With Facebook changing its news feed algorithm and prioritising posts from friends and family over those from pages, news organisations are turning more towards Facebook groups to connect with their audiences on the platform.
In a recent Solution Set issue, a weekly report from The Lenfest Institute for Journalism and The Solutions Journalism Network, Joseph Lichterman wrote about how Vox uses Facebook groups to build community, and what newsrooms should take into account before setting up a group.
Before you take this step, think carefully about your expectations, as well as the time and resources you can dedicate to a Facebook group. One of the things that make these communities appealing to readers is the access they get to reporters, so make sure you are responsive to users' comments and questions.
You should also plan the content you want to publish in the group during the first few weeks, as it might take the audience a little while to settle into a rhythm and get the conversation going. And putting together a guide on how to post and other FAQs or concerns from members can prevent you from getting overwhelmed by questions and notifications outside of your working hours.
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