop posting in the group.
Members stop interacting in a group when they feel they’re not getting any value from it.
On the other hand, admins and moderators stop posting in a group because of either of these reasons:
- The admin went on to pursue a new passion and lost interest in the group
- The admin and moderator parted ways (maybe because of a fight) and there is no conversation driver in the community
Both of these reasons have two possibilities each, which are:
- The admin and moderator(s) are still are part of the group
- The admin and moderator(s) are no more a part of the group
Let me reiterate the scenarios for you.
- The admin is not interested in the group hence, the group became dead. But, the admin and the moderator(s) are still a part of it.
- The admin is not interested in the group hence, the group became dead. And, the admin and the moderator(s) are no more a part of it.
- The admin and moderator(s) split up hence, the group became dead. But, both of them are still a part of the group.
- The admin and moderator(s) split up hence, the group became dead. And, neither of them are part of it anymore.
Now that I’ve laid out the different scenarios for you, you first need to figure out which scenario you fall in and then get started with reviving the dead group.
8 Proven Ways to Bring a Dead Facebook Group to Life
No matter why your Facebook group became dead in the first place, these strategies are sure to work for you.
However, if you fall in either the first or the third scenario, i.e. where admin and moderator(s) are no longer a part of the group, you might want to skip the first step and start right away with the second one. It’s as simple as that.
So, let’s get started.
1. Talk to the admins and moderators and learn everything about the group
First and foremost, you need to have a clear picture of the group’s background. And, no one better than the previous admin(s) and moderator(s) to tell you about it.
Reach out to them and learn all about:
- Why did the admin start the group in the first place?
- What did the members like to talk about the most?
- Who were the top contributors of the group?
- Why did the group’s steam fade away and it became silent?
Only when you have answers to all of these questions, should you proceed to the next step. Simply because if you have no idea about the back story, you won’t be able to formulate a content strategy. Even if you do, it won’t get you any results.
2. Go through all the old posts of the group thoroughly
The logic is simple. You will get a background of the group and will be able to understand the kind of posts that were posted earlier, whether they attracted any engagement and if they did, you must see if it was any satisfactory.
Now, when you come across such posts, you might want to take notes of that content type. Was it a question, a photo, or a video that garnered such engagement? Answer this and make that format a part of your content strategy.
I would suggest you spend at least 7-10 days doing this because unless you understand every little detail about the members and value they got from the group through what content type, you won’t be able to formulate a content strategy that gives them the same value (if not more).
But remember, we need to aim for the latter here!
3. Reach out to the top contributors of the group
As you scrutinize every post of the group, you’ll come across the top contributors. Don’t feel shy to reach out to them as they are the ones who will be able to give you an in-depth understanding of the group, especially when there is no admin or moderator present.
So, ask all your queries and don’t forget to get these questions addressed:
- Why was the group started?
- How and what value did the admin provide in the group?
- Why did that person like to be a part of the group?
- What kind of posts that person (and most others) liked to engage with?
- Why did the group become dormant?
When you have answers to these, creating a content strategy will literally be a cakewalk!
4. Stick with the old theme or create a new one
When you are navigating through the posts of the group, you would definitely come across a pattern.
For instance, if it’s a food group, you might see members engaging with a few certain types of posts like memes. Or there might altogether be an existing theme like members and admins both posting about just street food. (Because that’s what the admin intended to do back then)
Now, you might want to stick to that theme only and take things forward from there.
Or you can choose to bring in something new. Like posting and talking about gourmet food along with street food.
But, make sure your members like that too. Basically, you need to find a middle ground between what your members like and what your vision is for the community. It should be a win-win for everyone.
5. Rebrand and Restart
Now that you know the group’s background, have decided the theme, and understood what members of the group like the most, it’s finally time to create a buzz of your group in the feeds of the existing members.
Start with rebranding. Change your group’s cover photo and then start posting content that the members would like.
The creatives of your posts should be striking and amazingly attractive. They should attract the attention of your members in just a second. Because trust me, no one ain’t got more time than that. Your members have got so many other things to do on the internet and in their lives. (Just saying!)
Don’t expect members to start engaging from the first post you put up in a long time. It will take a few days and numerous posts for them to realise that the group is active again and form a connection with it.
Not to forget, your posts should always add value in their lives. Because that’s the only thing that will help you build trust in a stranger’s community. As it is, members and conversations are what make up a community.🙂
For instance, if you have a food group, you can start with posting reviews of different restaurants, dishes with some really striking pictures. Have a look at this one where a member talks about his experience at the restaurant Comorin and shares some amazing food pictures.
Who wouldn’t stop scrolling when they come across this post in their feed?
As long as your content is original and provides value to members, they will surely engage. Besides, you can add your friends to the group and they’ll help you jump start the conversations.🙂
Also, now is the time when you go all out with your content. Try posting different formats. See what works and what doesn’t at this point in time. Whatever gets you the maximum engagement, do it more often.
Our blog on 25 highly effective Facebook group engagement ideas will surely help you.
6. Form a connection again with your members
You might have come across a few members engaging on all your posts. Well, bang on!
It’s time to start a conversation with them and form a connection. Tag them in relevant conversations and tell them you care and you are there to help them. Because they are the ones who will help take your community forward.
Encourage them to post in the group. React on their posts, comments. Appreciate them, make them feel valued and special. After all, that’s what humans long for.
Have a look at this post where Mohit Mahajan, admin of Plates2Miles, comments on a post of one of his members. In this post, the member tells how she had a great experience going out with her friends (who are also members of the group) after five months of lockdown.
P.S. Mohit is one of the admins who revived a dead Facebook group and converted it into a thriving business. Check out this blog to know all about it.👇🏻
How did Mohit turn a dead Facebook group into a thriving business?
7. Filter out people
After a month or two of regularly posting in the group, you will realise that there are members who are silent spectators. Consider filtering out and removing them from the group.
For the same, you can put up a post saying,
“We will soon be removing silent members from the group. If you are one and wish to be a part, please do like or comment on this post.”
This way you’ll come across members who do not interact but enjoy being a part of the group. For the rest, you’ll have to spend some time and browse through all the member profiles. When you notice any fake profiles, remove them right away.
Agreed, it’s a tedious process. But currently, there’s no other way to do it. You can take the help of your moderators but, if you are a one-man army, you can dedicate a few hours of different days to clean your group.
8. Add new members
Since you’re filtering out people, it’s the perfect time to infuse some fresh blood into your community. For the same, you can host competitions that have a rule of inviting new members.
This is a great way to keep your members engaged and also invite more people.
Other ways you can grow your community is by:
- Running a special program with the most engaged members of your group
- Partner with other communities of your niche
If you wish to know more details about any of these or want to know about other ways to grow your Facebook group, check out our blog on 16 ridiculously simple ways to grow your Facebook group.
Remember, it’s all about providing value to your members. The more you do that, the more will your members engage and your group will start to grow.
And one more thing. Be patient, work hard, and don’t give up. Because that’s what it takes to manage a community.😇
That’s about it.
Implement these strategies and let me know how these worked for you. Also, in case you have anything to add to this list, please share it in the comments below.
Or you can also share your feedback in our Facebook group, Growth and Monetisation for Facebook Group Admins where hundreds of admins like you are talking about this and more on community building.🙂
Creating value in the lives of others with my content, little by little.✨
Working at Convosight, I do more than just wrangle commas. I’m passionate about innovating new ways to create super valuable and actionable content about Communities and Community Marketing at large, and sharing it with the right audience.
I also happen to manage a global community of power admins on Facebook, and that’s where most of my learnings come from.
Do check out my latest blogs and feel free to share them! 💛